What is the best flooring for a commercial building?

09 Apr.,2024

 

With so many different options available today, how do you select the best flooring for your commercial space? 

These four considerations will help you understand your top priorities so you can identify the best commercial flooring product for your space.

What Are the Top Priorities for Your Commercial Space?

Here are the four top commercial flooring considerations:

  • What type of traffic do you expect in this space?
  • What is the look and feel you want to achieve?
  • How will you maintain the flooring?
  • What is your budget?

Let's explore each one and then look at product categories that are ideal for commercial settings.

1. How much foot traffic does your commercial setting receive?

Foot traffic is a major product consideration. 

For example, heavy traffic areas require a much more durable product that should be easy to maintain compared to areas with light or moderate traffic, so you'll want to budget more for those areas.

Commercial spaces that normally require heavy traffic flooring products likely include:

  • Lobbies
  • Corridors
  • Medical offices
  • Retail stores
  • Banks
  • Restaurants

Note that not all commercial flooring projects require heavy-duty products. So, consider how much foot traffic you will receive and use that as a guideline to determine what product will work best for your space.

2. What look and feel do you want to achieve in your commercial space?

Next is determining what look and feel you envision for your business. If you don't, you could wind up with an installation that hinders the overall aesthetics. 

For example, do you want the space to feel warm, help with sound insulation, and have an overall softness? Carpeting or carpet tile could be great choices for your space.

Are you looking for an upscale look? Materials like vinyl, cork, stone, or even concrete could provide exactly what you’re looking for.

>> See What's the Difference? Vinyl Flooring vs. Luxury Vinyl Tile or Plank

>> See Consider Cork Flooring: WE Cork Serenity Collection

3. How will you maintain your floors?

Do you prefer an easy-to-replace option should damage occur? If so, carpet tiles are a great fit. Should damage occur to a section, all you need to do is replace that one section.

Is ease of maintenance something you desire? Resilient materials like vinyl and rubber could provide you with the install-and-forget-about-it option that you’re seeking.

Carpet and carpet tile will need to be vacuumed regularly and professionally steam cleaned every year.

Hard surface flooring will need to be swept and or vacuumed regularly and may even need to be re-coated depending upon the product type.

4. What is your flooring budget?

And then there's budget. Your best option is to select the best quality flooring material you can afford to meet all your above needs.

If a high-end resilient hardwood look is what you would like but it's not in your budget, try selecting a product that will still give you the performance and ease of maintenance your business needs, such as a high-performing carpet that costs less.

Popular Flooring Options for Commercial Settings

Here are some of the most popular flooring options for commercial projects:

Commercial Carpet

Carpet is generally the most affordable flooring option. It is warmer and softer underfoot than a hard surface floor. Carpet also offers better noise absorption so it works well in an open space environment. Patterned carpets can also give your space a more upscale look.

Nylon is the preferred choice for commercial carpet because it is a stronger fiber with better bounce-back resiliency than its olefin counterpart. A solution dyed nylon in which the color is built into the fiber offers the most stain and fade resistance. 

Selecting a carpet that has multi tones will help hide soil and stains. You'll need to vacuum your carpet regularly and have it professionally steam cleaned to keep it looking new.

Stanton Street Fluidity Commercial Carpet 

Carpet Tile

Carpet tiles are available in an extensive range of colors, patterns, sizes, and designs, and offer the ultimate in design options. You can change tile orientations to create subtle patterning, add accent tiles, or use a different design altogether for space definition.

>> See Add Style with Stanton Street Decorative Commercial Carpet

While the upfront cost of carpet tiles is more expensive than broadloom carpet, carpet tile systems are easier to replace. For high-traffic areas especially, it’s much more cost-effective to replace a ruined carpet tile than it is to re-seam, re-stretch, and replace an entire roll of broadloom.

Carpet tiles offer the best acoustics of all flooring types, thanks to their multi-layered construction. Additionally, carpet tiles have a high-density cushion backing, meaning they're extremely comfortable underfoot - and have superior appearance retention compared to broadloom carpet types.

Like broadloom carpet, you'll need to vacuum your carpet regularly and have it professionally steam cleaned to keep it looking new.

Resilient Flooring

According to the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI), resilient flooring refers to flooring materials that have a relatively firm surface, yet characteristically have "give" and "bounce back" to their original surface profile from the weight of objects that compress its surface.

The most common types of resilient flooring are vinyl, linoleum, rubber, and cork flooring.

You will find resilient floors available in tiles and sheet goods. They are often chosen for commercial buildings because of their comfort underfoot, durability, long life, and easy cleaning requirements. "Resilient flooring has the advantage of comfort, but it also has durability and ease of maintenance," says Bill Freeman, technical consultant at RFCI.

Though all types of resilient flooring share some characteristics, what sets them apart is what you need to know to make the right commercial choice.

Stanton Street Prospect Plank Carpet Tile

Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT)

Until recently, VCT was the most popular form of vinyl, due mainly because of its low price.

VCT is manufactured with a factory finish coat of wax meant to protect it against minor abrasions and you'll most commonly find it in restrooms, kitchens, exam rooms, and hallways.

