Flooring for Health & Aged Care – Patient Rooms

Solutions & Applications · Health & Care for the Elderly

A healthcare floor is no different from a commercial floor in roll form — the difference lies in the joints. Exactly the same material, laid without heat-welding and without a hygienic bevel, ceases to be an infection control solution and becomes simply a hospital floor.

The joint is the problem

Every cut, every joint between sheets and every wall-floor junction is a point where cleanliness ends and dirt begins to accumulate. The specification for a hospital ward does not end with the choice of flooring; it ends when the floor has become a continuous, watertight surface that rises up the wall.

1. Substrate preparation and inspection: flatness and moisture content are measured prior to ordering. Imperfections in the substrate are reflected on the surface and become points of deterioration.
2. Full-surface bonding: the flooring is bonded across the entire surface. CERESIT UK 400 is a dispersion-based adhesive for absorbent substrates, compatible with homogeneous and heterogeneous vinyl, linoleum and textile flooring, and suitable for use over underfloor heating.
3. Hot-welded joints: the sheet joints are milled and hot-welded using jointing strips. This is the step that transforms two sheets into a single waterproof membrane — available in the same or a contrasting colour.
4. Sanitary cove: the floor rises up the wall and is finished with a PVC skirting board. This eliminates the 90° right angle where liquids and dirt tend to accumulate. Available in semi-flexible, self-adhesive or two-component versions — the latter being the hygienic choice.
5. Waterproofing test: inspection of every joint and every pipe penetration prior to handover of the premises.

The four requirements of a room

Requirement	What does this mean in the specification?
Optimal hygiene	Continuous surface with heat-sealed joints and coving; resistance to disinfectants
Acoustic and visual comfort	Noise reduction from beds, trolleys and footsteps; colours that do not cause fatigue in bedridden patients
Easy to clean	A surface requiring no waxing or repeated coatings
Indoor air quality	Low emissions from flooring, adhesive and ceiling — cumulatively, not individually

The last line is also the one most frequently overlooked. In spaces with strict emissions requirements, the classification of the adhesive is assessed alongside that of the flooring: the system is assessed as a whole, not on a material-by-material basis.

Acoustics: here, the recipient is the patient

In a hospital ward, the critical noise is not conversation but the sound of wheels: beds, trolleys, and staff footsteps at night. This is impact noise, and it is addressed at floor level.

Collection	Type	Audio version
RUBY 70	Heterogeneous · wear layer 0.70 mm (Class 34)	Available as a separate report
iQ OPTIMA	Homogeneous · 55 colours · restoration using dry sanding	Available in all colours
VENETO xf² 2.5 mm	Solid linseed oil	No — acoustic version with a cork underlay
ACCZENT EXCELLENCE GENIUS 70	Heterogeneous loose-lay, adhesive-free	No
ACCZENT EXCELLENCE COMPACT+	Compact heterogeneous	No
LINO LOOSE-LAY	Linoleum on a roll, PVC-free	No

The value in dB is confirmed in each instance by reference to the technical brochure. Note the method: loose-lay solutions are installed without adhesive and are excellent for refurbishment whilst the premises are in use — but in areas requiring complete watertightness, the choice of method must be checked first, as it determines what is feasible at the joints.

iQ OPTIMA has a unique feature that is particularly valuable in a hospital environment: its surface can be restored by dry sanding rather than applying maintenance coatings. Fewer chemicals on site and predictable life-cycle costs — in a building that never closes for maintenance, this is a functional consideration, not a sales pitch.

The roof: two different problems, two slabs

In healthcare settings, suspended ceilings are not selected solely on the basis of sound absorption. The two critical parameters are resistance to disinfectants and resistance to moisture — and these lead to different types of panels.

Parameter	MEDIGUARD Plain 15 mm	AMF THERMATEX Aquatec 19 mm
Main field	Infection control · wards, laboratories	High humidity · bathrooms, changing rooms, clean rooms
Sanitary facilities	Antimicrobial surface; Zone 4 according to NF S 90-351:2013	ISO 3 Clean Room
Moisture resistance	Water-repellent	Up to 100 per cent RH without deformation
Acoustics	Sound insulation 35 dB	Class A sound absorption — αw 0.90 / NRC 0.90
Cleaning	Dry, damp or wet cloth; resistant to disinfectants and scratches	Smooth coated surface; remains whiter thanks to unfiltered air permeability
Light reflection	88%	88%
Reaction to fire	A2-s1,d0	Biodegradable mineral wool
Environmental	Biodegradable mineral wool · Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort® GOLD	Indoor Air Comfort® GOLD · EPD · Cradle to Cradle Bronze · Blue Angel

Practical applications: MEDIGUARD in the shower cubicle and in areas where hygiene and sound attenuation between rooms are required; AQUATEC in the ward’s bathroom and in any area where damp would cause standard tiles to warp. Both products can be used together in the same room, creating a uniform appearance due to 88 per cent common light reflection.

Design series

1. Risk zone: the classification of the space determines whether an antimicrobial ceiling is required and, if so, which category.
2. Flooring installation method: fully bonded for waterproofing, or loose-lay where the priority is speed of refurbishment.
3. Acoustic requirement: acoustic version of the collection where the room is situated above another use or adjoins rest areas.
4. Perimeter detail: coving height and cap type, in accordance with the unit’s cleaning protocol.
5. System emissions assessment: the floor, adhesive and roof are assessed cumulatively.
6. Maintenance protocol: confirmation of compatibility with the disinfectants already in use at the facility.

Flooring Collections for Hospital Rooms

Installation & Hygienic Finishes

Suspended ceilings for healthcare facilities