Walsh Flooring Services was brought in to renovate a specialised wetroom installation for a residential care home in Bristol. Healthcare and care home environments require non-slip, hygienic, and completely watertight flooring to ensure resident safety and withstand frequent cleaning cycles. This project involved full subfloor prep, surface levelling, custom cap-and-cove detailing around wall tiles and pipework, and hot-welded seam joints.
Subfloor Preparation & Moisture Control
Before installing the safety sheet vinyl, proper ground preparation was essential to ensure a smooth, durable finish:
- Uplift & Base Clearance: The existing floor covering was uplifted, and legacy adhesive contaminants were mechanically removed to reveal the concrete and structural base.
- Surface Priming & Latex Screeding: An acrylic primer was applied to control suction, followed by a continuous layer of self-levelling latex compound to bridge surface irregularities, smooth out fall-lines to the central gulley drain, and create a key for bonding.
Safety Vinyl Installation & Watertight Finishing
- Cap & Cove Skirting: The blue slip-resistant safety vinyl was laid and coved directly up the walls over internal cove formers. This eliminates sharp 90-degree floor-to-wall corners where moisture and bacteria can collect, creating a fully cleanable, hygienic perimeter.
- Hot-Welded Joints: All sheet seams were grooved and hot-welded using matching colour-weld rod to guarantee a 100% waterproof seal across the wetroom floor area.
- Pipework & Drain Integration: Precision hand-scribing was completed around exposed plumbing and waste pipes, sealing the material tightly against vertical fixtures and integrating seamlessly with the central drainage gulley.
Key Project Outcomes
- Full Slip Resistance: High-friction aggregate safety sheet flooring installed to lower slip risks in wet areas.
- Watertight Integrity: Hot-welded joints and cap-and-cove perimeter prevent water ingress into the subfloor below.
- Hygienic & Easy to Clean: Fully sealed, continuous surface tailored to commercial care standards.