VCT floors require regular maintenance to keep up their appearance and prevent permanent damage.  

Luxury Vinyl Plank or Tile (LVP or LVT)

Luxury vinyl plank and tile is a more modern upscale version of VCT. It is available in wood look and tile look visuals and works well in areas where VCT had been used previously. Like VCT, is is glued directly to the substrate.

Karndean Designer Flooring has many great styles at various price points that will work from entry-level to the most upscale spaces.

>> See Three Luxury Vinyl Designer Collections from Karndean

Multi-Layer Flooring

This category of vinyl flooring includes WPC (Wood Plastic Composite or Water Proof Composite) and a newer sub-category called SPC (Solid Polymer Core). These flooring types are generally installed by clicking the planks or tiles together to form a floating floor installation.

>> See What is a Floating Floor?

Where VCT and carpet were once the dominant flooring choices for commercial spaces, multi-layer flooring has quickly become one of the leading choices for commercial spaces.

These floors hide most subfloor irregularities, are easy to maintain, need no waxes or polishes, and look amazing.

>> See The Lowdown on Multilayer Flooring: LVT, WPC, SPC, and More

Note: We originally published this article on 10/09/2019, and have updated it.

Are you wondering how to choose commercial flooring for an upcoming project?

Before you decide, take time to learn more about:

  • The Unique Needs of the Business
  • Flooring Recommendations by Industry
  • The Best Materials for Commercial Flooring
  • The Benefits of Choosing Eco-Friendly Flooring for Commercial Spaces
  • Selecting the Best Eco-Friendly Flooring for Your Commercial Space
  • How to Choose the Right Commercial Flooring Provider

The Unique Needs of the Business

First, what kind of business needs flooring? Understanding the location will help you make the most informed flooring choices.

Salon and spa flooring should create a relaxing atmosphere.

If the flooring is for an assisted living facility, you’ll want flooring that is inviting, but also practical.

Manufacturing facilities and hospitals require strong, durable, and easy-to-clean flooring.

Libraries, schools, and daycare centers will need flooring with bright hues to engage children and families.

Inserting Personality with Unique Flooring Solutions: The Henrietta Public Library

Design Questions to Answer

You’ll also want to answer design questions such as:

  • What is the purpose and function of each room?
  • Is there a flooring color scheme or pattern that could help create an ambiance you want to portray?
  • What are the plans for building layout? Will the building be all carpeted, or will some areas need laminate, vinyl, or hardwood flooring?
  • Are there rooms that need to be kept sterile?
  • Will you need very durable flooring to withstand high traffic?
  • Are you dealing with an environment that needs to be regularly disinfected with harsh chemicals?

These are all things Greenfield Floorings’ team of experts can help you determine.

Flooring Recommendations by Industry

As you gather your information, you’ll realize that different industries have different needs. The right type of commercial grade flooring can make things run more smoothly. Most businesses need commercial flooring for high traffic areas.

At Greenfield Flooring, we work with you to make the best decisions about flooring materials for commercial construction and more. Here are some of our recommendations by industry.

Medical Practices

Medical building flooring gets a lot of foot traffic and wear from routine transfers of heavy medical equipment. Providers and patients prefer smooth, durable floors, such as linoleum flooring, that make rolling transport effortless.

There are also strict sanitation requirements to help avoid the spread of disease. Things can get dirty pretty quickly in a doctor’s office or hospital. Medical building managers need to make sanitation a cinch with easy-to-clean flooring.

Schools and Educational Institutions

Durability is a key component of a good material for floors used in elementary schools, secondary schools, colleges, and universities. Budget also matters for flooring options, since many educational institutions are funded by public taxes.

The floors in these buildings go through a lot, with thousands of students and teachers using them each day. Carpet tiles, porcelain, broadloom, and linoleum are all popular choices for educational buildings. They should also be easy-to-clean.

Retail Centers

In the retail industry, flooring can vary depending on the type of company, its visual branding standards, and its corporate identity. High-end stores that focus on fashion may have a sophisticated aesthetic with a product such as hardwood floors.

More budget conscious retail centers may require a more durable floor choice, such as vinyl. Carpet tile is another popular choice for businesses that need a softer style inside of their stores.

Office Buildings

Office workplaces have a large variation in purpose, and the flooring should reflect the company’s brand.

Additionally, flooring may be used to designate different types of rooms within a large corporation or small business. For example, a company break room could be equipped with durable flooring, such as ceramic tile, and a corporate boardroom may look better with something more upscale, such as hardwood or a luxurious carpet.

Salons and Spas

Commercial flooring for salons and spas should be both durable and stylish. The material needs to withstand spillover from washing stations and heavy foot traffic. It should be comfortable for workers that are on their feet all day. For these reasons, vinyl commercial flooring is often a top choice for salons and spas.

Restaurants

What flooring is best for restaurants? While the look of a restaurant’s floor is important, it must be durable, safe, and easy-to-clean. Tile, cork, hardwood, laminate and vinyl are often good restaurant flooring choices.

For an upscale restaurant, carpet may be a good choice in terms of aesthetic and its ability to minimize noise.

