For Educational Facilities

Carpet makes the grade in schools

Carpet provides a welcoming, friendlier and less institutional environment, resulting in pride in the facility that can boost a child’s (and a teacher’s) morale and attitude about attending school. Carpet and rugs in schools contribute to a better environment for students, teachers and all school personnel in several critical ways:

• Improves safety — Carpet helps prevent falls; there are fewer injuries with softer landings when there is a fall; carpet provides a non-glare surface that reduces reflection and eyestrain.
• Reduces noise — With carpet, less acoustic protection is needed on the ceiling and elsewhere. This provides a better learning atmosphere with fewer distractions.
• Provides comfort — For teachers and other staff, a cushioned walking and standing surface reduces leg fatigue.
• Better insulation — Carpet is warmer to sit on or work on, extending the learning areas to space on the floor. Thermal comfort exists because carpet retains inside ambient temperatures longer.
• Cost less over time — There are lower life-cycle costs for carpe, as opposed to  other flooring options, when product, installation and maintenance supplies and labor costs are considered over a 15- to 20- year period.
• Improves indoor air quality — Allergies are usually affected by airborne particles. Carpet traps allergens in its fiber and does not allow them to circulate in the air, even with the activity of children.  The allergens trapped in the carpet then can be easily removed by adhering to a regular cleaning and maintenance schedule that includes vacuuming and periodic extraction cleaning using Seal of Approval certified products. Additionally, carpet has lower chemical emissions than most indoor furnishings and may be the lowest emitter of all floor covering choices. The slight odor from new carpet is harmless and dissipates quickly.  Lastly, but importantly, fewer maintenance chemicals are needed for cleaning carpet, which further lessens the impact on air quality.

Selecting the right carpet

To have a good performing carpet for the heavy traffic expected in a school, choosing the right carpet is of utmost importance.  CRI has develop specification guidelines that provide easy steps for choosing an appropriate carpet for any area (a corridor, a classroom or an office), classifying carpet’s use according to expected traffic, determining the performance required for the location and for determining the carpet’s desired physical characteristics. Compromising any specification recommendation can dramatically affect the way a carpet looks and its ease of cleaning.

Experience has taught that a low profile, densely tufted, tight loop construction is very functional in a school. A density rating of 4500 or above is advised. Nylon, which is about two thirds of the carpet produced, is a resilient, hard-wearing fiber

The color of the carpet is one factor that many people overlook. It is true that lighter colors make rooms and hallways look brighter, but a light color will make successful maintenance more difficult.  Tweeds or patterns in the carpet are also a good choice; they add interest to the floor and hide soil.  Specifiers also can consider modular carpet, which makes it easy to replace individual carpet tiles should they become damaged.

Green Label and Green Label Plus for improved indoor air quality

To ensure the best indoor air quality in your educational facility, you should consider specifying Green Label or Green Label Plus products.  CRI’s Green Label and Green Label Plus programs assure that the purchaser is selecting carpet, carpet cushion and floor covering adhesives that have been tested and meet stringent indoor air quality requirements for low emissions.  The carpet industry’s research is unequalled in any other furnishings industry. It includes risk analyses completed and verified by scientists from academia, government, and industry; it has been peer reviewed and follows government agency guidelines; and it has been upheld by the courts.

Standards for installation

Proper installation is critical to carpet performance.  Standard for Installation of Commercial Carpet, CRI 104 (PDF 124 KB) Need Help with PDF? is the standard for proper installation, however, specific installations instructions from manufacturers should be followed. A professional installer will understand these guidelines and know that carpet must be installed correctly to perform satisfactorily over time.  Most school carpet is installed using the direct glue method of installation, whereby the carpet is adhered directly to the subfloor with an adhesive.

Carpet installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendation and with the industry standard, CRI-104, will escape many common installation problems, such as the development of wrinkles and buckles, zippering, and seam failures.  CRI recommends that adequate adhesive be applied and that seams be secured with seam sealers to prevent the most common causes of installation complaints with school carpet.

Quick tips for schools:

• Choose a carpet that meets or exceeds the minimum CRI specification (see chart below).  
• Require a carpet, cushion and/or adhesive that has been certified as part of the CRI Green Label or Green Label Plus program.
• Require a qualified installer who adheres to CRI 104 (PDF 124 KB) Need Help with PDF?, Standard for Installation Specification of Commercial Carpet and the manufacturer’s guidelines.
• Specify a planned, scheduled maintenance program — one that is suggested (or required by the warranty) by the manufacturer or recommended by CRI. 

School carpet minimum average specifications

Download the School Carpet Minimum Average Specifications Guidelines to assist specifying appropriate carpet for a school.  The items listed are minimums for carpet.  When possible, talk with the carpet manufacturer about specific enhancements to provide the best carpet that is affordable for your school.  Selecting appropriate construction for various places in the school will help maintain the carpet’s initial appearance longer, providing for a lower cost over time.
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