Aug 1 2005
Interior surfaces within education environments can quickly start to look untidy and become damaged, due to the busy activities within a school and the large volumes of people passing through the building. As a high traffic environment, education facilities see various users pass through and many of the pupils and visitors do not treat the facility as they would their own home. This often leads to wet or muddy footsteps being trod through buildings, or wall surfaces getting scuffed or scraped from bags or deliveries, causing increased dirt and damage to interior surfaces.
Wall and Flooring surfaces specifically suffer from damage inflicted by daily wear and tear if the appropriate protection systems are not put in place. High levels of foot traffic can carry dirt and moisture from outside in; through classrooms and hallways through to office and recreational areas, resulting in the appearance and performance of the flooring rapidly deteriorating. At the same time, interior walls, particularly in corridors and kitchens can become damaged from the movement of people, furniture or mobile equipment.
The use of an effective matting system can reduce the amount of dirt and moisture walked into a building by up to 90%, but Gradus is also advising the education market that it is not only entrances which suffer soil and moisture damage and that barrier matting should be considered for additional areas, which experience heavy traffic. Areas including canteens and classroom entrances are prone to increased soiling and would benefit from secondary barrier matting to reduce the damage to adjoining flooring. Investing in barrier matting not only significantly reduces the amount of damage that would otherwise occur, but also limits the risk of accidents. Safety is a number one priority for education establishments and the provision of suitable barrier matting will remove the moisture from foot and trolley traffic, preventing the floor from becoming wet and therefore avoiding potential slip hazards.
Secondary Barrier Matting from Gradus combines aesthetics and functionality and can offer wall to wall protective flooring. The matting is designed with a conventional carpet appearance to offer a surface that can blend in aesthetically with surrounding floor coverings and boasts a wide colour palette, which can complement any interior design scheme. In addition to barrier matting, wall protection should be considered to further extend the life-cycle of the building’s interior and reduce ongoing maintenance and repair costs.
The Gradus Inpro range includes handrails, wall and corner guards, protective PVC-u sheets and door protection products providing a complete solution to protect against all interior damage. Perfect to protect all walled areas in educational environments, Gradus Inpro range is particularly relevant for heavy traffic environments ranging from corridors through to dinner halls and kitchens.
Education buildings can also benefit from the aesthetic and functional flexibility offered by installing wall protection products such as Sanparrel PVC-u sheets from Gradus. The product can be used in sheet form to clad entire walls or be cut and formed to create bespoke wall designs. Available in 35 contemporary colours, Sanparrel can complement any design scheme and allows murals, school logos or interactive walls to be created, combining design with practicality. The product boasts a low maintenance finish that can be easily cleaned, significantly reducing maintenance costs. Investing in a combined package of barrier matting and wall protection systems will reduce maintenance and refurbishment requirements over a building’s lifetime, ultimately resulting in increased life-cycle costings.
In addition to its barrier matting and wall protection systems, Gradus offers a comprehensive range of interior finishes, including complementary flooring accessories, lighting, contract carpet ranges and upholstery and soft furnishing fabrics, providing end users, designers and specifiers with a one-stop-shop for all their interior finishes requirements.