The Best Flooring Options for Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities

Flooring in the world of healthcare presents a unique set of challenges. There are several different areas in a hospital or healthcare facility to consider, and each area has its own aesthetic and purpose. What works for your waiting room might not work for a patient’s room or where a procedure takes place. In addition, everything must meet the required standard for what can be installed. Here are some of our recommendations for the best types of flooring you can utilize in different parts of the hospital and why you should call a professional if you need to make a hospital floor repair. 

Types of Professional Flooring Used in Hospitals

There are several common types of flooring are used in hospitals and healthcare facilities. These include: 

• Luxury Vinyl Tile – Also known as LVT, this is built to last and is low-maintenance. It’s one of the most popular flooring products and it’s easy to install, durable, waterproof, and the perfect choice for high-traffic areas.
• Vinyl Composition Tile – A more economic option. These are a mix of natural limestone, fillers, color pigments, and a thermoplastic binder. Even though it’s very durable, it’s also higher-maintenance; it needs stripping, waxing, and polishing.
• Sheet Vinyl – Comes in large rolls and can allow for a minimal number of seams, which is great if aesthetics are a concern. It can also be flash coved, which will create a seamless floor that can be cleaned and maintained easily. It’s also great for repelling microorganisms.
• Rubber – Rubber flooring is very popular in hospitals. Rubber has seamless installation, incredible durability, and several design possibilities. It is strong under pressure, handling whatever a hospital can throw at it, all while still being aesthetically pleasing.
• Linoleum – It may not be as popular as it used to be, but linoleum is still popular with hospitals. It’s a green product made from natural materials like linseed oil, cork dust, and jute fiber. It’s on par with rubber in terms of durability and has antimicrobial properties to keep germs away.

Hospital Entrance Area

This is where patients and their families enter the building. This includes your main lobby and waiting areas. Not only do you have a lot of foot traffic in this area, but you need to be able to accommodate rolling load traffic as well. There needs to be durability in an area like this. These sections need to have non-slip surfaces to avoid injury to patients or staff, and should also be water- and stain-resistant. We recommend using either luxury vinyl tile, vinyl composition tile, sheet vinyl, rubber, or linoleum.

Procedure Rooms

Procedure room floors need to have stability and durability. This is why procedure rooms usually use Dri Fit tape or two-part urethane epoxy. As for the flooring itself, rubber and linoleum are the most popular options. They can both withstand the constant movement of heavy hospital equipment, such as x-ray machines, beds, and gurneys. Rubber and linoleum are also softer and more cushioned than vinyl composition tile or sheet vinyl and can even help doctors and nurses who are on their feet all day.

Hospital Floor Repair in Patient Rooms

Patients want to be comfortable while they’re staying in a hospital. The current trend is to make sure the room feels as much like home as it possibly can. This reduces stress and can speed up the healing process. Since patient rooms don’t have the same requirements as the rest of the hospital, there’s a lot more flexibility in terms of what kind of flooring you can use. You can focus more on appearance than on how durable it needs to be. We think that luxury vinyl tile, sheet vinyl, and linoleum are your best choices here due to their design opportunities, ease of maintenance, and quick turnaround times for installation.