Walk the Walk
Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Paul W. Erickson
Flooring choices for new and retrofit education facilities impact learning environments and affect student learning.
New Richmond (Wis.) School District evaluated rolled carpet vs. carpet tiles for the new Hillside Elementary School media center. Because traffic patterns vary, and book shelving and furniture are ever-changeable in the space, the decision to use carpet tiles was based on ease and flexibility of replacement, initial cost and long-term maintenance. Photo courtesy of Rick Peters
For new and retrofit projects, which types of flooring work best in education facilities? Opinions vary among facilities specialists. Also, user groups — teachers, students, principals and parents — have preferences. So, education institutions must do research to determine appropriate flooring for various spaces. Touring facilities and talking to design professionals, building users and manufacturers are effective ways to make informed decisions.
Criteria and types
Schools and universities should select flooring that:
- Extends usable life expectancy.
- Prevents mold and mildew.
- Controls dust and particulates.
- Eliminates volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
- Provides noise control and comfort.
- Augments daylighting.
- Minimizes initial and long-term costs.
- Enhances educational delivery.
- Provides increased flexibility of space usage.
- Achieves desired aesthetics.
- Responds to the environment.
Many choices exist; the flooring discussion goes beyond "vinyl tile vs. carpet." Other types:
- Resilient flooring.
- Vinyl composition tile (VCT).
- Vinyl (sheet/plank/tile).
- Linoleum.
- Rubber tile (recycled/vulcanized).
- Quartz vinyl tile.
- Bio-based tile.
- Variable cushioned tufted tile (VCTT).
- Hard flooring.
- Terrazzo (epoxy/thickset/tile).
- Concrete (polished/ground).
- Epoxy quartz tile.
- Glass tile.
- Quarry tile.
- Porcelain tile.
- Ceramic tile.
- Wood (floating/glue-down).
- Bamboo.
- Cork.
- Soft flooring.
- Carpet (rolled/tile).
The best decisions
How do schools choose wisely? Consider budget, aesthetics, space purpose, durability and environmental impact. It is vital that the decisions take into account space function, traffic patterns/loads, occupants and tasks performed, and special requirements such as acoustics, hygiene, safety/slip resistance and static dissipation. Consider the environment. Be mindful of aesthetics in color and pattern choices. Evaluate product durability and appearance retention; resistance to scratching, gouging, staining, fading and shrinking; and repair/refinishing, maintenance and warranty choices.
- Choosing green
Select products that support LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) strategies. Steps emphasized in the LEED process include indoor air quality, origin of transportation, materials composition, manufacturing process, packaging, product life and end-of-life. Consider materials extraction; manufacturing (energy/water reduction and eliminating dangerous chemicals); construction (increased post-consumer recycled content); occupancy and maintenance; and demolition, disposal, reuse and recycling.
- Thinking long-term
An education institution's facilities team should develop standardized flooring specifications. Primary, secondary and post-secondary schools each have unique flooring requirements. List approved-equal products for competition, and limit proprietary conditions in the specifications. New products will emerge, so upgrade specifications periodically. However, grasping at the latest trends is not prudent in long-term planning. Consider initial and long-term costs when developing standardized specifications.
"We look at floor-maintenance costs, quality and how they last, especially in high-traffic areas," says Mike Condon, director of buildings and grounds for Minnetonka (Minn.) Public Schools. "It costs too much to replace short-term products. Long-range planning stretches our budget and gets the most life out of our floors. Upfront cost is a consideration, but minimizing life-cycle cost is much more important."
Condon also emphasizes the benefit to students, as well as the space function, its occupants and frequency of use.
"We focus on what works in the specific learning environment," he says. "Obtaining input and feedback from teachers, students, principals and maintenance personnel is an ongoing effort."
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