For a children’s play area in an elementary school, rubber flooring tiles seem a suitable option. Rubber-Call is a popular manufacturer of this flooring material, and “Eco-Sport ¾ Inch” is a required material (see fig. 1). Rubber tiles meet the following criteria:
- This material is classified as Fire Tested to BS EN ISO 9239-1:2010 and Flame Resistant to BS EN 11925-2:2010 (MacLellan Rubber);
- Consists of recycled rubber;
- Easy installation with the help of glue (Rubber-Call);
- A durable material that is easy to maintain and resistant to water and physical damage;
- 20” x 20” (size) and ¾” (thickness);
- Consists of 60% post-consumer recycled rubber content, which refers to good environmental attributes, and a third-party analysis proves this statement (Hughes par. 2);
- Available in different colors;
- $26.36-$33.00 per tile.
Many aspects prove the fact that rubber flooring tiles are suitable for a play area in an elementary school. This material is eco-friendly and not easily inflammable, which denotes that it is safe. The ease of installation, decent performance characteristics, and long lifecycle justify why this material is worth attention.
Ceramic tile is a suitable flooring material for a casual dining restaurant. Arizona Tile is a popular manufacturer of this material in the USA (see fig. 2). The following characteristics are found:
- The material is completely fire-resistant;
- Is manufactured at a high temperature;
- Requires specific skills and materials (ceramic tile adhesive) for installation;
- Easy in maintenance;
- Resistant to visible abrasion, chemical materials, and frost (Arizona Tile);
- Is available in different dimensions (12×24 mm, 36×36 mm, 24×48 mm) (Arizona Tile);
- The Environmental Product Declaration stipulates that ceramic tile has the least contribution to global warming and ozone depletion potential among other flooring materials (Deutsch par. 11);
- Is available in different colors and designs;
- The manufacturer’s website does not offer prices, but one can claim that costs are $3-$40 per square foot.
This material is appropriate for a casual dining restaurant because it has significant resistance properties. Ceramic tiles are easy to maintain and have good environmental properties. The variation in size, design, and colors additionally contribute to the fact that many restaurants deal with this flooring material.
For hospital corridors, Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVTs) seem the best option. Allura Classic Beech by Forbo Flooring Systems offers good performance characteristics and an attractive design (see fig. 3). LVT has the following criteria:
- Has passed EN 13501-1 test that denotes that the material is fire-retardant (Forbo Flooring Systems);
- Manufactured of recycled materials and using renewable electricity (Forbo Flooring Systems);
- A click-clock installation system;
- Has a thick wear layer that protects the material from scratches and other damage;
- Offers slip resistance, resistance to chemicals, and noise reduction;
- Various dimensions (39.37 in x 5.91 in, 39.37 in x 7.87 in);
- Can emit volatile organic compounds in small concentrations, which is harmful to people (Flooring Stores Blog);
- Resembles natural materials;
- $2-$4 per square foot.
The information above demonstrates that LVT is suitable for hospital corridors. These areas face aggressive deterioration because many people walk while heavy equipment is transported across them. That is why a thick wear layer helps increase the floor maintenance cycle. A slight emission of volatile organic compounds indicates that it is not completely safe while being fire-retardant and offering good aesthetics are essential advantages.
Works Cited
Bay View. “Is Percelain Tile a Better Flooring Choice.” Web.
Deutsch, Alex. “Guide to Eco-Friendly Ceramic Tile.” Oasis Tile. 2022. Web.
Flooring Stores Blog. “How to Choose Environmentally Friendly Flooring.”. 2020. Web.
Forbo Flooring Systems. “Allura.”. Web.
Hughes, Tasha. “Rubber Floors Support a Safe, Healthy Environment.” McMorrowReports. Web.
MacLellan Rubber. “Floor Tiles Pass Fire and Ignitability Tests.”. 2018. Web.
Rubber-Call. “ˈEco-Sport ¾ Inchˈ Interlocking Rubber Flooring Tiles.”. Web.