Given that delivering and maintaining safe and efficient environments is absolutely paramount, the obvious solution to tired and expired flooring would seem to be full replacement. However, this can be extremely expensive, and estates managers ought to consider the many advantages of restoration rather than replacement, as Simon Testa, managing director at resilient floor restoration specialist Stainbusters Cleaning and Hygiene, explains.
Healthcare estates teams manage some of the most heavily used and operationally complex environments in the public sector, of which flooring is just one element. The need to deliver safe and efficient environments is significant and must currently be achieved against a backdrop of wide-ranging challenges. An ageing infrastructure, increasing demand, constrained budgets, and ambitious sustainability targets, all have a major role in each and every decision within the estates field.
Within this landscape, the condition and performance of flooring often play a more influential role than many people realise. Flooring is one of the most widespread and intensively used assets within any healthcare facility, from acute hospitals to primary care centres.
In this type of setting, surfaces directly influence safety, infection control, noise levels, and the overall resilience of clinical and non-clinical spaces. When flooring failures become apparent from surface wear, discolouration, or any other damage, it not only visibly looks in need of attention, and means cleaning takes longer and becomes less effective, importantly it could also be a safety risk. As a result of predominantly the latter, many teams find themselves replacing floors far earlier than necessary. However, opting for a new replacement has its drawbacks.
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