Last week we looked at some of the requirements that are specific to the education sector when specifying doors. This week, we will turn our attention to the leisure sector.
Hygiene
Even before the pandemic, hygiene in sports centres and leisure facilities was important; now the focus on hygiene is even greater. When it comes to doors, there are three things to consider: how easy the door is to clean, what the effect of regular cleaning will be on the door, and how else to reduce the transmission of germs.
To make cleaning as easy and effective as possible, it is usually better to opt for a smooth rather textured surface to the door. There are a range of smooth PVC and laminate finishes that are ideally suited to this sector. Opting for fully encapsulated (or ‘wrapped’) doors is also a good choice, as the doors are completely wrapped in a waterproof layer, meaning they can be cleaned frequently without fear of damaging the integrity of the door. Fully encapsulated doors are also a great choice for the wet areas around swimming pools and changing rooms.
Of course, there is no substitute for regular cleaning, but we can help reduce the spread of germs further with our antimicrobial finish – a special coating that is impregnated into the encapsulation material at the point of manufacture. It is proven to kill 99.9% of bacteria and keeps working throughout the life of the door. If you prefer a veneered finish, that’s not a problem, as we can supply veneered doors with an antimicrobial lacquered finish.
Durability
The doors in any public building should be expected to withstand the rigors of frequent use, knocks and a certain amount of abuse! We would recommend specifying stile and rail doors, where the door leaf is constructed with a solid timber sub-frame around a solid core.
Cost
As all our doors are made to measure to meet your specific needs, you can specify different construction methods and finishes to each door on a given project. This means you can pay for the robustness and bespoke finishes where you need them, and save money on the doors that are less frequently used or less prone to abuse.
Access and privacy
Whether you need to restrict access to certain areas of the building, require private rooms for meetings and consultations, or need automated doors to help with accessibility in line with Document M of Building Regulations, we have a range of solutions that will meet these needs.
- You can specify locking systems that are activated by card, key fob, PIN or fingerprint
- You can specify acoustic doors to keep meetings confidential… or to stop the noise from the Pilates class echoing around the whole building
- You can have vision panels with integrated blinds
- You can have a range of automated door hardware that operates at the push of a button or contactless with sensors
Aesthetics
The doors in a leisure facility certainly don’t need to be boring. You can choose from a huge range of colours and finishes. You may choose to colour-code doors to help identify the different areas of the building; you may choose to have veneer in the reception and bar areas, and then specify PVC-wrapped doors in the sports activity areas.
Mix and match
We have looked at a number of criteria that are worth considering when specifying doors for leisure facilities. All our doors are made to measure, and you can mix and match the options for door structure, design, finish and hardware. So if you need a door that is very robust and durable, is easy to clean, has an antimicrobial coating, has access control hardware, has a vision panel with an integrated blind and is bright pink… we can do that for you. And if you need a store room door that is secure, unremarkable (not bright pink!) and cost effective… we can do that too.
Here to help
We have all the necessary safety measures in place as the Covid-19 pandemic continues, and we remain fully operational. We welcome enquiries for fire doors, acoustic doors, hygiene doors, security doors, x-ray doors and more. Visit our website for more detail or contact us on 01244 551360 or enquiries@performancedoors.co.uk
