CASE STUDY: CARMELITE DAYCARE

Shown is a durable play area at a daycare center.

Certainly style and durability are important factors for every interior design, but they take on added importance when designing a space to be used by children under the age of six.

That was the challenge faced by Senior Designer Debbie Stamer and Designer Rachel Townsend of O’Toole Design Associates when called upon to remodel the Carmelite Daycare in Kirkwood, Missouri.

“We were trying to create a fun and whimsical space for the kids, while at the same time making it durable, safe, and easy to clean,” Stamer says. “We also purposefully chose a neutral palette to help create a calming effect in a high-energy environment.”

All surfaces, both vertical and horizontal, were sourced from the same manufacturer, ensuring a cohesive color palette.

O’Toole found the perfect solution by tapping into a wide range of a major manufacturer’s products, including a new decorative protection panel product with a fiberglass core for added style and durability in the restrooms.

“We looked at competitor products, but most were really boring colors, sterile, or looked like plastic,” Townsend says. “With these panels, we loved that we could use the same laminate design we were using elsewhere in the space and carry it into the restroom on a cleanable, durable surface. It was a perfect fit.”

Because the panels are available in the full range of the manufacture’s laminate colors and patterns, O’Toole scoured their options and settled on a creamy tan as a beautiful base color for the cabinets, lockers, and restroom wall panels.

“Having a consistent look throughout the space is great,” Stamer says. “We were able to incorporate a calming, neutral color that is offset by the bold pops of primary color from the artwork and accessories created by the kids.” In the classrooms, they chose solid surfacing to further add to the design and durability equation.

“If you think about the daycare environment, the sink counters in the classrooms are abused daily by paint, markers, and so much more,” Townsend says. “We found the solid-surface counters to be a great choice for durability and cleanliness.”

With a focus on design and durability, O’Toole Design has delivered a beautiful environment at Carmelite Daycare that will last for years to come.

Types of Protective Wall Treatments and Their Strengths and Weaknesses

The designer or specifier must choose from several types of wall protection for commercial spaces. This section discusses various types of materials, with particular emphasis on their strengths and weaknesses.

Following are the most common choices for the designer or specifier. We will look at each of them separately.

• Wall coverings
• Fiber-reinforced laminate (FRL)
• Polyvinyl chloride (PETG/PVC)
• Fiber- or fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP)
• Decorative protection wall panels with a fiberglass core

Wall Coverings

High-quality, advanced wall coverings seem like a natural choice for creating more durable walls. Specialized wallcoverings can provide some impact resistance. They are flexible, and come in large rolls for fewer seams.

However, while the wall-covering material itself is impact resistant, the wall behind can dent with impact, defeating the specifier’s main goals. Also, with a relatively soft surface, they are quite easy to scratch, mar, tear, and scuff. And because they are generally made of vinyl, they will not be the first choice for many designers. It would be rare to find one that has a GREENGUARD certification.

In terms of installation, the long rolls and minimum seams are a plus. But they must be installed by an experienced wall-covering installer. Generally, the wall must be primed 72 hours in advance of installation, and pre-pasted 24 hours in advance, which may affect the schedule. And of course, bubbles may occur.

Fiber-Reinforced Laminate (FRL)

Fiber-reinforced laminate (FRL) panels combine fiberglass and Kraft paper in the core construction with their melamine surface to offer a high level of scratch and mar resistance for walls in commercial applications. They are often available in a wide range of stylish designs.

In terms of impact resistance, they offer less protection than other choices. The dimensional stability may be less than stellar because of the Kraft paper within the core. The hybrid core construction can lead to delamination. Fire resistance tends to be less than Class A rating required for commercial settings.

For installation, FRL products can often be attached directly to drywall but are typically not recommended for use with other substrates. They may require a 72-hour acclimation time before installing, rather than the 24-hour acclimation period of other choices.

Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol/Polyvinyl Chloride (PETG/PVC) Products

Polyethylene terephthalate glycol/polyvinyl chloride (PETG/PVC) products are attractive as wall protection because they are lightweight and offer good impact resistance. They are also priced as much as 50 percent lower than other choices.

For commercial applications, however, the lack of a Class A fire rating is the big concern. These products burn, drip, and can create a toxic environment; some at a rapid rate. The relatively soft surfaces are easy to scratch, mar, and scuff. Due to their composition and off-gassing, they are not likely to have a GREENGUARD certification.

Installation can be tricky for PETG/PVC panels because of their thinness. Tearing of sheets is not uncommon, and sheets must be moved by two people in order not to kink the product. These products can be glued to drywall, but new drywall must be sanded and primed first. After adhesive is rolled on, the installer must go over entire sheets for air bubbles and reroll if necessary. In some cases, if bubbles cannot be resolved, the sheet must be removed and cannot be reused.