Dave Darche

Faced with the reality of scarce labor resources and reduced budgets, many facilities are getting creative about doing more with less. This may mean putting off less-than-critical needs, such as replacing old, dilapidated flooring. Fortunately, new technology is available to update old flooring, even on a limited budget. Flooring renewal can be a game changer. It allows sporting events and gym classes to continue in schools and can save government entities thousands of dollars by preventing slip-and-fall incidents. Medical facilities can reduce downtime by renewing a floor rather than replacing it. Resilient floor renewal solutions allow facility managers to gain productivity and cut costs—with the bonus of improving sustainability. Transform resilient floors Flooring renewal entails abrading and cleaning an existing resilient floor, then applying a new combination of color, design, and finish over it. The renewal process transforms spaces without the cost and time of ripping out and replacing flooring. The ease of applying resilient floor coatings over existing flooring reduces facility downtime. You can transform floors in hours instead of days or weeks, depending on the area being renewed. Facility managers save time on labor, and business operations can quickly get back up and running, as demonstrated in the following examples: A school facilities team transformed a damaged and dangerous sports floor into a colorful and safe space for physical fitness. The old sports floor was so worn that it was difficult to see the game lines. The gym renovation had been delayed for years due to the high cost of replacing the resilient sports floor. A new floor was not an option, but a cost-effective renewal system offered a solution. The new floor, combined with fresh paint for walls and ceilings, along with new lighting, offered a modern and safe area for students, faculty, and staff to enjoy. A group of volunteer firefighters wanted to transform an old storage room into a training and multimedia center—in only four days. With no budget for new flooring, the team chose a resilient flooring renewal system. Complete with a newly coated floor, the room was transformed through a functional, durable, and eco-friendly makeover. A school district saved over US$40,000 by renovating its floors, rather than implementing a full floor replacement. The district achieved floors that withstand heavy foot traffic, yet have an aesthetically pleasing, cohesive design. Since the renewal process eliminated the recurring cost of floor polishing, the district realized continued labor savings over the life of the floors. The district was able to utilize a portion of the money saved to budget for another project that includes renewing additional district flooring. Make old concrete look new Renewal is not just an option for resilient flooring. Facilities also can restore indoor concrete flooring. Most indoor concrete floors become dull over time and require a quarterly or semi-annual polish, which often involves a labor-intensive process requiring harsh chemicals. Similar to the resilient renewal process, indoor concrete renewal systems provide a clear protective layer to the surface, eliminating the need to burnish or polish concrete floors ever again. The concrete renewal process uses eco-friendly products that don’t threaten indoor air quality. Embrace sustainability with environmentally safe flooring With sustainability becoming increasingly important for facilities, products and systems that can meet this demand are on the rise. Waterborne solutions are now an industry standard for healthier, durable, long-lasting floor surfaces. A study by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL) revealed that renewing resilient floor surfaces can offer up to a 92% reduction in your facility’s carbon footprint and a 95% savings in energy resources, versus replacing floor surfaces. The IVL study also found that annually, 27 million square feet of flooring has been replaced in Swedish public and commercial buildings, with other countries experiencing similar numbers. Maintain your restored floor with ease Flooring renewal is an efficient and cost-effective solution, as long as you understand the do’s and don’ts of maintaining the new surface. Flooring upkeep can be a low-cost and simple process if you follow these top three tips for maintaining renewed flooring: Work only with maintenance teams who are properly trained to upkeep the particular flooring surface and who only use quality products and equipment. Develop a maintenance plan and follow it. Utilize floor mats in high-traffic areas to capture dirt. Clean or swap out the mats frequently so captured dirt won’t be tracked onto the floors.

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Dave Darche

Articles by Dave Darche

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