Selecting the right flooring for a commercial setting is very different to choosing domestic flooring. The flooring has to fulfil a huge list of requirements. It has to look good and fit in with the image your company wants to present.
Commercial flooring also has to be resilient as it is likely to be subjected to heavy traffic. This means that the floor is going to wear and fade unless you take this into account from the start. This does usually mean opting for vinyl which withstands a constant pounding from passing feet. Thankfully there are some wonderful vinyls out there which not only look fantastic and have that inherent durability that you need, but they are also excellent value for money. In fact you can have a customised design created for you.
If you want a better appearance, then it can be worthwhile investing in engineered wood or laminates. This gives you the look and feel of a natural floor with the resilience that you need. If you have an office environment, then you may prefer carpet. Offices generally don't have the heavy traffic of retail or public areas, so carpet can be a viable option. The other benefit is that carpet will produce softened acoustics, especially useful in an environment where people are trying to think or hold conversations. |
|
 |
| |
|
|
The key factor to remember when looking for commercial flooring is Health and Safety as well as DDA compliance (Disability Discrimination Act). Health and Safety regulations mean that your flooring needs to be slip resistant under normal conditions, this can be problematic for places where there is likely to be water or other liquids which may come into contact with the floor. Public houses and restaurants, kitchens and more specialist environments such as swimming pools. Meeting DDA compliance means ensuring an easy transition from the external to internal flooring surface.
Aside from this, there can be the requirement to maintain high levels of hygeine, particularly in food preparation areas. This isn't just having an easy to clean, impermeable surfaces, but also means seams or joins are not left in a state where they can trap dirt and bacteria.
Remember, when you have determined what physical characteristics you need from your commerical flooring, you then have to decide on the visual finish, the colours, tones and patterns. This can be just as important, a commercial environment needs to be appealling to many different people, customers and employees. |
