When the time came for this major iconic refurbishment, the hospital turned to renowned interior specialists Gerflor to transform several key areas, including the main reception, corridors, and the sexual health clinic. The world class collections from the Taralay Premium, Taralay Impression, Tarasafe Ultra product ranges and the Mural Ultra Design wall coverings were installed on time and to budget to ensure that the Healthcare facility is future proofed for many more years to come.

The Challenge: World Class Durability, Design, Hygiene

Hospital environments demand more than just aesthetic appeal. There is an ongoing need for an interior that is functional and hard wearing, delivers consistent hygiene, whilst also creating a healing and inclusive space for all. The flooring and wall coverings required by the Healthcare Estate had to handle the wear and tear of constant use, whilst providing a safe and comfortable surfaces for all patients and staff alike. The hospital wanted to step away from typical Healthcare sterile and bland interiors, instead seeking, contemporary and warming designs that would create a welcoming atmosphere. The floor and wall covering solutions would also need to be extremely easy to clean and maintain to ensure that the healthcare environment is at the forefront of managing infection control.

Tony Thorne, Sales and Specification Manager for Gerflor South Wales, noted, “The client brief was clear … they were looking for something unique— remarkable with fresh finishes that deliver outstanding durability for high-traffic areas, and can also offer unrivalled levels of chemical and stain resistance.”

The Solution: Gerflor’s Cutting-Edge Products

Gerflor introduced a range of products tailored to the hospital’s needs, including the best in class, high performance and stylish Taralay Premium Compact and Taralay Impression Compact collections, as well as Tarasafe Ultra safety vinyl for excellent slip-resistance. These products were ideal for the communal areas, corridors, and treatment rooms. Additionally, the Mural Ultra Design wall coverings were also offered as a complete solution, as they are extremely robust yet visually appealing for high-impact zones.

This major transformation could not have been possible without a credible and experienced Flooring Contractor. TSF Contracts Ltd, were the natural choice, for this iconic refurbishment. TSF are one of Wales’s premiere refurbishment, renovation, and re-modelling specialists.

Founded in 1978 under the name T&S Flooring, the family run business has over forty years’ experience, specialising in the Healthcare, Education, Commercial & Domestic sectors. TSF Contracts pride themselves on their workmanship, offering clients a quality service, competitive prices, and short lead times.

Steve Thomas, Director at TSF Contracts Ltd praised the flexibility and quality of Gerflor’s products. “The colours and finishes specified were unique and uplifting, and the installation process was seamless,” he further added ‘“The hospital staff and visitors responded positively to the new look, with the modern designs helping to create a more homely and inviting environment.”

A successful trial: Resulting in the Facility Upgrade

Initially, the Gerflor’s flooring and wall covering products were tested in a refurbished ward as a live trial. The trial was a great success and subsequently, the products were then rolled out into other areas of the Healthcare facility where renovation was to take place.

Liza Methuen, Assistant Head of Estate, Capital, and Property Management at Aneurin Bevan Health Board, commented on the success of the trial, saying, “The flooring and wall covering products trialled are meeting all of our expectations. After several months of them being installed, I am still impressed with how the surfaces are performing and how they have dramatically transformed and improved the interiors of our Healthcare facility.”

The results: High performance and long-lasting impact

The transformation of the Royal Gwent Hospital is a testament to Gerflor’s expertise in providing flooring and wall covering solutions that excel in both appearance and function. Their products not only improved the aesthetics of the hospital but also delivered on the critical requirements for durability, hygiene, and ease of maintenance, for the busy and demanding healthcare setting.

The world class vinyl floorcoverings installed from the Taralay Premium and Impression ranges and the Tarasafe Ultra collection, were all specified for their visual look and also their exceptional technical performance. These innovative flooring surfaces are ideal for high traffic applications, suitable for rolling loads and heavy foot traffic. They all come with revolutionary surface treatments for unrivalled levels of stain and chemical resistance.

The Mural Ultra Design vinyl wallcovering was installed thanks to its decorative appeal with strong impact resistance, making it an excellent choice for the healthcare facility. The product features a coloured backing that enhances its aesthetic quality, ensuring it adds a stylish touch whilst maintaining functionality.

