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Lab Flooring Questions

Before investing in new flooring for your lab, there are a number of questions for you to consider in the areas of:

Operations, Aesthetics, Installation, and Maintenance.

Operations

You don’t want anybody to slip in your lab, so obviously you want to select a tile with slip resistance. The question is how much. Some environments may need greater slip resistance. If your facility requires a greater level of slip resistance, then you will want to steer clear of slick materials like epoxies. Seek out products that provide more secure footing. Tiles that utilize a coin-top texture offer better slip resistance.

Some floorings are better for humans to stand on for long periods of time than others. For example, epoxies are hard. Same holds true with glued-down vinyl flooring. Typically, the more ergonomic and comfortable the floor, the higher the cost. There are many benefits to taking on the extra expense. Lab or cleanroom workers who are more comfortable will be more productive and miss less time due to standing-related injuries, like plantar fasciitis. Less injuries and more comfortable work conditions also improve staff retention.

Some floors are better for cleanrooms and labs than others. For example, epoxies and vinyls. Cleanrooms and labs will have their own standards to adhere to and that’s something the flooring dealer should review with customers. For example, some products generate particulates when you scrub. This requires a sealant to be applied to prevent that from happening. Again, this should be part of a review with the flooring company to ensure the flooring meets your requirements.

As a lab or cleanroom, it’s possible your facility might employ chemicals that may impact the material used on the flooring you select. Having a detailed conversation about your operation is critical to making a wise selection. If there are chemicals in your work environment, there are some possible solutions. For example, resistance to certain chemicals, such as solvents or acids. Vinyl is resistant to many chemicals and is generally a good choice. Rubber is good for other chemicals, like chlorinated solvents. If possible, get a sample of the flooring that you are considering and test it against the chemicals that you have in your lab.

The SEFA guide, Scientific Equipment & Furniture Association SEFA 8-M-2010 Recommended Practices for Metal Laboratory Grade Furniture, Casework, Shelving and Tables, refers to 49 chemicals to test for your lab furniture, casework, shelving and tables. A chemical that can splash on the floor as easily as any of those surfaces, right? But does that mean you have to test your flooring for all 49 chemicals? Yes and no. It really depends on your comfort level and current and future work being done in your lab. If you think it’s possible your floor could be exposed to a certain chemical now or down the road, test for it.
Expansions, downsizing or relocation to a new facility are just some of the reasons why companies want a flooring they can move. When you choose a glue-down option for flooring, you sacrifice portability. Glued down tiles can’t and shouldn’t be removed and used again. There are flooring products available that utilize an interlocking system so flooring can be moved should your lab or cleanroom need to move to another location.

Aesthetics

The topic of aesthetics comes up more than you might think. We have a broad product line, including a variety of colors and price points. For some labs and cleanrooms with more electronics, the combination of color and ESD properties has made our FreeStyle ESD product very popular. And while most companies seek our products for their physical properties and how our tiles protect the integrity of the lab or cleanroom, the subject of color comes up quite a bit, particularly if you are working with an architect.

Installation

If beneath your existing flooring there is concrete, moisture could be an issue and will need to be checked first. Particularly, if the flooring you’re considering needs to be glued. In that scenario, it’s also not advisable to glue the new floor onto the old floor. It should be installed onto the underlying concrete. If you are planning on using interlock flooring, first test the old flooring for asbestos. Removing flooring with asbestos is a very detailed process. Areas of the floor need to be sectioned off with plastic as air pressure is used to contain any dust.

So, if you can’t glue on concrete with moisture issues, it stands to reason that newly installed concrete floors must cure before you can glue down new flooring. Ninety days is the recommended amount of time.

Both the flooring and the adhesive of your old flooring should be tested for asbestos prior to gluing down new flooring or before installing interlocking flooring. Dealing with asbestos is costly and will delay installation. Interlocking tiles can be installed on top of old asbestos-containing floor without having to remove it.

One of the beauties of interlock flooring is that it can be installed over existing flooring. Some facilities managers prefer flooring that requires an adhesive. In that scenario, removing the old flooring first is recommended. You can choose not to take on the expense of floor removal. It’s just not preferable.

When you rip out the old flooring, it will generate some level of dust. Will that have an impact on your equipment and electronics at your facility? That must be considered and assessed. It could have an impact on your decision to go with a glue-down flooring or interlock.

Maintenance

In a lab or cleanroom, it kind of goes without saying that frequent cleaning is necessary. Still, frequency in cleaning is a consideration with what kind of tile you select. Part of that decision is how important the look of the title is to your organization. Some of our products, the FreeStyle ESDPlus for example, stays cleaner longer. If you have a very dirty environment, we recommend that tile. Since most if not all labs or cleanrooms receive regular or daily cleaning, then you have some flexibility on choice.

One thing to keep in mind is that many times the more expensive tile is less expensive to maintain. So, you could select a less expensive tile, but it will require more in maintenance (e.g. additional janitorial services; more expensive floor maintenance equipment). Over time, the more expensive tile will probably offer better value and cost less than the less expensive tile. This is something we typically review with customers in discussing the budget for flooring.

Other considerations

The longevity of a tile also should factor in. Is a less expensive tile that will require replacement within five years a better value than a tile that will last 10 years and require less frequent maintenance? When comparing options, it’s good to look at costs over a longer period, say 10 years, and then ask a series of questions that might impact the value. For example, is there a chance you will need to move the flooring? Portability might be something that a facility wasn’t thinking of when researching a tile but might be an important consideration for a growing company. Our Total Cost of Ownership analysis compares the total costs of materials and installation plus the net present value, (NPV), of a 10-year maintenance program.

If you would like more information about our tiles as a possible solution for your laboratory or cleanroom, drop us a line or give us a call at 508-583-3200.