Commercial Flooring Options: The Best Materials for Commercial Flooring

As the commercial flooring experts, Greenfield Flooring specializes in superior commercial flooring options for a wide range of industries. We have extensive knowledge of commercial flooring, construction, and installation.

Plus, with the latest flooring technology, there’s no need to compromise when it comes to looks and functionality. Let’s go through the many commercial flooring types we offer.

Hardwood

It’s nearly impossible to go wrong with hardwood flooring. One of the best things about cost-effective hardwood floors is their general durability.

Keep in mind, it’s important to take proper care of hardwood floors to ensure they last and function as long as possible.

Sheet Vinyl

Another flooring option that is both strong and durable, sheet vinyl is also one of the more visually appealing commercial flooring options.

Vinyl flooring comes in a number of pricing options, but the inexpensive options aren’t always the strongest or best looking.

Make sure you hire an experienced professional for installation, as they will know exactly how to install commercial vinyl flooring.

It’s also best to keep sheet vinyl well-swept and vacuumed to reduce the risk of scratches and other marks.

VCT (Vinyl Composite Tiles)

VCT, also known as vinyl composite tile, is one of the more common flooring options for commercial constructions. You don’t have to worry about VCT floors fading from the effects of the sun’s rays. They can even last 20 years or more with very little damage to show for it.

VCT floors can be made to be slip-resistant as well, and they come in a number of different designs to choose from.

Carpet

Carpet and carpet tiles are frequently used for corporate spaces. Today’s carpet choices offer a wide array of styles, textures, and colors.

With so many choices, carpet can be the most inexpensive flooring option for a commercial space.

Advancements in technology make broadloom carpet and carpet tiles very durable while offering luxury at an affordable price.

Vinyl vs Carpeting for Commercial Flooring

Laminate

If you or your clients desire an affordable flooring option that’s a bit more environmentally friendly than hardwood, laminate could be the perfect choice, mainly because it doesn’t have the same premium wood content as hardwood.

Areas that receive an abundance of humidity or fluctuating temperatures might be better suited for laminate floors. They are made to resist contracting and expanding in a variety of conditions.

Linoleum

Another green option includes linoleum flooring, which is resilient and can retain its shape, even with high foot traffic. Linoleum is created using mostly natural raw materials, such as linseed oil and recycled wood flour.

Often confused with vinyl flooring, the two materials are very different. There are pros and cons of linoleum flooring, so make sure you do your research first.

Other Eco-Friendly Options

Continuing with environmentally friendly floors, there are several more green flooring options. Cork, bamboo, concrete and rubber are all eco-friendly. Even hardwood flooring can be sustainably harvested.

The Benefits of Choosing Eco-Friendly Flooring for Commercial Spaces

On that note, you might be wondering what is eco-friendly flooring, and why should I consider it?

Typically, these are types of flooring that provide the smallest negative impact on the environment.

These products are created from environmentally-friendly materials and natural components that are sustainability-sourced. This flooring is produced using significantly less energy, and it can be safely disposed of. There are several factors that determine if flooring falls into the eco-friendly category, including:

  • The material’s life cycle
  • The flooring’s ability to be recycled as well as renewed
  • Maintenance requirements
  • Manufacturing methods that are considered responsible
  • Toxicity to the environment from the material used
  • Distance to transport the material

Why Non-Toxic Flooring Matters

A commercial building with sustainable flooring materials not only looks great, but has the added benefit of fewer harmful chemicals.

Many types of flooring are not eco-friendly. They can emit irritants and other allergens that may affect air quality. Individuals dealing with asthma and other allergies will appreciate a building with non-toxic flooring.

Can Eco-Friendly Flooring Be Stylish?

In the past, it was widely believed that this type of flooring would require a sacrifice on overall appearance.

This is not true. There have been many advancements in eco-friendly flooring materials and installation methods.

It is now possible to have beautiful commercial flooring that also helps the environment.

Eco-Friendly Flooring and Durability

Green flooring is far more durable than most people realize. Flooring made from natural materials is extremely tough. It has demonstrated the ability to last for a long time.

Selecting the Best Eco-Friendly Flooring for Your Commercial Space

Consider the following when determining the best type of eco-friendly flooring to purchase:

  • The load-bearing requirements for a building’s flooring
  • The level of traffic that will be experienced by the flooring
  • Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Local building code requirements
  • How the flooring reflects a company’s brand with finish, color, pattern and more

The earth has limited resources. Environmentally friendly flooring can help a business support a mission of sustainability and a positive community image.

How to Choose the Right Commercial Flooring Provider

Are you ready to begin your flooring project, but with so many available options, not sure where to start?

That’s where Greenfield Flooring comes in.

We have experience helping multiple industries with a wide variety of flooring projects. The right flooring can set a helpful foundation for the rest of your buildout decisions.

Greenfield Flooring offers a full range of flooring services, from pre-construction to flooring installation.

Ready to learn more about how we can help you complete your project? Greenfield Flooring can help you choose beautiful flooring that will stand up to use for years to come. Contact us today to get started.

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