It’s always important for a school to have an arts program. However, said arts should be designated on paper or canvas, not on the walls, stalls, or lockers. Graffiti and vandalism are a constant scourge in educational facilities all across the country, and keeping up with it can be a stressful and costly endeavor. The key is to find a graffiti resistant material to combat vandalism and graffiti in a way that’s cost efficient and beneficial to your school facility.

The Problem with Graffiti in Schools

While public art can have numerous benefits, such as a showcase of talent, or even a conversation starter, its best reserved outdoors and permitted by building owners and managers. In schools, graffiti can not only be destructive to property, but also to a member of the school like a student or teacher. As a facility manager, it’s your responsibility to take care of the mess, and it’s your job to prevent it

The most common way to cover up the graffiti is by painting over it. But while this seems like a simple fix, there are a few factors that may make you want to rethink your graffiti-removal strategy. The paint may not match the surface that the graffiti is on, so this little cosmetic imperfection can reduce the aesthetic value of your facility. Another byproduct of covering up the graffiti with paint is the VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions that’ll reduce your air quality and possibly lead to health issues with the students or faculty.

A Cost-Effective & Sustainable Way of Battling Graffiti

One of the best ways to combating vandalism and graffiti is by utilizing durable materials that can actually resist the paint or marker that’s being used. HDPE (high-density polyethylene) is a solid plastic that can stand up to graffiti. Due to its homogenous coloring, it doesn’t absorb the paint, and any graffiti can simply be wiped away without having to paint over it.

HDPE can be utilized as both lockers and bathroom partitions, the most common locations for unwanted graffiti to pop up. Bathroom partitions are far more commonplace for graffiti due to its concealment. But using HDPE materials in these locations has numerous benefits, the obvious being its impressive stance against graffiti.

Due to the solid construction, HDPE won’t endure any damage to its exterior. It’s impact resistant, and it won’t crack due to excessive hits. The material won’t even become infested with mold and mildew because it can stand up to the humidity and moisture that’s common in restrooms.

Making the Jump to HDPE

While replacing your traditional lockers and bathroom partitions can seem like a massive undertaking, so can keeping up with the removal of repetitive graffiti. HDPE lockers and partitions require very little maintenance, saving you a lot of time and money. And when graffiti does appear, simply wipe it away.

Want to learn more about using HDPE in your school? Download The Ultimate Guide to HDPE Plastic Lockers or Safe School Design: How Architecture Plays a Role in Creating Safe & Secure Educational Spaces today, courtesy of Scranton Products.