Choosing the right flooring for a commercial property
- 13 Jul 2021
When choosing flooring for your home there are a few factors that come into your decision making process. Mainly, colour, style and cost. When choosing commercial flooring those factors will still be important, however, there are other things that also need to be considered to make sure you get the right flooring for your needs.
When choosing flooring for your home there are a few factors that come into your decision making process. Mainly, colour, style and cost. When choosing commercial flooring those factors will still be important, however, there are other things that also need to be considered to make sure you get the right flooring for your needs.
Health and Safety
Probably the most important consideration when choosing flooring for a commercial space is the safety of employees and customers. Employers have a legal duty of care to ensure that floor slip hazards do not exist in the workplace. Choosing the correct floor material can help you to meet health and safety requirements.
Most floorings are given a ‘slip rating’, ranging from R9 (high slip risk) to R13 (low slip risk). Areas in which splillages are likely such as commercial kitchens and bars should be fitted with flooring with the highest slip rating in order to minimise the risk of slips.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Most commercial premises will experience heavy footfall, which means any flooring you choose needs to be durable. Not only that, a floor that is in constant use will become dirty so make sure that you choose a flooring type that is not only hard-wearing but also easy to clean and maintain. Specification documents for flooring will provide you with a wear rating for your flooring. A rating class of 33 is needed for areas with high usage.
Most flooring manufacturers will provide guidance on how to clean and maintain their products. Some manufacturers such as Karndean Designflooring make their own cleaning products that are specifically designed to keep Karndean LVT looking its best. We stock the full range of Karndean cleaning products at Mercian Carpets and Flooring.
Branding and Design
With the many different flooring formats available today, your flooring can be the ideal way to create your own unique environment. Unique designs can be created using carpet tiles and luxury vinyl tile (LVT). Company logos can even be printed onto carpet and vinyl flooring.
Sustainability
With more companies doing their bit in the fight against climate change, choosing a more eco-friendly floor has become an important factor for many businesses. Many flooring manufacturers are using recyclable and reusable materials in their products so it’s getting a lot easier to find a sustainable floor.
There are other factors affecting sustainability of a flooring type. Using floor tiles such as LVT or carpet tiles can reduce waste. If part of the floor is damaged you only need to replace the damaged tiles and not the entire floor.
Discover more about carpet tiles in commercial premises.
Our Commercial Flooring Projects
We recently undertook the installation of the new floor-coverings at an equestrian centre and Dog breeding centre – the owners asked us to install resilient vinyl flooring and wet room flooring for the project and we put forward Karndean Van Gogh Along with Polysafe Wood FX and Polysafe Quattro for wet areas.
Not only did it transform the new offices visually, it also provided a practical solution to dogs' abrasive paws and muddy boots - this will provide a long lasting finish for their needs.
At Mercian Carpets & Flooring, we specialise in fitting contract and commercial floor coverings of all types. We work closely with our clients from the specification process right through to the completion of a new floor. All installations and subfloor preparation is carried out by our professional fitting team. Get in touch with us today to discuss your commercial flooring project.