The healthcare industry has a special set of challenges when it comes to flooring. There are numerous areas to adjust within each facility, so it’s important to know what the best hospital floor options are. There are many factors to consider when choosing healthcare flooring such as what areas in the hospital need flooring, the type of flooring that is best for that area, the durability of a product, needed underfoot, Aesthetics, maintenance, etc. One of the best hospital flooring materials is vinyl. Durable, affordable, and easy to clean, this flooring feels comfortable and reduces the noise when walking.
Vinyl Floors For Hospitals
There are different reasons why vinyl, a material that was made in the 1930s, is excellent for hospitals. Vinyl rose to prominence in the architectural world after World War II. By the 1950s, it became a serious competition against floorings such as linoleum for example. It was affordable, and thanks to its water-resistance features, it instantly became a favourite choice for many households, schools and healthcare facilities.
Types of Vinyl
Luxury Vinyl Tile
This is a low-maintenance material that’s built to last. Luxury vinyl tiles are one of the most popular choices in flooring today. They’re easy to install, super durable, waterproof, and great in high-traffic areas. This vinyl flooring uses a photographic print process on the tile giving many design possibilities.
Sheet Vinyl
This type of vinyl comes in 4, 5, and 6-foot wide rolls and is 2-3 mm thick, which allows for a minimal number of seams. The minimal amount of seams is essential where aesthetics are a problem. Sheet vinyl flooring are a main choice for hospital floors for decades. It can be flash coved, which creates a monolithic, seamless floor that is easy for cleaning and maintaining.
Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT)
This is an economical option because these tiles are a combination of natural limestone, fillers, colour pigments and a thermoplastic binder. Even though the tile is incredibly durable, VCT requires a higher maintenance than other vinyl floors and the hospital should also consider durability costs.
Why Get It
Safe and Hygienic
Hospitals are places with a high foot traffic. Doctors are constantly walking around, nurses push wheelchairs and wheel beds, patients walk around the corridors, you name it. Not only vinyl is easy to clean, but it feels comfortable under the feet, making the floors easy to walk, and safe for people. Vinyl is a material that isn't slippery and won't cause any unwanted situation. Vinyl hospital flooring doesn't require any special care and it is super easy to clean. This way the floor remains free of germs and other debris or dirt, leaving the hospital safe and hygienic for both the personnel and patients.
Durable
Just like schools, hospitals are large objects that have to spend their budget wisely. Choosing vinyl healthcare flooring is a smart investment as it's a durable choice. It won't easily get damaged, so the hospital won't have to invest in large reparations or replacements. Let's keep in mind that hospital flooring will easily tear off due to the high traffic. The vinyl is a great choice since it will last for years if not decades.
With proper maintenance, this type of flooring can last for up to twenty or twenty-five years. Even if some part requires reparation, it can easily be done, without disrupting the entire flooring. Changing the floor in the whole building could be extremely expensive and demanding, which is why makes vinyl is ideal for hospital floors.
Water-Resistant Floor
Hospital floors face constant leakage of blood, water and other human liquids. This is why a hospital needs flooring that won't get damaged easily when that happens. Vinyl is known for its water-resistant properties. It will endure this without getting damaged and doesn't require any special care, except for wiping with a cloth. Also, the cleaning can be easily done with a wet mop.
It's Quiet
Even though hospitals are crowded with patients and personnel, they should be quiet places. Patients require peace and quiet to recover and high traffic can easily cause noise caused by shoes clacking on the floor. This soft and padded flooring will absorb the sounds and make walking over it less audible.
Comfortable
Being a part of the medical personnel means being on your feet almost the entire shift. Even the most comfortable shoes won't be able to reduce foot and leg pain after working hours. However, vinyl is known as a "resilient" material because it's elastic and soft, so when people walk over it, it feels kind of soft. This will reduce the pain in the feet, but the softness of this material isn't only good for this. In case a patient or some of the personnel falls, or someone slips, trips and falls on this floor, the fall won't be as harsh as if it would be on a block of concrete for example. It works as a shock absorbent and landing on it won't feel so painful.
Easy for Renovation
There will come a time when the floors will require renovations, especially in the corridors where the traffic is the highest. The good news is that vinyl is easy to renovate. Removing the damaged parts only that - removing parts, not the entire floor. This makes it easy to renovate and pay only for a few sheets of vinyl. This way the hospital corridors or rooms won't be closed for traffic and use. The renovation doesn't take too much time, and afterwards, the floor is good as new and ready for use.
