Colorful floors. Quiet hallways.

colorful floor

For a facility with plenty of open space and very few doors, the ability to absorb the noise of kids constantly switching classrooms was a big deal.

Reading friends of Aledo, Texas needed new flooring for their recent renovation. As a school with a pre-K and kindergarten curriculum, they had several requirements for this new flooring: It had to be fun. It had to help with noise. And it had to be easy to clean.

Working with Jeff Green of FloorPartners, the school chose Interface’s Studio Set™ luxury vinyl tile (LVT) for its classrooms and hallways. Multi-colored planks run from classroom to classroom in bright zig-zag patterns. In choosing the flooring, he says, “Studio Set had everything we wanted as far as sound quality, and the versatility of the product allowed us to create a really unique design.”

Flooring that performs on many levels

Almost a year after completing the renovation, Reading Friends owner Diane Taylor is a convert. “I was hesitant [about how the LVT] would absorb the constant noise of the kids switching classrooms, but it really has worked!” she says. For a facility with plenty of open space and very few doors, that’s a big deal. “I am so impressed by how easy [Interface LVT] has helped absorb the sound in our hallways and classrooms.”

Additionally, intensive floor maintenance has become a thing of the past. School staff are able to spend more time with the kids and less time making the floor look nice. According to Diane, “it really was the perfect flooring for the high-traffic, highnoise areas of our school.”

In fact, because of the success of this project, the entire Aledo Independent School District is considering designating Interface carpet and LVT as part of its standard flooring for all its facilities. From experience, Jeff Green explains, “Interface carpet tile is a real idiot-proof product. And as far as LVT, it’s a matter of getting people to experience it in their schools to trust that it’ll meet their needs.”

interface.com

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management September 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Fayetteville State University Opens New Residence Hall

    Fayetteville State University (FSU) in Fayetteville, N.C., recently completed construction on a new $50-million residence hall, according to a news release. The university partnered with KWK/Jenkins • Peer Architects on the design of Bronco Pride Hall.

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

  • Kimball Showroom Earns WELL Certified Platinum Distinction

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced that its showroom in New York City has achieved WELL Certification at the Platinum level as dictated by the International WELL Building Institute, according to a news release. The certification demonstrates a continuing commitment to creating environments that promote health, well-being, and productivity.

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.