End user satisfaction: Delighted and impressed.

“We’ve had outstanding feedback from staff, visitors, and patients alike. We are delighted with the final transformation and the end result,” said Liza Methuen. “The success of this renovation to date ensures that Gerflor’s products will continue to be specified for future projects within the hospital, and that all spaces will maintain the very highest of standards when it comes to remarkable performance and contemporary designs, in order to meet our healthcare facility demands.”

Who is Gerflor: Innovator in healthcare solutions

Gerflor’s legacy of over 80 years in healthcare Gerflor continues to shine, with their complete flooring and wall covering solutions that meet the highest standards for durability, hygiene, safety, and acoustic performance, all whilst creating spaces that support the well-being of patients and staff.

Tony Thorne concluded, “The final outcome was absolutely superb, exceeding the client’s expectations with both the needs for a striking interior finish and lasting performance for many years to come.”

Over the years Watford Grammar has required a high-quality level of refurbishment that has had to be both sympathetic in design yet provide future proof solutions that can really make the grade. The most recent development has been 500m² of flooring in the school laboratories on the ground and first floors. This would be a perfect opportunity for the Taralay Premium Comfort and Mipolam products manufactured and supplied by international flooring specialist Gerflor to really make a difference to the school’s environment.

With more than 70 years’ experience of innovation driven by investment Gerflor is one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of vinyl flooring. Gerflor specialise in the education sector, offering high performance solutions that combine technical and design characteristics for any room within the facility. The design of their products support studying in the best environment possible. The constraints of hygiene, resistance and acoustic qualities are part of mandatory characteristics for this market.

In developing part of the school’s infrastructure to the next level they would ultimately need to choose a main contractor who could deliver quality…and in a timely manner.
From their offices in Hertfordshire and Leicestershire ‘Ashe Construction’ serve a great diversity of markets and industries with schemes which require new construction, internal and external refurbishment, alterations and fit outs. Their aim is to construct environments that enhance the lives of the people who use them.

Andrew Morris, Business Development Director, Ashe Construction commented, “there was a requirement for a STEM centre for Watford Grammar School this went to competitive tender and I am delighted to confirm that Ashe Construction successfully won.” He went on to add, “we specified Gerflor’s Taralay Premium Comfort and their Mipolam Accord EL7Anti Static vinyl flooring products. Both were a great fit for the project.”

A perfect option when specifying fresh new environments for a host of education projects, Taralay Premium Comfort from Gerflor provides the ideal solution for heavy traffic areas with a wear layer of 1mm, with no filler for outstanding abrasion and scratch resistance. The range is also available as an acoustic version, Taralay Premium Comfort delivers high acoustic performance (16dB) and has an indentation resistance to 0.06mm.

It has a double glass fibre grid plus VHD foam backing. Taralay Premium Comfort is also protected by the UV cured patented surface treatment Protecsol®2 from Gerflor which enables easy maintenance and eliminates the need for acrylic emulsion. Taralay Premium Comfort has a long- lasting appearance where the design remains within the whole thickness of the wear layer.

Mipolam Accord EL7 from Gerflor is a dissipative flexible homogeneous vinyl floorcovering available in both sheet and tile form, calendered and compacted. This floorcovering is treated with Evercare™: the latest improvements in polyurethane surface treatment obtained by UV laser cross-linking. Evercare™ provides outstanding chemical stain resistance and increases the long-term durability of the flooring. This treatment has excellent maintenance characteristics; it requires no wax for life! Mipolam Accord EL7 also acts as a continuous dissipater 106 ≤ Rt ≤ 108. The product is non-reactive to residual indentation with a value ≤ 0,02 mm. The flooring has a group P wear rating and is Bl-s1 fire resistant, together with providing a R9 slip resistance rating in the wet. The product is non-emissive of volatile organic compounds with TVOC after 28 days ISO 16000-6 µg/m³ < 10. Mipolam Accord EL7 also comes with a Floorscore® certification and is 100% recyclable.
On the question of specification Andrew Morris went on to further say, “Gerflor have a known reputation for robustness and quality in this particular sector.” Finally adding, “Gerflor are also known to be very reliable when it comes to this kind of installation method. We have specified Gerflor many times before and would have no qualms in choosing their products again.”

