GETTING EDUCATION REFURBISHMENTS DONE QUICKLY AND WITHOUT DISRUPTION
When carrying out refurbishments in the education sector, time is of the essence. Here, flooring is a main consideration, with careful time and preparation needing to go into a successful installation. In this article, Lewis Cooper, Education Senior Marketing Executive, from Forbo Flooring Systems, will discuss how adhesive free flooring can help to make this process faster and easier.
Refurbishments within schools and colleges can often be difficult to complete, with work having to be conducted outside of academic hours – usually during school holidays or weekends. As such, when looking to replace flooring, timing is everything, ensuring the new solution is installed in a timely manner and allowing staff and students to return undisrupted.
Whilst sheet flooring is the traditional choice for this exact reason, offering fast install and leading aesthetics, there are other alternatives available – like adhesive free planks and tiles.
Saving time using adhesive-free alternatives
Traditionally adhered flooring isn’t always the best solution where speed is concerned, with uplift of the existing flooring, subfloor preparation and drying times (which can be as long as 48 hours) all needing to be accounted for when planning work schedules.
In comparison, adhesive free flooring is a fast to fit and dependable solution that can, in many cases, be laid directly onto a variety of subfloors, or even over existing flooring – often without the need for lengthy subfloor preparation. Through the removal of traditional adhesive or tackifier, the time it takes for an install to be completed can be reduced by over 50%, a massive time saving. Adhesive free flooring solutions can also be walked on and furniture returned as soon as the floor is laid, avoiding the drying times associated with adhered products, as well as minimising disruption.
Long-term performance
However, it’s not just the installation that must be considered. The durability of flooring across its entire useable life is also critical – especially so in busy, high traffic areas like education environments. To meet this requirement, Forbo’s Fast Supply Fast Fit family of adhesive free flooring is designed to prevent lifting and movement throughout its lifespan, engineered for dimensional stability to eliminate the potential for rucking. Every product in the range can be fitted using a double-sided contact tape (supplied with the flooring) that holds the floor covering firmly in place once installed.
Prioritising end user wellbeing
As well as the more functional benefits of adhesive free flooring, there are a number of health and wellbeing positives too. By removing the need for adhesives, adhesive-free flooring minimises the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and unpleasant aromas, especially if a low-VOC floor covering is selected. All of this helps to create a better indoor environment and contributes to the positive wellbeing of students and staff.
Material Circularity
Sustainability can also be catered for by adhesive free solutions, facilitating a circular economy. Further down the line, when flooring comes to the end of its useful lifespan, it can be easily removed and replaced or reused elsewhere – due to the lack of adhesive residue on the backing of the floor coverings. The uplifted flooring can even be repurposed through manufacturer take back schemes.
Contributing to material circularity means less waste and a lower whole lifecycle environmental impact. This is an especially important consideration for educational projects, with schools and colleges under increasing pressure to reduce their environmental impact and strive for net zero targets.
Forbo Fast Supply Fast Fit
Forbo’s Fast Supply Fast Fit flooring caters to this perfectly, with a range of solutions for all applications: Modul’up 19 dB, an acoustic vinyl to reduce impact noise, ideal for classrooms, libraries and study spaces; Eternal Next, Forbo’s general-purpose vinyl, a durable solution for corridors or breakout spaces; and Surestep Fast Fit, a safety vinyl to help prevent slips, trips and falls – perfect for bathrooms and kitchens.
This range of products allows facilities and estate managers to choose from a wide variety of solutions to find the ideal one for their requirements. Each of these ranges are available locally in the UK, ensuring fast delivery, can be installed using the same double sided contact tape over various subfloors, including existing flooring.
All three collections also come available in a range of contemporary designs, including wood, stone and material decors, printed using Forbo’s high-quality digital printing techniques.
Find out more about the Fast Supply Fast Fit family, here: www.forbo-flooring.co.uk/fastsupplyfastfit
