Most gymnasiums today are equipped with vinyl flooring to provide optimal performance for a multitude of sports. Vinyl flooring is a beneficial choice as it offers excellent resilience, and is recognized for its shock absorbing properties to protect player’s joints by reducing high impact force. However, these spaces also need to also accommodate non-sporting events or gatherings such as school assemblies, meetings, and reunions throughout the school year. When the event requires the addition of chairs and tables, it is important to review their design and condition to ensure that they will not damage the vinyl sports surface.
Proper footing is the key to prevent any damage to the floor. Chair and table rests should be rather wide to create a larger point of contact on the flooring. This will help to distribute the load appropriately. It is best to also check that the feet glide smoothly on the surface to eliminate the risk of scratching the floor when the chairs and tables are moved around. Also, the feet must not be damaged so as to not puncture the flooring. One solution would be to use footing that incorporates pivoting or swiveling rests to allow a better adjustment with the floor. The vinyl does have the capacity to spring back into shape after being compressed. However, the pressure caused by too heavy a weight concentrated on a small area can result in permanent damage to even a resilient sports surface.
Paying close attention to these details will ensure the longevity of your sports flooring investment. For more information on this subject, see: The solution to protecting your vinyl floor from heavy equipment.
You can enjoy the many events ahead, worry-free, now that you know how to ensure the protection of your resilient sports flooring!
