16/09/2015
Sika has donated its ComfortFloor® Pro to provide a high-quality and attractive flooring system to support the treatment of children with disabilities at the new charity-funded Rainbow House facility in Lancashire.
Working with children who have a brain injury, children with multiple disabilities and those with complex health needs, Legacy Rainbow House regularly hosts physical therapy sessions so the correct specification of facilities, and in particular flooring, was vital. The floor surface had to be slippery enough to assist crawling and rolling, whilst having some slip resistance so as not to cause a health risk. It also had to offer comfort to users, durability to cope with constant use and be easily cleaned.
Consisting of a soft polyurethane resin combined with a rubber crumb matting which gives added cushioning underfoot, ComfortFloor® Pro from Sika proved ideal for the children and staff at Rainbow House. The system’s chemical composition and texture absorbs impact and offers the perfect surface for intensive therapy work taking place at the facility, while also providing a high degree of comfort for the children.
Due to its durable and hygienic qualities, the flooring also had significant practical benefits for the application. The liquid applied system was quickly and easily installed in the therapy areas by Crown Flooring as one seamless piece, meaning no joints which can harbour bacteria. In addition, the floor’s constitution means that it resists the growth of bacteria or fungus and is very easy to clean.
ComfortFloor® also provides an aesthetically pleasing finish and seamless colour, with an attractive warm yellow chosen for Rainbow House. Three colours were used in the main areas of the facility to create a rainbow effect – Sika Sun Fire, Sika Wild Orchid and Sika Spring Grass. For the cleaners’ room, an office and a kitchen, Umbra Grey was selected with an additional aggregate added to complement the rooms’ functionality.
Sika has also donated its Sikagard® Hygienic Wall coatings for the whole interior of Rainbow House. The coatings complement the flooring system by offering the same seamless properties as ComfortFloor, aiding cleaning by providing a surface that is hard-wearing and free from joints, seams and other features that provide a hiding place for dirt and bacteria. The coatings are single component water based products that are easy to apply by brush, roller or airless spray.
Offering far more than traditional paints, Sikagard® hygiene coatings are designed to provide exceptional durability as well as an enhanced resistance to cracking, splitting and flaking. In demanding hygiene environments like Rainbow House, standard paints are no match for this range of specifically developed hygienic coatings.
With the flooring and wall systems in place, Legacy Rainbow House will provide exceptional comfort, minimise maintenance costs and provide a safe environment for the children’s therapy sessions. Sika’s ComfortFloor® system and Sikagard® Hygienic Wall coatings have helped to deliver a high performance and visually stunning solution for this challenging and innovative application.