A well designed, high quality wall and door protection system can provide a solution to unsightly and costly interior impact damage that can be problematic in public buildings, such as hospitals, schools and care homes, says Yeoman Shield’s Sally Moores.
Products including, protection rails, handrails, protection panels and fire-rated full door protection systems are designed to offer exceptional performance with a combination of system styles and colourways accomplishing a smart and welcoming setting.
Installing a thoroughbred wall and door protection system will stop serious damage happening to the fabric of interiors which is caused by the everyday activity of service users, staff and cleaners along with the movement of equipment such as beds, trolleys and cleaning apparatus. This holds a twofold benefit for any establishment.
Firstly, it helps to protect the original décor keeping the smart, attractive interior, which was originally intended whilst also conveying a well-maintained, hygienic building.
It is also of financial benefit to install a protection system as it assists in reducing costs for repair and redecoration throughout the lifetime of a building assuring sustainability and affordability, keeping a check on maintenance budgets.
Playing a part in extending the lifecycle of a building can make the inclusion of wall & door protection systems into the plans of a new-build establishment a smart option when considering ecological and BREEAM requirements.
Thoughtful design
It has been well documented that the look and condition of the inside of a building can have an effect on the people using it. A mixture of colourful hues, designs and finish textures can help to set a mood, whether it be a calming or stimulating one that is require.
Choosing wall and door protection from a manufacturer that can present a wide pallet of colours to choose from makes it easier to dovetail protection systems into design schemes, whether matching colours to complement existing decoration or making bold contrasting statements.
The availability of decorative wall protection panels has become more widespread with printed designs ranging from text, drawn images, photos or shapes and colours being digitally printed either to the surface or reverse of the panels. These can effectively create landscape features or inspirational wording or instructions to be fitted in to the interior protection of walls reducing that sterile feel that maybe associated with protection systems.
Contrasting the colours of handrails, door protection panels and corner protection can also be an addition to wayfinding schemes, aiding service users coping with conditions such as dementia or dyslexia, to locate areas more easily by following colours and symbols which are clearer to comprehend.
Maintaining hygiene standards
Impact damage can result in cracks and crevices in walls and doors, which proving difficult to clean, can unfortunately start to harbour and promote the growth of bacteria and virus. A wall or door protection system not only safeguards surfaces from damage, but, manufactured from a rigid PVC-U, also offers a surface that is easy to clean and impervious to commercial solvents and cleaners, helping to maintain the high standards of hygiene required in any environment but particularly in healthcare and education premises.
Taking the guess work out of fire doors
Fire Doors are an imperative part of fire safety and are considerations of the design and maintenance of any building, but especially residential. Article 17 — RRFSO states fire safety provisions (includes fire doors) must be maintained in a suitable condition and working order. If you are the responsible person, it is paramount you appoint a competent person to assist in meeting your duties under the fire safety order to ensure fire safety measures including fire doors are functioning efficiently.
Companies that provide fire door services can help to take the guess work out of fire door maintenance by providing inspections, assessments, remedial work and installation. When looking to engage with such a company it is essential to source one that is part of a recognised accredited scheme appropriate to the service they are offering and one that has garnered a knowledgable, highley regarded reputation in the field. Working on fire doors can really become a life or death situation if not done so with competence.
Fire door protection
Fire doors are certainly on the front line when it comes to receiving impact damage from the everyday use of a building. Being proactive in the prevention of impact damage rather than reacting once it has occurred along with a good maintenance routine will reduce the need of remedial work.
The application of reputable, fire-rated, door protection products will help in the proactive maintenance regime offering financial benefits by halting impact damage from the start, eliminating many repairs and door replacements in the future.
Ensure when using on fire doors that the door protection products such as, protection panels, door edge protectors and PVC_U glazing bead units, you choose are fire rated and have been tested by an accredited 3rd party testing house. Always request to see the test evidence from the manufacturer and by doing so you can be confident that installing the door protection products will not affect the integrity of the fire door, as all products have been tested, in situ, to the current standard required.
Vulnerable frames and architraves can also be protected from impact with a PVC-U system designed to prevent dangerous splintering and splitting making the time-consuming, repetitive need for repainting a thing of the past.
Be smart
The above is just a brief overview on how a reputable wall and door protection system can be incorporated into a design scheme — adding rather than subtracting from the overall style. The system will stop serious damage happening to the fabric of a building, keeping the smart, attractive and safe interior which was originally intended, whilst conveying a thoughtfully designed, well-maintained building.
The financial benefits of preventing damage in the first place have also been highlighted. Considering such protection products for your next new-build, refurbishment or redecoration project could be a smart move, appreciated not only by those who use the building but also by those who maintain it.
