Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Wall Coverings

How To Make Walls Safe and Sound

If walls could talk, they would describe constant contact with backpacks, computer bags and feet, as well as blows from mobile classroom carts. These occurrences can cause scrapes and dents on wall surfaces and corners. Because of the abuse they receive, walls in classrooms, hallways, gyms and cafeterias must be durable and easy to clean, requiring little to no maintenance. They must also be manufactured from material that is environmentally sound and maintains safe indoor air quality.

New product offerings deliver all the functional elements required of walls without compromising style. In fact, custom photos, wayfinding, mascots, logos and other art can now be preserved on walls behind impact-resistant, environmentally preferable rigid material that is PVC-free and contains no PBTs and halogenated or brominated fire retardants. The material acts as a protective shield that safeguards against damage while making cleaning easy, so walls remain beautiful for years.

Reviews from schools using the material are beginning to come in, and the grades are impressive. “The hallways of our school get an A+ for design, function and durability,” says Steven Fleming, principal of Pasadena Independent School District’s new Dr. Kirk Lewis Career & Technical High School in California. “Students are motivated and energized even before they enter the classroom. School officials can rest easy knowing that our custom walls can stand the test of time and high school wear and tear.”

In fact, based on the quality of the walls at its high school, the district used the wall protection product for a mural at its elementary school. “We knew that we had an opportunity to do something special and long-lasting at our elementary school,” says Israel Grinberg, the district’s construction manager. “You just can’t get that kind of quality and durability with a hand-painted mural.”

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Amy DeVore, is the Acrovyn Business Development manager for Construction Specialties, Inc.

Featured

  • Nashville Elementary School Receives LEED Gold Certification

    Goodlettsville Elementary School, part of Metro Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, Tenn., recently achieved LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), according to a news release. The 81,750-square-foot school opened in 2023 and was designed by Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC).

  • Building Beyond Simulation: Creating Immersive Ecosystems for Healthcare Education

    Health sciences education is one of the fastest-growing facility types in colleges and universities. The demand for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals is driving the creation and renovation of medical simulation training facilities that provide students with real-world experience through advanced simulation-based learning.

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.

  • University of Pennsylvania Releases Design of Future Physical Sciences Building

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia, Penn., recently released renderings of an upcoming 350,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Building, according to news release. The facility was designed by CO Architects and will unite the university’s departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Earth and Environmental Science.