SCHOOL MAINTENANCE & DESIGN Making the most of adaptable spaces in schools M
Comment by RICHARD AYLEN Technical Manager, Junckers Ltd
ost schools and educational establishments need flexible use of their buildings, and in school halls the choice of floor finish is important as it can enhance or restrict the range of activities that can take place. I am referring in particular to sports and assembly halls, dance studios and similar spaces. Here you will often find hardwood, vinyl, linoleum or polyurethane resin floors, but some of these are more versatile than others when you need to use the hall for different purposes. For example, do you need to protect the floor if you use it for exams, awards evenings, social functions, roller skating, retractable seating or tap dancing? I am in the fortunate position to be able to say that all these things can be done with a solid wood floor, without special protection. However this isn’t true for every type of finish, and you should ask the manufacturer if their product is likely to need protection. Perhaps one of the greatest risks in using an activity floor for non-sports use is that it may be scratched, cut or indented, so it helps to know how damage-resistant and repairable the floor is. A solid timber floor can be repaired relatively cheaply largely because individual boards can be replaced. Small scale repairs to sheet finishes such as vinyl and linoleum can be difficult and often large areas need to be taken up for a relatively small area of damage. Furthermore, repairs will always be visible.
Synthetic and sheet floor finishes will
Mapei aids a safe floor installation at Sunningdale
A
Mapei system has been used by Titan Flooring to promote a fast and safe floor installation at Sunningdale SEN School in Sunderland. The project, which included installation of vinyl and carpet tiles throughout the £12.5 million new-build school, was completed for Kier, a leading UK infrastructure services, construction and property group.
Sunningdale SEN School is the city’s only specialist school for children with severe, profound and multiple learning difficulties, aged 2-11. The new school replaces an existing facility and now provides extensive therapy provisions including rebound therapy, hydrotherapy pool, sensory facilities and soft play. Each of the new classrooms includes a large storage area for mobility equipment and, across the wider site, the school benefits from informal play and grass playing fields, alongside a wetlands area, nature trail and habitat area.
During the installation, Titan Flooring installed Mapeproof One Coat – a single application damp proof membrane - to protect the new floor coverings from residual moisture. All-purpose primer, ECO Prim T Plus, was then applied to bond the damp proof membrane to the levelling and smoothing compound - Latexplan Trade. ECO Prim T Plus features a solvent-free, low odour formulation, with EMICODE EC1 Plus for very low emissions of VOC.
www.mapei.co.uk 40
www.education-today.co.uk
Adaptable modular solutions for all
T
he SmartSpace range brings all our precision and expertise together in a high-performing, efficient modular fleet. Sustainable, adaptable, and futureproofed, SmartSpace offers endless configurations and applications.
Features & benefits:
• Rental and purchase options. • Stackable configuration of up to four storeys. • Boasts superior thermal performance. • Enhanced air tightness and U values that exceed current performance requirements.
• 90-minute plus fire rating floor to floor. • 60-minute plus fire rating inside to outside. • A2 non-combustible cladding, insulation, and roofing. • For added design versatility and re-usability they come in three compatible and interchangeable module sizes.
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June 2023
normally collect irreversible but minor damage through their life, and when the condition of the floor deteriorates beyond an acceptable or safe condition it will be replaced – typically after about 15 years. Wooden floors will be periodically resealed and in the longer term sanded and resealed. The ability to fully refurbish rather than replace is largely the reason why solid wood floors will usually last for over 60 years. When a wooden floor is resealed any minor scratches and scuffs will be eliminated so the floor should never become any eyesore! One of the routes to an easier life is to choose a floor that doesn’t need protection when used for exams, functions and the like. Otherwise you are committed to buying a canvas cover or temporary carpet, and accepting that you will need to spend time laying it and remove it after the event. You also need storage space, but temporary floor coverings are usually bulky and not very portable. Some synthetic floor finishes need to be protected in this way, and when retractable seating is used, storing and handling plywood or metal floor protection is something most schools would prefer not to do. When your sports or multi purpose hall floor is due for replacement it pays to look at these issues. If you do not tailor the choice of floor to all your needs you may incur ongoing costs for protecting a less adaptable finish, and your ability to generate income through lettings may be restricted.
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