While on the surface, flooring may look similar, the individual parts all come together to make the best choice for a specific space and athlete — and can have a lasting impact on safety, wellness, the environment and pocketbook. | Photo Credit (all): Courtesy of Action Floor Systems LLC
By Karl Borree
Elementary and high school floors can look indistinguishable, even when compared to university facilities. Each is chosen and designed based on the specific use case for the flooring and can vary greatly based on the spectrum of performance needs vs. utility. Schools are no longer choosing athletic flooring based on performance metrics alone. While performance still plays an important role, facilities are also taking student-athlete health, sustainability and longevity into consideration when planning their build.
Over the past 15 years or so, school construction has become more holistic in its approach to building material decisions. New builds are focusing on how building-wide materials affect the health of students, teachers and visitors. For example, many new schools or remodels are focusing on lighting, air quality, sound quality, and innovation. It only makes sense that this same mindset would extend into school sports facilities. However, it is important to take into consideration who the space is being built to serve.
K-12 vs. Higher Education Flooring Needs
Elementary school gymnasiums are often multi-purpose, serving as lunchrooms, community gathering spaces and even hosting school plays. Flooring systems need to be durable to withstand moving furniture multiple times a day, while also protecting younger children who are more susceptible to falls and injuries. Flooring systems in elementary schools are often designed with softer subflooring to absorb energy and reduce the force of impact, which keeps the focus on safety and durability over athletic performance.
Middle and high school sports are more competitive and physically demanding on student-athletes. These gymnasiums are more likely to be used for sporting events only, but they are not usually sports-specific, which means they need to focus on durability and performance. Floor systems need to offer protection to athletes, while also balancing the impact and energy return that supports jumping, sprinting and multi-sport functionality.
Collegiate athletic facilities are more specialized, usually focusing on one or two sports. While athlete health and protection are important, it’s athlete performance that’s key. Flooring systems that are durable and provide a firmer subfloor provide athletes with an energy return that can improve their plays and jumps as well as protect their joints and muscles as they play at this more intense level. Regardless of education level, one factor remains consistent — what lies beneath the surface of the flooring is just as important as the flooring itself. Both have a significant impact on student-athlete health and long-term sustainability.
The Value of Subflooring
Subflooring has more of an impact on energy absorption, force reduction and student-athlete health than people may realize. For example, one standard that student health and safety is based on is the Head Injury Criterion (HIC), which measures the likelihood of an impact-related head injury. This is incredibly important, but it can vary based on the athlete’s age range. Younger students require a softer subfloor that allows them to prevent injury. Firmer subflooring for older athletes allows for a more controlled energy return but still protects them. Some flooring systems opt for subflooring that doesn’t allow for much padding between the floor and the concrete, which means increased injuries due to the lack of “bounce back.” This is a great danger to athletes and should be taken seriously when choosing a new flooring system.
An aspect to consider when choosing the right flooring system is sustainability and environmental impact. Many subfloors are made of PVC plastics, and floors are finished with harsh adhesives and stains, which leads to harmful off gassing in enclosed athletic environments. These all greatly impact the indoor air quality (IAQ), which is incredibly harmful to children, the elderly and people with health conditions such as asthma. For a healthier and more environmentally conscious choice, facilities can opt for a subfloor that is made of all-natural rubber or choose adhesives and stains that are water-based, eliminating harmful off-gassing.
Sustainability Considerations
Another sustainable choice that facilities can make is to select natural wood over synthetic flooring. Beyond the obvious that wood occurs naturally, it tends to last longer than synthetic flooring. Some flooring might require full replacements during a standard 25-year building life. Maple floors with the proper subflooring could last for many decades, and don’t require an entire replacement when they have aged. The flooring can be sanded down and refinished without creating any additional waste, cementing the longevity of the up-front investment.
In a recent renovation project at Manitowoc Lutheran High School in Wisconsin, the priority of sustainability and athlete health are made evident through thoughtful flooring design. The school was experiencing performance issues with its existing athletic floor and needed to re-evaluate what was under the surface. Officials updated the flooring system to a mixture of firm and soft subflooring that improved uniformity, vibration dampening, ball rebound and overall athlete comfort. Choosing the right subfloor paired with maple floorboards means that the school should have this floor for decades before any substantial improvements are necessary. This project highlights a valuable lesson: flooring performance, durability, and sustainable choices can improve athlete health and support long-term goals.
Understanding the components of a floor allows schools officials to build better spaces for their student-athletes and improve the lifecycle of the building. While on the surface, flooring may look similar, the individual parts all come together to make the best choice for a specific space and athlete — and can have a lasting impact on safety, wellness, the environment and your pocketbook.
Karl Borree is Vice President at Action Floor Systems LLC.