Is your school installing labs? Are you looking for the most suitable school lab flooring? What type of flooring should you choose?
No matter a laboratory’s field, it must be assured of total quality. Laboratory flooring is an important factor to consider when installing a laboratory, especially a school.
The properties that lab flooring needs are abrasion resistance, slip resistance, chemical resistance and bacteria and germ resistance.
Each type of lab floor will have its advantages, disadvantages, and prices. Follow Iconic Cleaning reviews and comparisons below for the best pick!
What is school flooring always made of?
Due to the lab floor’s specific nature, the material for making school lab flooring is also extraordinary. Most of them are made of high-quality materials and meet the following requirements:
- Durable protection, good bearing
- Anti-slip, anti-abrasion
- Waterproof, chemical resistant
- Low maintenance, easy cleaning and economical
To find school lab flooring that meets the above conditions, you can refer to the popular types of lab flooring on the market below!
Epoxy resin
Epoxy resin is known to be the best lab flooring made from materials that, when mixed, form a plastic-like surface. When finished, the floor has a certain hardness and is highly durable.
However, this type of flooring is the most expensive line. Daily wear and tear also affects the quality of the floor lab and should be replaced after a period of use.
The replacement construction time is also very long due to the complicated process and many requirements.
Vinyl
Vinyl is known as a school lab flooring that is both durable and aesthetically pleasing, suitable for many types of laboratories. It can withstand the force of trolleys carrying heavy machinery and chemicals.
Vinyl flooring is tough, so you don’t need to worry about wear and tear with heavy use. Its sound absorption is also quite good, so there is no need to worry about making noise.
You can easily clean and maintain the vinyl floor as needed.
Although less need to be replaced, the material used to create vinyl flooring is relatively high and costly to replace. In addition, because the material of vinyl flooring is not biodegradable, it will harm the environment.
Sealed concrete
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to Epoxy resin, then sealed concrete is the first choice. This flooring is versatile and very durable. If there is any problem during use, you can easily maintain it.
Concrete is the perfect school lab flooring, leaving no spills or pollution for decades. To clean, sweep across the floor.
However, its durability causes headaches for users; severe losses will occur when there is a drop in experimental equipment, or a person falls. The floor is also quite slippery and gets wet quickly.
In addition, its insulation is not good, so that the floor temperature will depend on the environment.
Monolithic flooring
A less expensive option for schools is to use Monolithic flooring. This type of flooring is large slabs chemically bonded or heat-welded together to create a new floor over the old one.
The material of these floor panels is usually vinyl, linoleum or rubber. When properly sealed, this flooring eliminates the possibility of chemicals or other harmful agents affecting the floor below.
However, chemicals and water can spill through the joints and damage the subfloor below if not installed properly.
Contractors can offer many different types of flooring, but you must choose which school lab flooring. Our comparisons below can help you choose the most suitable lab floor!
Comparison of types of school lab flooring
Comparing factors such as material, durability, water resistance, corrosion resistance, price, cleanability, etc., of each floor type will help you evaluate the right lab floor quality. Follow our analysis and comparison below.
| Factors/Name | Epoxy resin | Vinyl | Sealed concrete | Monolithic flooring |
| Substance | Epoxy resin | Vinyl | Concrete | Vinyl, rubber or linoleum |
| Reliability | Chemically tough, durable walking surface Safe and flexible | Hard, less wear and tear, stable durability | Extremely durable | Durable when properly installed |
| Protection ability | Effective chemical resistance Waterproof Water resistant Non-slip | Good strength Anti-wear, chemical Waterproof | Versatile Corrosion Resistant Chemical Resistant | Waterproof Anti-corrosive chemicals |
| Used Time (est time) | 3 years | 1 – 2 years | 10 years or longer | Almost 20 years if constructed correctly |
| Maintainability and replaceability | Difficult to maintain and replace Takes a long time to replace | Easy maintenance and replacement High maintenance and replacement cost | Easy maintenance and replacement | Serviceable and replaceable |
| Price | Very high price | Expensive | Good price | Cheap |
| Clean | Easy to clean | Easy to clean Environmental pollution | Easy to clean but slippery | Easy to clean |
Each type of lab floor has its advantages and compatibility. You can base on these analyzes and comparisons to make the best choice. If you are looking for a cleaning solution for the Vinyl floor.
On the other hand, if your school lab flooring choice is concrete, then reading the instructions in create the concrete floor cleaning checklist will help you take measures Best cleaning method.
If you are looking for an effective way to clean the floors of an entire school, the information in school floor restoration can help you.
What type of school lab flooring should I choose?
Choosing the type of school lab flooring depends mainly on your needs and budget. You can choose the best flooring for the highest cost. However you can also select a medium-quality lab floor, but the price is low.
Not all lab floors are suitable for all types of labs. You need to base on the specificity of the laboratory to choose the right kind of flooring.
Suppose you need a high-end school lab flooring that can withstand corrosive chemicals and is effectively waterproof without worrying about the cost.
In that case, Epoxy resin is the right choice. Vinyl flooring is suitable for those who both love the quality of the floor and have a unique floor surface with high aesthetics.
On the contrary, if you have a tight budget and need school lab flooring that is durable, wear-resistant and durable, then concrete is the correct type of flooring. Where the cost is cheaper, the Monolithic flooring is still practical.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the information we provide in this article will help you know what school lab flooring you need. Each type of lab floor has its advantages and disadvantages. Still, our comparison will help you make the most accurate choices!
