FLOOR SAFETY
of products to choose from that allow you to deliver that and also design creatively when it comes to the look and feel of a space too. Long gone are the days of grey or blue or nothing. There is a vast array of bright or muted colours available, including those without the safety flooring ‘sparkle’, plus ranges that allow biophilic- design to ‘bring the outside in’.
For example, Altro Illustra draws inspiration from the natural world with natural stone, textile and mineral designs that deliver visual texture and softness yet provides all the performance characteristics you’d expect from a safety floor. Designs such as these, along with nature-inspired wood safety floors, offer a harmonious blend of style and functionality with textures and softness to help create and enhance feeling of wellbeing within spaces.
High-traffic areas mean large numbers of people are using them, and that means specifiers need to consider the needs of all, including those with disabilities. For example, to consider the needs of the visually impaired, there must be adequate visual contrast between adjacent surfaces. The standards recommend a Light Reflectance Value (LRV) contrast of at least 30 points. This is far easier to achieve now there is such a wide range of design options to choose from, and many manufacturers provide detailed information on LRVs and also now on Chroma values. There have also been huge steps forward in designing for those with dementia or neurodiversity, which should be a consideration when specifying for all high-traffic areas – see the Altro website for more information on this.
Looking generally at design for wellbeing, something else that flooring can do is affect the acoustics of a space and help dampen the sound produced by footfall and other traffic. Acoustics can significantly impact an environment and be problematic for specific sectors, like hospitals, care homes, dementia and mental health facilities. With flooring options that help reduce the decibel level of sound reflected off them, you can help create calming and comfortable environments wherever they are needed.
Acoustic flooring generally refers to flooring that helps provide sound insulation, thus dampening the effects of sound from within the room, be it airborne noise or impact noise. Acoustic flooring is different from soundproof underlay or flooring, which is designed to reduce sound coming through the floor from adjoining areas. Many modern flooring options incorporate sound reduction, so look for those details along with slip-resistance, aesthetics and durability. With flooring available offering different levels of sound reduction, you can tailor your project to its exact specifications.
The last factor we’re considering is sustainability – increasingly important for us all. The growth of adhesive- free flooring is great news for us all, as it comes with excellent sustainability credentials, with some, such as Altro’s, being 100% recyclable post-consumer and offering up to 50% saving on embodied carbon versus the equivalent flooring installed with wet adhesive.
Additionally, there are cost and time saving benefits, for example, Altro adhesive-free flooring has no need for a DPM, faster installation, less noise and downtime and no adhesive odours. Many ranges are now available for adhesive-free installation, including many suitable for high-traffic public areas.
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