It’s official; World Cup fever is taking hold here at All Things Flooring. Sporting events naturally bring about a sense of camaraderie and healthy competition in the workplace and one that we have truly welcomed!

With thousands of fans rushing to Russia to watch the matches hosted at one of 12 stadiums that span across 1,800 miles, our thoughts naturally turn to the stadiums themselves. Hosting fans well into the tens of thousands, the stadia need to be able to withstand periods of intense use. Not only do they have to be structurally sound to support the sheer weight of the spectators, but they also have to be regulated for health and safety purposes.

Health and Safety Hat-Trick for Stadia

The three key features of health and safety that you’d expect to see in place in stadiums around the world include slip resistance, chemical resistance and durability to protect the integrity of the structure.

Many stadiums are open-top and therefore exposed to the elements. This can become extremely dangerous in wet conditions, as the ground can become slippery, increasing the chance of an accident. The risk of slipping is dangerous enough on flat ground, not to mention the increased potential for harm on steps, especially with such large numbers of people trying to get to their seats.

Slip resistance is especially pertinent on steps

The risk of spilt food or drinks is just as much of a slip hazard as rain, and where there are spillages, there is sure to be harsh cleaning products needed to keep the interior and exterior looking its best. Regular exposure to chemicals can damage a surface, as can the use of steam cleaning which can cause thermal shock. Thermal shock is a common cause of cracks, leading to expensive repairs or re-surfacing.

Durable flooring that can withstand extreme temperatures and perform time and time again under immense pressure is key. Specifiers should consider the stadia’s exposure to all elements and factors, such as UV-rays and rain, as well as the movement of heavy machinery and bulky rigging apparatus (for filming sports for example). UV resistance can be specified for floors exposed to prolonged periods of sunlight and thicker, more durable coatings should be applied to protect against heavy, moving objects that could otherwise damage the site.    

Soccer City in South Africa

Back in 2010 the FIFA World Cup, held at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg, featured no less than 90,000 square metres of polyurethane deck-coating for its durability, UV protection and waterproofing characteristics. The material used throughout this stadium was a Deckshield elastomeric polyurethane system from Flowcrete.

VAR: Visual, Aesthetic, Robust

The interior of the stadium concourse is just as important as the exterior. Take Stoke City Football Club for example, who found that their worn out concourse was a chink in their armour and so specified a decorative, slip resistant and solvent free epoxy resin floor coating. Flowcoat SF41 was chosen for the job, thanks to its high performance, slip and chemical resistance, protecting the surface from dropped items and corrosive cleaning solutions.

Stoke City specified a decorative, slip resistant and solvent-free epoxy resin coating for the concourse

As well as being extremely safe, the Flowcoat system is also pleasing to the eye. Take the ‘Kid’s Zone’ for example; this area has used coloured epoxy to create a mini indoor football pitch for children to play on. This area has all of the same safety features as the rest of the concourse, so parents can rest assured that their children are in good hands.

Green Flowcoat SF41 was used to create a mini football pitch for children to utilise

Football Fantasy

If all of this talk about the World Cup has inspired you to be creative in the spaces that you use, why not take a leaf out of Yegin Industries’ book, and bring the outdoors inside with football themed office décor!

Yegin Industries used Deckshield UV Linemarker to create their pitch visual

Flowsport with Deckshield UV Linemarker was chosen here to create colourful visuals of a football field in Yegin Industries’ new office facility in Vietnam. It’s a bold style statement, but one that is sure to inspire.

Are you looking for the ideal flooring solution for your sports facility? Leave a comment below so that we can help.