Hospitals need to be safe, sterilised, and easy to navigate — and flooring creates the foundation for the perfect hospital environment.
In this article, we'll explore which flooring options work best for areas within a hospital, from wards to cafeterias, based on health and safety requirements.
Our team at Policrete are Melbourne's experts in pouring and polishing concrete flooring. From laying terrazzo tiles to concrete slab preparation, we'll install the perfect floor solution for your needs.
The best flooring for different areas in hospitals
Corridors and public spaces
Hospital corridors, waiting rooms, and other public spaces see the most foot traffic. As such, the floor will need to be non-slip, and resistant to wear and tear.
The best flooring option? Epoxy. Comprising a mix of polymer resins and hardeners, epoxy flooring can be applied on top of concrete. It creates a smooth and shiny surface, which is durable and resilient. Other features include:
- Dust-free
- Non-slip
- Low maintenance
- Impervious to most chemicals
- Available in a variety of colours
Operating rooms and emergency areas benefit from the antimicrobial properties of epoxy flooring solution. Plus, it's the easiest type of floor to clean between operations.
Price: An epoxy flooring solution may cost you anywhere between $50 - $120 per square meter, depending on the size and specifications of the job.
Hospital bathrooms
Wet areas like public bathrooms and private bathrooms in patient rooms need easy to clean, water-resistant flooring solutions. That's why terrazzo flooring is so popular. It's also lighter than other materials, making it a great option for bathrooms on higher floors in hospitals. It is also:
- Cost effective
- Customisable
- Highly durable
- Easy to maintain
- Easy to clean
Terrazzo is made by embedding marble, quartz, granite, and other materials into a cement binder before the surface is ground and polished. There a huge range of colours and styles to choose from.
Price: Terrazzo flooring costs anywhere between $300 - $350 per square meter depending on the detail of the terrazzo tile to be laid.
Hospital wards
Like the corridors and public spaces in a hospital, wards also experience high foot traffic. The flooring needs to be hard wearing, and easy to clean. That's why polished concrete is often the favoured choice by hospital architects and designers. This surface is:
- Resistant to wear and stains
- Easy to clean
- Energy efficient
- Durable
And, thanks to its reflective quality, polished concrete bounces light around a room — making it appear brighter and lighter, which is great for recovering patients.
Price: Polished concrete flooring costs anywhere between $50 - $120 per square meter.
Hospital canteens and kitchens
Hospital canteens and kitchens are places where food is provided for both inpatients and outpatients, plus those visiting their loved ones who are recovering in wards.
They need to be safe and sterile environments, which meet Occupational Health and Safety regulations. According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand, floors must:
- Be able to be effectively cleaned
- Unable to absorb grease, food particles or water
- Be laid so that there is no ponding of water
- Be unable to provide harbourage for pests
Concrete veneer flooring meets the above requirements, and more. It's easy to install and maintain, with seamless finishes, so there are no joins or grout lines to clean.
It's highly durable for industrial kitchens and dining areas, and adjoins to other floors easily so it's fairly cost effective.
Price: Concrete veneer flooring costs anywhere between $50 - $100 per square meter.
How to install flooring solutions in hospitals
In order to meet the strict OH&S requirements, hospital floors should always be laid by concrete flooring experts. When you choose a company, you'll want to make sure they:
- Have industry experience
- Use high quality machinery
- Offer structural guarantees
Why choose Policrete?
We're an industry leading polished concrete flooring specialist. Since we first formed, we've been providing safe and durable flooring for a variety of industries, including hospitals.
We use premium Husqvarna machinery, and our team of passionate and qualified concrete flooring experts work efficiently, and within budget, to install floor solutions in a range of applications.
We will:
- Collaborate with builders, shopfitters, and architects to get the job done to specification
- Work within load capacities
- Use top end machinery to ensure floor evenness
