HOW TO SPECIFY CUSTOM LIFE FLOOR DESIGN PROJECTS

The versatility of Life Floor’s design options provides an opportunity to create truly iconic aquatic spaces. While some clients opt for simpler designs using our preconfigured Patterns, many Life Floor projects are custom. Our team has spent over a decade building a process to accommodate these unique installations and we recommend initiating project-specific discussions as early as possible.

GETTING STARTED ON UNIQUE DESIGNS

Some clients and design partners create their own designs entirely in-house while others utilize our Studio Team’s complimentary design services. To visualize possibilities for specific projects, our team generates 2-3 concepts after receiving scaled plans and general design guidelines. Our team can also facilitate a hybrid approach to optimize pre-existing designs using our established best practices. For custom projects, contact us as soon as possible to streamline the design and quote processes.

OPTING FOR PRE-ESTABLISHED THEMES + PATTERNS

For rough budgetary estimates on non-custom projects, we recommend contacting us for a copy of the Life Floor Budgetary Guide, which features pricing for our Themes and Patterns. These designs have been curated to represent the most popular color and shape combinations requested by customers and designers.

TYPICAL PROJECT TIMELINE

It takes around 12 weeks from the start of the design process to the shipment of tiles from our U.S. manufacturing facility. While times vary by project, the following phases can be referenced for planning estimates:

Design Phase

2 weeks after scaled site plans are received by our Studio Team

Material + Labor Quote

1-2 weeks following design approval

Manufacturing Production

6-8 weeks following quote approval

CONTACT US

To initiate a new project or to discuss an existing project where Life Floor has been specified, please contact us. For additional design resources, please visit the Studio Section of our website.

WINTERIZE YOUR AQUATIC FACILITY: TIPS FOR MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT

We hope you had a safe and successful summer season! As you winterize your outdoor splash pads and pool decks, take advantage of the checklist below to reflect on how your facility performed during the season and make plans to fix any issues that arise. 

FILTERS

Be sure to flush the system and clean out the filters one last time before winterization is complete. This helps ensure no debris clogs the system and leaves less chance for microbial growth during fall and spring months before frost sets in. Annual preventative maintenance is critical to catch any issues before they turn into more serious problems. 

SPRAY FEATURES AND POOLS

Check all moving pieces for worn parts and fix them or order replacements ahead of time to ensure a smooth reopening process. Also be sure to remove and clean all nozzles and spray heads to remove any build-up. Drain all the feature lines and pool bodies so water does not sit in pipes during the winter; this could cause bursting and additional damage.

Each equipment manufacturer has specific instructions for how to winterize your facility’s spray features. We recommend that you follow them closely to ensure no damage is caused by low temperature variations. Always check to be sure your main water and electrical supplies are turned off.

SURFACING

Some of the top reasons for injuries at aquatic facilities are directly related to surfacing. Review your injury reports and categorize based on type. For example, we would recommend segmenting based on the following top categories:

Slip-and-Falls

These types of injuries are a direct result of having a slippery surface. Common injuries that are caused by this type include bruising, skinned joints, concussions, broken limbs, and abrasions in general caused by a rough or hard surface.

Burns from surface or grating 

These types of injuries result from having a surface in full sun during operation. Metal grates and filtration systems can heat up to dangerous temperatures and cause blistering and burn wounds. Concrete can also reach scalding temperatures especially in apron areas surrounding spray features so be aware of burn-related injuries when reviewing your injury reports.

Impact Injuries from Slides

These types of injuries are typically centralized in the feet since most guests will go down slides feet first. Examples include stubbed or broken toes, foot abrasions, and sprained ankles. If guests slide down head first, concussions are not uncommon and drowning incidents may occur. Installing slide landing pads at slide bottoms can help reduce or virtually eliminate the number of injuries related to slide exits by increasing impact absorption and decreasing exit speed with a slip-resistant surface.

Contamination

These types of injuries are related to water-borne pathogens or contaminants that lead to illnesses. Cryptosporidium (commonly known as Crypto) is a major concern for aquatic facilities and taking necessary precautions when cleaning surfaces is critical. The Model Aquatic Health Code is a good reference.

Once you’ve identified the top injury categories at your facility, you can begin to address your top pain points. Many of these injuries can be lessened or prevented by choosing an independent, third-party tested safety surface from NSF/ANSI/CAN 50.

DESIGN

While design can be more subjective, be sure to consider your guest experience from an overarching standpoint both physically and visually. 

Physically, how do guests from a wide range of abilities and ages interact with your facility? Are sinks in restrooms placed at a height accessible to people riding wheelchairs or Little People? Does your facility have ADA approved ramps integrated all the way from the parking lot to the features?

Visually, consider the current theme and appearance of your facility in all interactive areas. Ensure there are no broken or missing elements, and critically evaluate the experience guests will have at the location. Additionally, consider new opportunities to enhance theming or different types of play. Depending on your target market and average age of guests, add patterns or imagery to your pool deck or splash pad surface to engage and encourage play. If budget allows, add new aquatic features that expand play options to a wider range of different ages and abilities. Find opportunities to increase play value and encourage risky play. 

