Poles are among the European leaders regarding the number of pets they own. The FEDIAF (European Pet Food Federation) report for 2024[1] indicates that 49% of households in our country have at least one dog, and 41% have at least one cat. We have over 8 million tail-wagging companions in our homes, 7.25 million kitties and over a million small mammals, mainly rodents. There are also domesticated birds, reptiles and fish, so veterinarians have more and more patients. On the occasion of World Veterinarians Day, celebrated on the last Saturday in April, it is worth taking a closer look at the floors used in animal clinics.
Experts from Flowcrete, a leading manufacturer and supplier of resin floors, present examples of floor coatings implemented in veterinary practices and explain which features are most important in this type of facility.
- Decorative resin floors with flakes
In representative areas of animal clinics, including reception or waiting rooms, decorative floors based on clear epoxy resins and coloured flakes (e.g. Peran PGF) are often applied. This type of floor can be made of mixtures of multi-coloured flakes, or one can create individual colour combinations, even patterns. Resin floors with flakes have a slightly anti-slip surface resembling orange peel. Due to their seamless surface and rounded coves made at the junction of the floor with the wall, they are easy to keep clean.
In the case of using a fast-curing methacrylic resin (MMA), the floor can be walked on after 1.5 hours from its installation. This type of flooring solution is useful when the time to make or replace the floor is limited to a minimum.
- Resin floors with quartz sand
In medical practices and rooms where animals stay after surgery or diagnostics, epoxy floors with coloured quartz sand (e.g. Peran STB) are also applied. They are very durable and resistant to mechanical damage, such as abrasion, impact, and scratching, and are also chemically resistant, including to substances used in animal clinics.
Depending on the technology used (a layer of quartz sand mechanically compacted or more left with more structure), it is possible to adjust the anti-slip degree of the floor to the requirements and conditions of use in a given room. However, it should be remembered that the more anti-slip the surface, the more difficult it is to wash. If, in addition to functionality and attractive appearance, a quick application is important, a fast-curing resin can also be used.
- Specialist resin floors with an antimicrobial additive
Wherever a high level of hygiene is important, microbiologically clean flooring systems are also used. An example is Flowfresh polyurethane-cementitious floor with the antimicrobial Polygiene® additive, based on silver ions, which eliminates up to 99.8% of bacteria on the floor surface. Such a flooring solution can be used, among others, in animal boxes. These floors can be smooth or rough, with varying anti-slip degrees.
The choice of the flooring material and technology depends, among other things, on whether it is a dry or periodically wet room, although, in the case of animal clinics, the moisture appears systematically because of the need to wash the floor frequently.
The features of all resin floors, i.e. seamless surface, non-absorbency and abrasion resistance, make them used in animal clinics all over the world. There is a wide range of resin floors on the market, so when choosing a solution for a specific investment, or even its individual rooms, it is worth asking the experts in this field for advice.
[1] https://europeanpetfood.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FEDIAF-Annual-Review-2024_Online.pdf
