How Rubber Flooring Impacts Life-Cycle Costs

The demands placed on flooring in educational facilities are significant. Steady foot traffic and heavy rolling loads can quickly compromise a floor’s original beauty and integrity. With increasing pressure to lower operational expenses, many learning institutions are turning to Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to determine which flooring material offers the greatest durability and resilience, and how that directly translates to value and cost savings. Rubber flooring has proven to be a leader in this category. Here’s why:

  • Installation
    Rubber flooring with a self-adhesive backing can be installed directly over an existing floor. It has fewer seams with less cutting and joint sealing, resulting in faster turn-times reducing your timeline by up to half.
  • Durability
    The extremely dense surface of rubber flooring can withstand the pressure of heavy loads and is highly resistant to liquid spills and harsh chemicals.
  • Maintenance
    Flooring maintenance can account for 75 to 90 percent of total cost over the product’s projected lifespan. Premium rubber flooring has a nonporous surface that inherently repels stains and can be cleaned with little more than water. Unlike other resilient flooring, rubber’s uncoated surface means the floor never needs to be stripped and resealed.
  • Sustainability
    Rubber flooring is naturally sourced and has a low-VOC rating, contributing to a healthier environment and improved indoor air quality (IAQ) for students and staff alike.

Premium rubber flooring has significant impact on total cost of ownership. Using LCCA during flooring specification helps schools lower expenses long-term while increasing the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff.

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management June 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Tasha Hughes is a marketing specialist, PR, for nora systems, Inc. (www.nora.com/us). She can be reached at [email protected] or 800-332/NORA.

Featured

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • Kimball International Releases Curated Design Support Program

    Commercial furnishings company Kimball International recently announced the launch of a new end-to-end design support program, DesignSuite. According to a news release, its goal is to guide architecture & design professionals and dealer partners through the process from vision to specification.

  • 144-Year-Old High-School Campus Debuts New Academic Facility

    San Diego High School (SDHS) in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new student services and classroom building; the project is part of a larger SDHS Whole Site Modernization project that began in 2022.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.