Different commercial areas have different functional requirements and therefore demand different types of flooring. When considering the right flooring option for these areas, the first thing you need to keep in mind is the usage. For instance, if a store sells high-end apparel the floor’s quality and design need to reflect this.
On the contrary, high traffic areas such as medical offices, restaurants, hotels, gyms, and sports facilities may consider wood, rubber, vinyl, or laminate flooring because they’re low maintenance and have unique advantages over types of materials.
Why Is the Choice of Flooring Important?
Finding and choosing the perfect type of flooring for commercial areas involves considering different types of materials and their features. In this article, we offer some tips on what do you need to know when buying flooring intended for commercial places, such as hospitals, gyms, malls, retail stores, and other areas.
What Are the Best Types of Material Used for Commercial Flooring?
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing the perfect commercial flooring is the durability and cost involved. Style and design also play a vital role in the decision-making process as they affect the appearance of the area. Among the most common materials used for high traffic commercial areas are vinyl, carpet hardwood, rubber, laminate, and polished concrete. Let’s take a closer look at each of these materials’ features and explore their pros and cons.
Vinyl
One of the main reasons vinyl is a popular and attractive choice for commercial flooring is mostly due to the fact that it can mimic a wide variety of materials, including ceramic tiles, hardwood, and natural stone. This material is extremely, durable, elastic to scratches and damage, and easy to clean which makes it highly suitable for heavy foot traffic places such as hospitals, schools, and hotel lobbies. Besides, commercial vinyl flooring is extremely moisture resistant which makes it perfect for water-prone areas. If properly maintained it can last up from 10-20 years.
Laminate
Laminate is another flooring material that makes the best usage for homeowners and many commercial areas. It is an inexpensive option in achieving the look of more expensive materials such as hardwood, stone, or tile floor finish. What makes laminate flooring very popular amongst homeowners is the UV resistance technology applied in the wear layer. This makes it resistant to fading which is especially useful in areas that are exposed to the sun. Besides, it’s a very low-maintenance material that requires regular sweeping, damp mopping, and vacuuming.
Laminate It is highly resistant to scratches, spills, and stains which makes it a highly suitable flooring material for waiting rooms, health care facilities, schools, and corridors.
Rubber
Like laminate, rubber has become an increasingly popular, cost-effective flooring opting for commercial places. This material is slip-resistant, comfortable, sound absorbent, and easy to maintain, providing enough cushioning to reduce any types of injuries in places such as hospitals, gyms, supermarkets, and schools. The durable rubber floor combines both design and functionality and comes in a variety of textures, colours, and patterns which makes it the perfect floor type for residential and commercial properties.
Hardwood
Natural hardwood is considered by many the most beautiful flooring type due to its classy and timeless look that enhances the look of any place. This type of material is one of the most expensive ones, so you can rarely see any hardwood floors in commercial settings because of the cost.
Hardwood wood flooring is specially engineered to be durable, hygienic, and easy to maintenance. One of its main downsides is that highly susceptible to rot and mould when exposed to water since it’s a porous material. This can make the wood swell due to the increased moisture content which makes it unsuitable for bathrooms, laundry rooms, and other places exposed to moisture.
Polished Concrete
Besides all the above-mentioned, polished concrete is another material that has become widely used in the application of so many commercial building projects. Since it’s extremely, durable, it can withstand heavy foot traffic and is one of the easiest material types of flooring to clean.
Polished concrete has a simple, modern appeal that can enhance the look of any space whether commercial or residential. Nowadays, commercial construction projects are using this material for various places such as office buildings, factories, big box stores, warehouses, airports, churches, and many other types of commercial sites.
Its price can range from inexpensive to expensive based on the size of the place and the applied finish. Polished concrete is strong and durable and can withstand even the harshest conditions such as having forklifts and other heavy equipment running across it daily without damaging its shine and appearance.
