What is Resilient Flooring?
Resilient floors are polymer floors engineered for comfort, flexibility and design. You often hear resilient associated with vinyl tile, cork and rubber flooring. These types of surfaces are often found in healthcare and educational environments and can withstand heavy usage in commercial and residential settings as well. Resilient flooring is manufactured by using strategically selected natural and synthetic materials; these floors are non-textile, non-wood, non-stone (i.e., carpet, hardwood, laminate, stone, ceramic, and concrete are not resilient). Poured-in-place, seamless floors can be resilient when formulated with specific polymer materials.
Benefits of Resilient Flooring
Resilient floors are firm, but give or “bounce back” which make them the preferred choice of healthcare and education designers, planners and managers. Resiliency gives floors better impact resistance which is an advantage, especially in areas such as surgical suites and operating rooms where sharp instruments may be dropped. Poured-in-place urethane floors possess less elasticity than other materials, but offer degrees of flexibility underfoot, providing more comfort than many other hard surfaces.
Benefit highlights include:
- Preventing slip-and-fall accidents which cause employees or visitors physical and/or emotional trauma
- Saving money on replacing easily-worn floors. Resilient floors are durable, waterproof, and long-lasting.
- Providing an ergonomic standard of comfort underfoot to keep employees healthier and happier.
- Achieving noise-reduction in places like schools and public places.
- Choosing a custom appearance -- your choice of design, patterns, finishes, and colors.
- Providing waterproof protection against splashes and spills
Recommended Industries
Resilient floors can be used in many industries and areas and are especially recommended for places where there is a considerable amount of standing on the job or foot traffic through a public facility.
Recommended industries include:
- Retail Environments - stores, mall concourses, cosmetic counter areas
- Healthcare - operating rooms, corridors, hospital rooms
- Education - K-12 school and college hallways, cafeterias, locker rooms, libraries
- Hospitality - pool decks, rooftop bars, pool bars, outdoor restaurants
- General Commercial - public spaces, museums, lobbies, arenas and stadiums
Recommended Products
Our team of Territory Managers, Architectural and Engineering Representatives will assist you in finding the right resilient floor to meet your specific needs. Stonhard has a bountiful color palette that can be incorporated into traditional patterns or customized, free-form designs for internal or exterior applications. We’ll help you get the look you want with the performance and function you need.
Recommended products include:
- Stonres - public spaces, healthcare, education, retail, hospitality and more
- About Liquid Elements - Resilient floors from Stonhard brand, Liquid Elements, are highly customizable, handcrafted, and tailored to your imagination. See product lines: Smooth, Reflect, Capture, and Glitz
- About Expanko - Stonhard brand, Expanko, manufactures naturally resilient cork and rubber floors that deliver innovative design options without sacrificing performance.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RESILIENT FLOORING
Q: What are some examples of resilient flooring?
A: Sheet, tile, plank, and poured-in-place resinous flooring
Q: Is resilient flooring the same as LVT/vinyl?
A: Resilient flooring can be made from multiple materials, including sheet vinyl, LVT (luxury vinyl tile), and VCT (vinyl composition tile), cork, linoleum, rubber, and some resinous materials.
Q: What is the difference between resilient and non-resilient flooring?
A: Resilient floors have an elasticity to them and are easier to maintain. Traditional resilient floors, such as sheet vinyl, are typically less expensive than non-resilient floors. Non-resilient floors have harder surfaces and are not flexible. Non-resilient floors include brick, ceramic, porcelain tile, stone, wood, and others.
Q: Where is resilient flooring commonly used/installed?
A: Resilient floors are most often installed in commercial areas like medical centers and hospitals, educational institutions, retail shops, health and fitness centers, office buildings, hospitality environments, residential buildings, and more. Resilient floors are also commonly installed in homes.
Q: Is resilient flooring waterproof?
A: Resilient floors are naturally waterproof, repelling spills, splashes, or water from shoes. Resilient floors do not absorb water. For a floor to be truly waterproof (that is, to be able to contain water and prevent it from leaking below), a waterproof membrane would be required. Waterproof membranes can be applied to seamless, resinous floors.
Q: Is resilient flooring durable?
A: Although non-resilient, hard-surface floors are more durable, some resilient floors are durable in areas with moisture and can last for a long time.
Q: How do you maintain resilient floors?
A: Resilient floors are easily cleaned and do not require much maintenance. Sweeping and vacuuming are the easiest ways to remove dirt and debris from your resilient floor. A damp mop or microfiber rag can also be used to pick up excess dust for a deeper clean.
Q: How long does resilient flooring take to install?
A: Typically, 1-4 days, depending on the type of floor.