FLOORING SYSTEMS


Forbo Flooring Systems says Modul’up ‘reaps all of the benefits of an adhesive-free installation’, while its ‘lay flat, stay flat’ technology ensures it can withstand all types of wear and tear.


can even result in respiratory illnesses and other diseases; it is generally caused by poor ventilation, and the evaporation of volatile organic compounds (VOC emissions) from furniture and floors, cleaning detergents, and building materials. Flooring products such as those that are adhesive-free – which emit low VOCs or aromas during refurbishment – are therefore crucial.


What’s more, the elimination of the usual constraints associated with adhesives, such as lingering odours, will help to create better indoor environments, and contribute to improving the wellbeing of staff, patients, visitors, and all those that use the building. There will also be less dust and mess during installation – as a result of minimal or no subfloor preparation.


Infection control


Over the course of the past year, and indeed for the foreseeable future, reducing the spread of infection is crucial for hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Therefore, minimising the amount of time that tradespeople spend on site should be considered. As adhesive-free products are quick and easy to install, fitters will be required on site for less time, and can be in and out quickly, operating safely and efficiently to get the refurbishment done. This is a major advantage for both the NHS Trust and the tradesperson. In order to keep the floor clean and hygienic once installed, specialist surface treatments can ensure ease of maintenance throughout a product’s service life, which is particularly important for cleaning and maintenance regimes.


Top-class performance


Due to the busy and practical nature of healthcare establishments, it is essential that floorcoverings are capable of withstanding all types of traffic, and the demands that hospital floors are typically subject to. This includes constant footfall, beds, equipment, trollies, and patient mobility aids. For these areas that use rolling loads, it is important to choose


50 Health Estate Journal July 2021


When the time eventually comes to replace an adhesive-free floor, products are easy to uplift and re-use, or remove and recycle.


adhesive-free floorcoverings that possess excellent dimensionally stability and high indentation resistance.


Remove, reuse, recycle


When the time eventually comes to replace an adhesive-free floor, products are easy to uplift and re-use, or remove and recycle, at the end of their service life, as there is no adhesive residue left on the back of the material. Sub-floors are then left clean and sound, ready for a repeat installation. Savings on future renovations can also be made, as there will be no costly sub-floor preparation required on removal.


A solution for every area The benefits of adhesive-free floorcoverings clearly make them an attractive proposition for healthcare refurbishment projects, and the good news is that there is a wealth of designs, formats, and colourways to choose from, depending on the requirements of each specific application area. Solutions include quick and easy-to-install entrance flooring systems, which are ideal for keeping moisture and dirt at the door, and


conductive floorcoverings for preventing malfunctions to highly sensitive medical equipment, such as in specialist treatment areas and operating theatres. In general circulation areas, waiting rooms, wards, and bedrooms, sheet vinyl offers the ultimate solution. Forbo Flooring Systems’ innovative Modul’up, for example, reaps all of the benefits of an adhesive-free installation, while its ‘lay flat, stay flat’ technology ensures that it can withstand all types of wear and tear. The compact version is perfect for high traffic areas that are subject to indentation, and where occasional rolling loads are part of the use of the building. There are adhesive-free sheet vinyl options designed for delivering underfoot comfort and enhanced impact sound reduction, as well as those available for damp sub-floor application, with up to 97% RH.


Case study:


Ormskirk District General Hospital One healthcare provider that recently benefited from the installation of an adhesive-free sheet vinyl was Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust on Merseyside. After nearly 30 years without


The concrete and wooden plank effects of Modul’up offer a neutral alternative to the bright colours used throughout the Paediatrics department at Ormskirk Hospital.


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