Learn more about Gerflor solutions, ask for a free sample or contact us to speak to a specialist today by calling 01926 622 600, emailing contractuk@gerflor.com, or visiting gerflor.co.uk for the latest innovations.

It’s an event very high on the agenda for International flooring and interiors specialist Gerflor who will be showcasing their latest innovations for the contract markets this year on stand C8.

Running alongside the RIAI Annual Conference, Architecture Expo has doubled in size this year since its debut in 2012. It’s a huge testament to the increase in the overall awareness of form and function that affects our everyday lives. With colleagues and the construction industry’s top suppliers who will present the latest products and technologies, the event is a ‘must attend’ for a host of visitors who will see a myriad of products and manufacturers – all under one roof in November 2016.

Gerflor will be displaying a selection of their leading World-class products including their Red Dot Award-winning Creation 70 LVT. Beating-off more than 5,000 entries from 57 countries, Creation 70 flooring was recognised for its range of mineral, wood and textile designs with different embossed finishes, its different installation systems and its solution-based usefulness for renovating existing floors, together with its high recycling properties. The sophisticated Creation 70 range offers a brand-new palette of realistic wood and mineral finishes in tile and plank formats with beveled edges. In addition to this, the looselay Clic System’s unique vertical interlocking format allows this product to be laid quickly over most existing surfaces, with no need to close premises during refurbishments saving customers time and money. Perfect for the retail, hotel, hospitality, administration or leisure sectors. By leveraging its technology to achieve excellence, Gerflor has reinvented vinyl tiles and planks to produce some outstanding design-led results.

Gerflor will also be ‘shining a light’ on their ‘uber-performing’ safety flooring solution Taralay Impression Control, together with their high traffic-bearing Taralay Premium.

Taralay Impression Control from Gerflor won the 2016 CFJ/CFA product of the year category with their Taralay Impression Control range. This safety flooring collection is perfect for both refurbishments and new builds. A multi-purpose floorcovering available in 2m sheet format with a Group T wear rating, it’s ideal for a host of heavy traffic environments where slip resistance is a must. Available as a dual collection: – ‘Safety in Wood’ and ‘Safety in Design’, the range includes realistic woods in contemporary colours and modern all over designs. It has a Pendulum Test value +36, meets HSE guidelines (BS 7976-2) and R11 ramp test value (DIN 51130), together with providing 24 design-led colourways and is suitable for healthcare, education, retail, public spaces, offices and other commercial interiors. Taralay Impression Control also offers a hygienic solution thanks to a revolutionary UV cured PUR surface treatment for easy cleaning and maintenance. With the Protecsol® Control surface treatment it’s easy to clean, is 100% recyclable offers a state-of-the-art flooring solution for a host of applications.

Taralay Premium Comfort and Compact from Gerflor provide the perfect solution for heavy traffic areas in a raft of varying market sectors. Delivering a designer’s dream is a challenge well-met by Gerflor as they offer up not only stunning designs, but also the levels of comfort and safety that every designer and architect requires.

The range offers freedom in design, enabling designers and customers to build their own unique projects. It’s a demanding world where designers and architects want only the best for their clients and that’s where Gerflor’s Taralay Premium range scores top marks right across the board.

Malcolm McClure, Ireland Sales Manager, Gerflor commented, “Architecture Expo is an extremely good fit for us as a flooring manufacturer. The event enables us to show case a sample collection of our products to a highly informed, sophisticated and targeted audience”.

The collection of products on show at this year’s event from Gerflor offers a palette of stunning choices to meet designer’s needs in terms of performance, colours and designs. This annual event provides an incredible ringside seat to the latest products and technologies from an impressive line-up of the industry’s top suppliers. One not to be missed!

Meet the Gerflor team at Architecture Expo, RDS Dublin 4 on Fri 25^th/Sat 26^th November 2016, STAND C8.

Learn more about Gerflor solutions; ask for a free sample or contact us to speak to a specialist today by calling 01926 622 600, emailing contractuk@gerflor.com, or visiting gerflor.co.uk for the latest innovations.

Gerflor has a local manufacturing site in Ireland at Carrickmacross.