Integrated floor and wall solutions

A strategy for ligature-free behavioral and mental health design

When designing behavioral and mental health (BMH) facilities, it is crucial that a patient’s surroundings are devoid of any factors that could endanger their wellbeing. This is especially true in the case of creating secure transitions between materials that minimize the risk of self-harm or aggressive behavior. Floors and walls specified for these applications must adhere to the same guidelines, resulting in a surge of integrated, ligature-free transition techniques.

Traditional sheet flooring products such as vinyl, linoleum and rubber typically rely on flooring caps or similar accessories to terminate up a wall. These accessories provide patients with impromptu tools for aggression or self-harm as well as ligature points for potential suicide attempts. Integrated transition methods bond floors and walls without external joints or caps to form a tamper-proof installation that ensures the safety of both patients and staff.

One extremely secure way to transition floors to walls in BMH facilities is a technique known as the rebate method. This procedure is particularly useful in high-risk settings including seclusion areas and patient rooms. To begin the process:

A rebate is saw cut into the surface of the wall.
Once the rebate is present, the flooring and wall cladding can be tucked and glued into the void.
A pick-proof caulking fills the void between the two products. This prevents patient tampering and gradual seal damage while firmly bonding the flooring and wall cladding within the rebate.

The ability to treat patients effectively depends on whether or not a space fosters safety and security, meaning it must be free of any potential ligatures or hazards by any means necessary. Incorporating this key fundamental into your design can facilitate the rehabilitation process for everyone involved.

Discover our interactive ligature-resistant detailing

Altro products

Altro products

Altro products

Altro products

Altro products

Integrated floor and wall solutions

A strategy for ligature-free behavioral and mental health design