For more information on retrofitting your facility with Life Floor or specifying Life Floor on a new build, please contact us here or send us an email at solutions@lifefloor.com. 

Looking to budget Life Floor into the cost of your project? Reach out to our team to request our Budget Guide or a complimentary quote.

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Please Note: This article is intended to supplement winterization procedures, but should not be considered a comprehensive guide. For complete instructions, please refer to your operation manuals provided by product manufacturers.

SETTING A SAFER PRECEDENT FOR CANADA: YMCA OF GREATER MONCTON

Recently, NSF International expanded Standard 50 to extend across Canada, which includes recommendations for surfacing in aquatic play areas under NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26 (formerly NSF/ANSI 50:26).

With its recent Life Floor installation, the YMCA of Greater Moncton, NB is one of the first aquatic facilities in Canada to recognize the importance of having NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26 certified safety surfacing. The facility is a combination of an indoor splash pad with a zero-depth entry and a playground. Because of this unique configuration, the staff sought out a product that was able to transition seamlessly from wet to dry applications while maintaining their commitment to safety. To accomplish this, they selected Life Floor to be installed.

“Having seen Life Floor at a major trade show, we knew it was the product we wanted to install in our new facility.”

— Scott Munro, Vice President of Facilities

A custom beach-inspired design was chosen to complement the existing tropical theming. Life Floor’s foam-rubber tiles were able to create the perfect transition the YMCA needed between the wet and dry play areas, especially since splash pads are essentially wet playgrounds. The cushioned and impact-absorbing surfacing allows children to run, jump, and play without limits - never needing to stop and put on shoes or change the way they play from one area to the next. As a result, the fully immersive experience enhances imaginative play. 

The YMCA of Greater Moncton is skipping ahead of their competition by creating a facility full of imagination, play, and fun. They have created a holistic experience to provide their members with the perfect beach day right in their community’s backyard.

We thank the YMCA of Greater Moncton for their commitment to safety and for being one of the first in Canada to adopt NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26 safety surfacing standards for the benefit of their members. We look forward to the future as more Canadian facilities follow their example and recognize the importance of this safety standard as an integral part of their business.

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To learn more about the official code in your region or state, check out this free resource.

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If you’d like to specify or install NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26 surfacing for an aquatic play area in Canada, please contact our Canadian Partner, Paul-Émile Beaudry at pebeaudry@polyvalens.ca to assist you in both English and French.

For U.S. clients and all other inquiries, please contact us directly via our online contact form or send us an email at solutions@lifefloor.com. 

French Translation

Le YMCA du Grand Moncton, NB crée un précédent sécuritaire en milieu aquatique au Canada.

Récemment, NSF International a étendu la norme Standard 50 partout au Canada, incluant des recommandations pour les surfaces de jeu aquatiques sous l’appellation NSF/ANSI/CAN 50,26 (précédemment nommée NSF/ANSI 50:26).

Avec ses récentes installations de Life Floor, le YMCA du Grand Moncton, NB est l’un des premiers centres d’installation aquatique à reconnaître l’importance d’avoir une surface sécuritaire certifiée NSF/ANSI/CAN 50:26. En effet, l’établissement se compose d’un mix de  deux (2) aires de jeux, l’une étant une surface mouillée (indoor splash pad) plane et l’autre étant une aire de jeux sèche. À cause de cette configuration spéciale, les employés ont recherché un produit qui permettrait la transition en toute transparence, de la surface mouillée à la surface sèche pour leurs activités tout en gardant un engagement de sécurité irréprochable. Un seul choix leur permettait de tout rallier : Life Floor.

Après avoir vu Life Floor lors d'un grand salon, nous avons sû que c’était le produit que nous voulions pour nos installations !  —Scott Munro, Vice Président du YMCA du Grand Moncton, NB

Au niveau du design,  le thème tropical dans l’aire de jeu d’eau et le thème plage dans l’aire de jeu sèche sont en parfaite harmonie pour s’adapter au thème pré-existant. Et maintenant, les enfants peuvent donc courir, sauter, culbuter et jouer sans limites sur une surface conforme aux nouveaux standards. Les surfaces coussinées  et absorbant tout impact permettent aux enfants de jouer sans s’arrêter pour mettre leurs chaussures ou changer leur façon de jouer d’un endroit à l’autre. Comme résultat, l’expérience devient totalement immersive et renforce leur jeu imaginatif.

Le YMCA du Grand Moncton devient donc un chef de file en adoptant des installations pleines d’imagination, de jeu et de plaisir ! Ils ont créé une expérience holistique en offrant à leurs membres une journée de plage parfaite en plein dans leur cour !

Nous remercions le YMCA du Grand Moncton de leur engagement pour la sécurité de leurs membres et d’être les premiers au Canada à appliquer la norme NSF/ANSI/CAN 50.26. Nous espérons que plusieurs autres organismes, centres aquatiques  et municipalités suivront l’exemple du YMCA et reconnaîtront l’importance de l’application de cette recommandation comme faisant partie de leur politique d’opération .

Si vous désirez de plus amples informations sur les tuiles Life Floor, communiquez avec Polyvalens Inc, notre distributeur au Canada.