FLOORING Case study: The dentist’s chair
A flooring contractor was approached by Coniston Dental Practice in Surrey to refurbish the existing vinyl flooring in one of its treatment rooms. Initially the flooring was to be removed and replaced with new. However, this was undesirable for a number of reasons, particularly the downtime required. Instead, the flooring contractor offered the Bona Resilient System, which allowed the refurbishment of the worn and discoloured flooring in half the time of replacing the floor. The refurbishment involved making
repairs to damaged areas using Bona PU Filler, and preparing the surface for overcoating with Bona’s water-based coatings for resilient floors, Bona Pure Colour and Bona Pure. In this way the existing flooring was preserved, and the process caused minimal disruption, as opposed to discarding the old flooring. Not only does the disposal of old flooring create landfill waste, but damage caused by the floor’s removal means that remedial work is required to the sub-floor before a new floor can be installed. This takes time and increases costs. Replacing the floor would also involve the removal of the dentist’s chair; requiring skilled operatives to uninstall and re-install afterwards, in addition to suitable storage during works. Estimated costs for addressing the chair were in excess of £1,500.
Speed and resilience The speed, cleanliness, and environmental profile of the Bona system are perfect for resilient floors subjected to high traffic, particularly in healthcare scenarios where hygiene is paramount
and to secure better health and safety properties.
Even if a floor looks beyond repair, it isn’t Currently, the frequency of floor replacement in a healthcare space averages around three years. This is because in high-traffic areas such as a busy hospital, for instance, floors undergo a rigid and harsh routine; they are generally deep-cleaned, polished, cracks filled, and planks replaced, up until a point that they are deemed unrepairable. At this stage, when resilient floors become damaged, they are likely to be ripped out
– a key factor for the dental surgery. A recent TRBA (Technical Rules for Biological Agents) report confirmed that a refurbishment using the Bona Resilient System
produces a sealed, smooth, continuous surface which prevents the accumulation of harmful microorganisms, and renders the surface easy to clean. A critical part of the refurbishment is the deep cleaning and abrasion of the existing surface to remove all traces of maintenance products used previously on the vinyl. This involves using Bona’s diamond abrasives. These are used for wet sanding, which prevents the abrasive from clogging. The diamonds ensure longevity. When dry, the surface was treated with Bona Pure Colour, a two- component water-based paint with very low VOC content.
and replaced with brand new flooring, but in most situations this is completely unnecessary. What some decision-makers may not be
aware of is that even if a floor looks terrible – even it looks beyond repair – it probably isn’t. Floors with excessive damage can be salvaged with exceptional results; results which would make it difficult to distinguish between whether the surface is actually new or renovated, even for many flooring specialists. Renovation can transform a very bad floor into a surface that looks as good as new, but importantly without the high costs or immense disruption that a floor replacement may bring.
Decorative chips Decorative ‘chips’ were sprinkled onto the wet paint, and the surface allowed two hours to dry. This was then overcoated with Bona Pure, a two-component clear top coat. Using this system, rubber, linoleum, and vinyl resilient floors can be rapidly transformed to a new appearance, or restored as original, for approximately half the cost of replacing the floor. Along with reduced time and
costs, a recent independent study by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute has calculated the environmental benefits of refurbishing resilient flooring compared with floor replacement. The study calculated a 90% energy
saving and 90% reduction in the CO2 produced, plus a cost saving of at least 40%.
Surface challenges Healthcare organisations face several challenges with regards to surfaces. In a primary care setting, flooring must endure a lot – from foot traffic, wheelchairs, heavy equipment, dragged furniture, heat, spills, and more. Given this range of potentially damaging and wearing factors, some organisations may also find that their floors do not meet durability demands, and instead too often suffer from scratches, scuffs, cracks, dents, chips, and gaps. Importantly, health and safety concerns, and the need to comply with regulations, are also key factors, and since the outbreak of the pandemic
February 2023 Health Estate Journal 69
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