Popular Names for Padded Rooms & Uses

When it comes to keeping someone safe from themselves, padded rooms have traditionally been one key component. Originally used in psychiatric hospitals, a padded cell is a room with cushions lining the walls to protect the patient from harming themselves by hitting their head against a wall - usually involuntarily.

Over time, padded rooms have become more common in places such as schools and homes for people with medical conditions or temper issues that may cause them to fall, seize, or otherwise thrust themselves into hard objects - voluntarily or not.

What is a Padded Room Called?

As the use of padded rooms has evolved, so have their names. Padded rooms were once associated with psychiatric wards in mental hospitals.

Today, padded rooms are used for different purposes, and they’ve become known by less clinical names. A room with padded walls can be a valuable addition to a school, helping to keep individuals with sensory conditions safe. A padded room may be used in hospital and behavioral health settings to maximize safety for individuals with disabilities or autism. Additionally, kids' rooms may be padded for protection, and wall padding is also used in indoor playgrounds, home bedrooms and playrooms, daycares, and more.

These rooms may be referred to as seclusion rooms, safe rooms, calming rooms, sensory rooms, de-escalation rooms, reset rooms, reflection rooms, and quiet rooms.

What Kind of Wall Padding is Used in a Safe Room?

Most often, safe room wall pads are the same style of safety padded wall panels you’ll find in a high school or university gymnasium to protect athletes from inadvertent crashes into a wall. This type of seclusion room wall padding is generally a permanent option with approximately 2 inches of foam attached to a stable plywood backing. The pads often feature a polyethylene or polyurethane foam that’s covered with a durable vinyl material. The quality foam offers excellent shock absorption, while the vinyl is highly durable and can be easily cleaned and sanitized.

These wall pads can be easily mounted to walls by using a mourning lip section at the top and bottom. Most mats feature furring strips that can be adhered to the walls, and then the mats can be mounted to the strips. This permanent installation helps prevent the mats from being pulled from the wall when under pressure.

If the calming room is a temporary solution, removable wall padding may be a better option. In this case, the time-out room is generally equipped with folding gym mats that have been secured to the wall. Greatmats’ gym wall padding products are available with Z-clips, which are easy to install and remove. Many mats feature a Z-clip system at the top and bottom of the mats, so the clips can be hung on the wall and then attached to the mat’s plywood backing. The two halves of the Z-clips line up and hold the mat to the wall.

What Kind of Flooring is Used in a Padded Room?

When creating a padded room, it’s also important to carefully choose a safe flooring product. The floor is another source of potential injuries, so padding it appropriately can help keep individuals safe while also contributing to the room’s overall comfort.

When choosing flooring for a padded room, it’s important to select a product that offers cushion and shock absorption, but that’s also durable. The flooring also needs to be easy to clean and maintain while being strong enough to withstand shoe traffic. Additionally, it’s important to choose a flooring product that can be easily installed, but which will stay securely in place once installed.

At Greatmats, we carry several flooring products suitable for use in a padded room. Our Grappling MMA Mats are an excellent choice. These mats measure 1.5 inches thick and offer excellent shock absorption. They feature an ASTM 4-foot fall height rating for enhanced safety, and their tatami surface texture also helps protect against painful skin burns. The mats are waterproof, so they’re easy to clean, and while they offer plenty of shock absorption, they also provide the firmness and support needed for standing and walking.

The mats feature puzzle-style edges, making them easy to install. They fit together tightly, helping to prevent any shifting or separating, and each tile includes four borders so you can create installations with finished edges. The tiles measure 1x1 meter, so they’ll quickly cover larger rooms and spaces.

Order Wall and Floor Padding from Greatmats

We’re proud to offer an excellent selection of wall and floor padding that’s suitable for use in padded rooms. With these padding options, you can enhance the safety of a room and create a safer space for kids and adults.

Contact the Greatmats customer service team today with any questions. We’re happy to help you find the best products for your needs.