As part of a £70k refurbishment project, St Christopher’s School in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, has used Altro Wood SafetyTM flooring – a brand new wood-look safety floor – to retain the traditional timber character of its dining hall.
The school has many different Altro products already installed throughout the premises. These include a wide range of vinyl and resin floors and wall cladding. The products have performed very well over the years, so when it came to selecting new flooring for the refurbishment of the school canteen, there was no hesitation in specifying Altro products.
St Christopher’s Estates Manager, Lee Varley, said: “The existing dining hall floor was timber, but as part of the new build we needed to find an alternative that met several key criteria. There is a lot of timber in the construction of the building, so our priority was to retain the traditional wood feel by using a floor that was in character and looked like wood.
“There is a potential for spillage of food and drink in the dining hall, so our other priority was to ensure that the new surface was practical, hard-wearing, safe underfoot and easy to clean. We spoke to Altro and they recommended the brand new Altro Wood Safety flooring to meet our needs.
“It is also important to the school that where possible we use local companies and suppliers, so Altro was a clear choice in that respect.”
Altro Wood Safety is a true wood-look, sparkle-free safety flooring that replaces Altro TimbersafeTM II. Altro Wood Safety has a palette of 12 classic, contemporary and on-trend designs, which are ideal in locations where first impressions count and you can’t afford to compromise on safety.
The new palette enables mood to vary from cool and classy for spas and hospital receptions, to warm and nurturing for the hospitality and care sectors. The sparkle-free finish makes it particularly ideal for application in dementia settings. The lighter shades create the impression of space in school halls and canteen areas which can have low ceilings.
The new range benefits from Altro Easyclean Maxis PURTM Technology for optimum long-term cleaning and maintenance performance. “The new floor looks great”, adds Lee Varley, “it has a very authentic wood look, but it’s also practical and with all the properties of safety flooring we have peace of mind that it meets all our needs.”
In the staff dining area, Altro SupremaTM II safety flooring has also been installed. Altro Suprema II offers an impressive 40 colours, to enable bold and inventive designs to be created. It is perfect for areas where safety flooring wouldn’t normally be found, or for areas where light colours would traditionally be used.
The flooring has been developed in consultation with customers, architects, end users and colour consultants, taking into account current design requirements as well as future colour and interior trends. Its sparkle-free finish makes it ideal for use in dementia and mental healthcare environments.
The refurbishment project was carried out by construction company CD Hood, and the flooring installed by The Cambridge Flooring Company, which has been installing Altro products for over 20 years.
Partner Gary Webb said: “I believe Altro is the best safety flooring available on the market; it is well designed and manufactured, plus it doesn’t bruise when it bends, unlike many other types. The new Altro Wood Safety flooring is very easy to install, and the finished result looked superb.”
For further information please visit www.altro.co.uk