What Is Cap and Coving? The Simple Detail that Makes Vinyl Floors Truly Hygienic
- Charlie Mac
- Aug 28
- 6 min read
If your vinyl floor meets the wall at a sharp right angle, you have a built in dirt trap. Mops miss it, grime gathers, water creeps in. Cap and coving fixes this with a smooth curve that turns the sheet up the wall, so cleaning is faster and the edge is sealed.
“It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm.” — Florence Nightingale, Notes on Hospitals (1863). Internet Archive
Cap and coving, in 45 seconds
Cap and coving is a way of finishing sheet vinyl so the floor curves up the wall. A cove former creates the radius at the junction, and a capping strip finishes the top edge. The curve removes the wall to floor dirt trap, helps keep water out from under the sheet, and makes mopping more effective in hygiene critical rooms.
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Why cap and coving matters for hygiene
Right angle corners are hard to clean well. Fibres on a mop head cannot reach fully into the angle, residue lingers, and sealant lines can fail with heavy use. A coved radius lets the pad contact the whole surface, so detergent and rinse water work properly. In UK food premises, floors must be sound, smooth, hard wearing, washable, and easy to clean. A capped and coved safety vinyl system helps meet that requirement by removing dirt traps at the wall to floor junction. Food Standards Agency
In healthcare, national guidance supports flooring that minimises joints, resists fluids, and is simple to clean in clinical spaces. Site formed cap and cove skirtings are commonly specified to support infection prevention and control. NHS England
Where you will see cap and coving used
Commercial kitchens and food prep rooms
Healthcare, including wards, surgeries, sluice rooms, treatment rooms and corridors
Care homes, assisted bathrooms and wet rooms
Education, science labs and design rooms
Changing areas and showers
Cleanrooms and light manufacturing, where spill control and cleanliness matter
How cap and coving is installed, step by step
This is the usual sequence. Always follow the product manufacturer and the project spec.
Prepare the floor and wall Make the subfloor smooth, clean and dry, then check the wall is straight where the vinyl will turn up. Aim for the correct surface regularity where specified. SR1 is common for thin floor coverings and gives the crispest result. Forbo
Fix the cove former The former is fixed at the junction, usually giving a 100 to 150 mm cove height. It supports the smooth radius and prevents kinks in the sheet.
Install the capping strip Set the capping strip level around the room at the top of the cove. This trim gives the finished edge for the vinyl to tuck against.
Lay and dress the sheet Adhere the sheet to the floor, then dress it up the wall over the former and into the capping. Work carefully at internal and external corners to keep the surface continuous.
Hot weld the seams Groove, weld and trim the joins so the floor is watertight and robust. Leading manufacturers instruct installers to work in line with BS 8203, the UK code of practice for resilient floor coverings.
The components you will hear about
Safety vinyl or homogeneous vinyl sheet, often with slip resistance
Set in cove former profiles in different sizes
Capping strip profiles, sit on or set in depending on wall finish
Approved adhesives, contact at the turn up, compatible with the system
Hot weld rod, colour matched to the sheet
Standards and best practice that support cap and coving
Food hygiene, floors must be easy to clean, hard wearing and washable. Cap and cove details support this by taking away the corner where grime builds. Food Standards Agency
Healthcare design guidance encourages cleanable, low joint finishes in clinical areas. Cap and coving is widely used to meet these aims. NHS England
Installation is carried out in line with BS 8203 and the manufacturer’s method. This safeguards performance and warranty, and keeps the detail consistent from site to site.
Surface regularity matters. A straighter wall and a smoother floor make a neater cove that cleans quickly. SR1 is often specified for thin, smooth vinyls. Forbo
Cap and coving versus the alternatives
Silicone at the edge Quick to fit, but sealant lines can fail with heavy mopping and chemical cleaning. Once the seal breaks, water and dirt can creep under the sheet.
Tile coved skirtings Ceramic skirtings can form a radius, but they create extra grout lines to maintain. Many hygiene focused rooms prefer one continuous surface from floor into skirting.
Wall cladding with floor cove In heavy duty rooms, capped and coved vinyl floors are often paired with PVC wall cladding. The cladding overlaps the capping strip for a complete, easy clean lining.
