Decosheet wall protection is hygienic and durable, offering high impact and scratch resistance so the level of maintenance required is minimal.
This makes it an ideal solution in a wide variety of settings and Decosheet has proved particularly successful in healthcare environments.
Decosheet is a reliable and cost effective solution and Gerflor has worked extensively with contractor partners under the Buying Solutions Framework without the need for expensive consultants - an important consideration when NHS budgets are under pressure.
The success of Decosheet can be seen in a number of recent projects, such as the Children’s Resource Centre at Trafford General Hospital which brings together the hospital’s paediatric services under one roof in specially designed facilities.
A key feature of the interior is the fun, decorative theme, which was created using SPM branded wall protection and Gerflor’s flooring products as part of an integrated design involving Gerflor’s Buying Solutions’ Approved Installation Partner, Crown.
Both Gerflor and Crown have extensive experience of delivering innovative and cost-effective wall protection and flooring solutions in the healthcare sector and had previously worked with the Trafford Healthcare Trust. In the case of the centre, which includes a 12-bed day ward for children and young people, a spacious outpatients’ suite, a playroom and teenagers’ area, the brief required a strong decorative design element combined with products that perform to the highest standards.
Gerflor illustrated potential solutions using case studies of installations from previous projects. With these in mind, children at a local school were invited to come up with a theme. The designs were then co-ordinated to produce a solution that could be practically.
The ideas were exciting and, as a result, the reception desk is shaped like a drum kit and the nursing station has been built in the form of a piano. This musical theme was continued on the walls and door protection through the use of inlaid designs.
Working closely with hospital managers, Gerflor’s unique in-house design service used CAD and CNC machines to produce precision-cut decorative frescoes from SPM Decosheet incorporating musical notes and instruments.
This facility offered flexibility and fast turnaround times so the finished elements could be delivered to site quickly and efficiently. The resulting scheme is fun, yet highly functional, and has the ultimate objective of helping to aid the recovery of the young patients.
In all, 450m² of Decosheet wall protection was used. Decosheet was employed in conjunction with SPM Protecta 2 corner protection and, in the outpatients’ corridor, with Escort tubular hand rails. The musical theme was also incorporated into the SPM door protection on 16 door leaves in the day ward, while a further 43 door leaves in the outpatients area, were inlaid with room numbers. In addition, 12 SPM bed kits were installed to protect the walls within the wards.
Safety, hygiene, ease of maintenance and noise management were all key factors in the choice of Gerflor flooring products. These were selected to complement the wall protection and to differentiate the various areas within the centre.
In the corridors, Nera Contract Wood was employed to provide a warm feel with a Taralay Impression Papyrus border giving a modern finish. Taralay Impression was also used to highlight play and waiting areas and to provide coloured feature inlays.
The wards were differentiated using Taralay Initial Pacifica with the colours Coast, Seagull and Mout inlaid together. Gerflor’s Tarasafe safety flooring provided the ideal solution for the wet areas, the bathrooms and sluice.
