1. Safety and Protection: Addressing the Core Need of “Anti-collision and Low Risk” in Kindergartens
The top requirement for kindergarten floors is to “ensure children’s safety”, and sheet vinyl flooring is highly targeted in terms of protective design:
- Excellent anti-slip performance to reduce the risk of falling
Children are active (running, chasing, or walking barefoot/with thin-soled shoes after playing with water), and the floor is prone to getting wet due to spilled water, milk, or juice. High-quality sheet vinyl flooring has a “non-slip texture treatment” on its surface (such as lychee texture or frosted texture), with a friction coefficient of usually ≥ 0.5 (meeting the anti-slip standard for children’s activity places specified in China’s Code for Design of Building Grounds). Even when wet, it can maintain sufficient grip, greatly reducing the probability of “slipping and falling” and preventing children from scratches or collisions caused by slipping. - Moderate elastic cushioning to reduce collision injuries
Children’s bones and joints are not yet fully developed, so they are sensitive to the hardness of the floor when falling. sheet vinyl flooring (especially products with a 2-5mm soft base layer) has good elasticity and can absorb the impact force when falling. For example, when a child falls from a small chair or trips while running, the floor can disperse 30%-50% of the pressure. Compared with ceramic tiles (hard, brittle, and without cushioning) and solid wood flooring (hard and inelastic), it can significantly reduce the risk of “knee injuries or head bumps”, which is equivalent to adding a “soft protective pad” to the floor. - Environmentally friendly with no harmful substances, suitable for long-term contact by children
Regular sheet vinyl flooring is made of “environmentally friendly PVC resin + formaldehyde-free adhesive” and must pass the testing of China’s national standard Limit of Harmful Substances in Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Sheet Flooring for Interior Decoration and Finishing Materials (GB 18586-2021): the formaldehyde emission is ≤ 0.124mg/m³ (consistent with the E0-grade board standard), and the contents of heavy metals (lead, cadmium), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and phthalates (harmful substances that may affect children’s endocrine system) are extremely low. Some high-end products also obtain more stringent environmental certifications such as EU CE and US GREENGUARD, preventing children from inhaling or contacting harmful substances during long-term contact with the floor and ensuring their health.
2. Durability and Easy Cleaning: Adapting to High-frequency Scenarios of “High Wear and High Pollution” in Kindergartens
The service intensity of kindergarten floors is much higher than that of ordinary households: they bear the treading of dozens of children, friction from toys (building blocks, toy cars, plastic slides), and frequent movement of desks and chairs every day. Moreover, they are prone to being contaminated by food residues, paint, mud, crayon marks, etc. The “durability” and “easy cleaning” of sheet vinyl flooring exactly solve this pain point:
- Super high wear resistance, not easy to be damaged after long-term use
The surface of plastic flooring has a “wear-resistant coating” (usually a PVC wear-resistant layer or a transparent resin layer), with a wear resistance of more than 4,000 revolutions (far exceeding the standard of 2,000 revolutions for household flooring). Even if children repeatedly roll toy cars on it or scratch it with hard objects (such as plastic building blocks and small scissors), it is not easy to have scratches or dents; the legs of desks and chairs will not leave indentations even after long-term movement. Its service life can reach 8-15 years, reducing the cost and trouble of frequent floor renovation in kindergartens. - Seamless splicing + waterproof and moisture-proof, high cleaning efficiency
- Seamless design to prevent bacterial growth: Plastic flooring can be installed using the “hot welding seamless splicing” process, with no seams or gaps on the floor. This prevents food residues, dust, and bacteria from accumulating in the gaps (kindergartens are high-incidence places for infectious diseases such as influenza and hand, foot, and mouth disease, and the seamless design can reduce the environment for bacterial growth from the source).
- Waterproof and easy to clean: PVC, the core material of plastic flooring, is an inert material that does not absorb water or moisture. Daily cleaning only requires mopping with “clean water + neutral detergent”, and it can even be directly cleaned with a wet mop. For stubborn stains (such as paint, juice, and crayon marks), they can be removed by wiping with a damp cloth dipped in a small amount of detergent. There is no need to worry about “moisture deformation” like solid wood flooring, nor to frequently regrout or wax like ceramic tiles, which greatly reduces the work intensity of cleaning staff.
3. High Cost-effectiveness + Scenario Adaptability: Meeting the “Low Cost and Multiple Needs” of Kindergartens
In addition to safety and durability, the “flexibility” and “economy” of sheet vinyl flooring further consolidate its position as the first choice:
- Controllable cost and outstanding cost-effectiveness
The material cost of sheet vinyl flooring (about 50-150 yuan/square meter) is lower than that of solid wood flooring (200-500 yuan/square meter) and marble flooring (more than 300 yuan/square meter). Moreover, its installation process is simple (no complex leveling required, and fast laying speed), so the labor cost is low. Coupled with its long service life and low later maintenance costs (no need for waxing or repainting), it is very friendly to kindergartens with limited budgets (especially public kindergartens and inclusive kindergartens). - Flexible styles, adapting to children’s aesthetics
Vinyl flooring can be printed with rich patterns (such as cartoon animals, numbers, letters, and rainbow track textures), and can even be customized into “themed floors” (such as ocean world and forest paradise). It can not only create a childlike environment but also assist teaching through floor patterns (such as recognizing numbers and distinguishing colors), which fits the educational scenario needs of kindergartens. - Sound insulation and noise reduction, reducing environmental interference
The elastic material of plastic flooring can absorb footstep sounds and toy collision sounds. Compared with ceramic tiles (which easily produce echo from footsteps) and solid wood flooring (which easily makes “squeaking sounds” when walking), it can effectively reduce indoor noise, prevent the noise from children’s activities from affecting other classes, and create a quieter activity environment.