Common mistakes to avoid
Skipping wall prep, a wavy wall gives a wavy cove
Tight radius, too small a radius stresses the sheet and is harder to clean
Starved adhesive at the turn up, this can lead to blisters on the cove
Poor corner work, internal and external corners need careful templating and welding
Under specifying the floor, use the right safety vinyl grade in kitchens and wet zones, such as Altro, Polyflor, Tarkett
Cleaning and care, keep the hygienic advantage
Sweep or vacuum daily to remove grit
Use the maker’s neutral cleaner, then rinse with clean water to remove residue
Focus on the radius during mopping, the curve should be easy to contact with the pad
Fit corner guards on busy external corners to prevent scuffs and impact damage
Repair cuts and gouges promptly to keep the surface sealed
Why rinsing matters: the Food Standards Agency explains that cleaning should remove soil first, then disinfection can work, and a rinse step removes residues that harbour bacteria. This approach supports the performance of capped and coved surfaces. Food Standards Agency
Costs, specification tips and quick wins
Cove height, 100 mm suits many rooms, hygiene sensitive areas often choose 150 mm
Profiles, choose a cove former to suit the sheet thickness, and a capping strip that matches the wall finish
Corners, plan external corners and doorway reveals early, protective trims can save on future repairs
Adhesives, use the manufacturer’s system, especially contact adhesive on the vertical turn up, this protects performance and warranty Altro
Mock up on refurb jobs, agree the height and look on a short sample run before full installation
Installation guide click on this link for a more in depth technical fitting guide
FAQs
Is cap and coving required in commercial kitchens Guidance says floors must be easy to clean, hard wearing, smooth and washable. Many local authorities and specifiers choose capped and coved sheet vinyl to help meet that aim. Always check the project spec and your local authority. Food Standards Agency
What height should the cove be Most specs use 100 to 150 mm. The right height depends on splash risk, cleaning regime and the wall finish above.
Do I still need to hot weld the seams Yes. Hot welding makes sheet joins watertight and keeps the floor hygienic and robust, which is why manufacturers require it when working to BS 8203. Altro
Can cap and coving be used with wall cladding Yes. Fit the floor first with the cove formed, then finish the wall cladding down to the capping strip for a neat, easy clean junction.
A short spec ready definition you can reuse
Cap and coving is a vinyl flooring detail where the sheet turns up the wall over a cove former and finishes under a capping strip, creating a seamless, easy to clean skirting that removes the wall to floor dirt trap. This detail supports UK hygiene guidance for food premises and clinical spaces when installed to BS 8203 and the manufacturer’s method.
Conclusion
Cap and coving is a small detail that makes a big difference. It removes the corner that traps grime, it speeds up daily cleaning, and it helps you meet strict hygiene rules in kitchens, healthcare and wet rooms. Match a quality safety vinyl with the right cove former and capping strip, follow BS 8203 and the manufacturer’s method, and you will get a floor that looks smart, stays clean, and lasts. Personal note: from countless site visits and refits, we have seen call backs drop and cleaning times improve when clients switch to cap and coving, which is why we specify it at London Flooring Fitters whenever hygiene matters.
Further reading and useful links
NHS England, HBN 00 10 Part A, Flooring — core principles for clinical flooring. NHS England
Altro Technical Installation Guide, Safety Flooring — current UK guidance that references BS 8203. Altro
Polyflor Technical Information Manual — installation and maintenance (guide) notes for sheet vinyl and coved skirtings.
Forbo, From the Ground Up, Surface Regularity — practical SR1 explanation for smooth finishes. Forbo
Food Standards Agency, Setting up your food business premises — floors must be easy to clean, smooth, washable. Food Standards Agency
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Charlie Mac leads London Flooring Fitters Ltd, a specialist in hygienic vinyl and safety flooring. He writes practical guides based on real site work, from cap and coving details to BS 8203 compliant installs. Charlie has delivered projects for care homes, schools, food prep areas, and healthcare spaces, always focused on finishes that clean fast and last. When not on site, he helps clients plan RAMS and specifications that pass audits first time.
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