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Commercial Flooring

Functional Needs of Commercial Flooring

Flooring for commercial purposes has to meet many needs – not only must it provide the correct image for the company or organisation and be cost-effective; it must also fulfil the functional needs and practical requirements of day-to-day use. This can be a tall order so choosing flooring for commercial use requires careful thought and planning. Thorough consideration must be given to all functional aspects of the flooring – from the amount and type of traffic, level of wear and tear, expected longevity and even impact on health and safety, as well as any special needs – before even beginning to look at samples and choosing styles and colours.

For each different commercial sector, there will be a different aspect relating to flooring choice that they need to focus on:

 

Retail Sector

Many high street shops need to present an attractive interior while at the same time conveying a sense of quality and promoting their image. In fact, the look and feel of a shop can actually influence the amount of time a customer spends browsing inside the shop. They also need to keep the shop looking clean and neat, despite the constant, heavy foot traffic. Furthermore, they need to keep the safety and well-being of their customers in mind, particularly as research has shown that 50% of public accidents are caused by slipping and tripping. Lastly, they need to conform to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and ensure that there is easy transition between the exterior and interior environment. All these demands make the correct choice of flooring vitally important. One good choice is entrance matting specially designed to remove dirt and moisture at the doorway, thus preventing dirt and water being tracked all over the shop and helping to keep the interior flooring clean.

 

Office Sector

Offices can have similar problems at their entrances and require similar dirt- and moisture-trapping matting fitted in their entrance ways. In addition, offices need to meet and maintain a professional, corporate feel throughout their interior while still adhering to the DDA and Health and Safety rules, such as considering allergy sufferers in the staff, particularly if carpet is chosen for the floor coverings. High cleanability of flooring is also important as this maintains a healthy and inviting environment for both staff and visitors. Other things to consider are busy multi-function areas, communal spaces and transition areas like corridors and stairs. Lastly, acoustics are important in an office and the right flooring can help to maintain a calm, quiet environment more conducive to concentration. Many modern carpet tiles, specially designed for the corporate environment, are ideal choices for the office. They provide durability and retain their colours and appearance despite heavy foot traffic and regular cleaning. They are also more cost effective than wall-to-wall carpeting.

 

Leisure Sector

For the leisure sector, such as fitness centres, multi-function halls, crèches and other communal spaces, hygiene and durability are key criteria in the choice of flooring. Flooring design and construction needs to enable the effective removal of body fats, machine oils, general soiling and deodorisation just by normal cleaning methods. They also need to be able to withstand heavy traffic and other high impact activities. The DDA requirements need to be taken into account again. And equally importantly, aesthetics need to be considered, with the flooring needing to retain its original appearance despite a constant stream of foot traffic and to have enough variety in colour and styles to create imaginative and appealing environments.

 

Public Sector

Interiors in the public sector, such as schools, have a special need to conform to DDA requirements and also to follow Health and Safety rules. However, they too need to maintain an attractive appearance and enhance their image. Thus they need flooring which is safe to walk on, easy to clean, hygienic, long-lasting and also good to look at. Choosing a truly washable, waterproof floor covering which retains its appearance year after year is a worthwhile investment. There is now also flooring available which can trap air-borne allergens and ‘lock’ them in until released by cleaning. This can be especially useful in schools where many children can suffer from allergies, such as eczema and asthma.

Commercial flooring needs to work overtime to meet the requirements of durability, hygiene, easy maintenance and appearance retention. Therefore choosing the right type of flooring should be a careful process and not just an attempt to install the most cost-effective option.

 

Colours for Commercial Flooring

 

As the single largest element of the interior décor, flooring plays a vital role in the creation of the right environment for a commercial outlet, whether it is an office, hotel, department store, supermarket or restaurant. In fact, in this intensely competitive day and age, customers will often choose a place over another simply for the ambience and aesthetic appeal and not necessarily the quality of the product or even service – especially for establishments in the hospitality industry. Even in the office workplace, recent surveys have found that the right lighting, colours and layout of furnishings can greatly boost creativity and productivity in employees.

Thus, to project the right professional image – and to create the best working environment – it is worth investing in quality commercial flooring. There is a vast amount of choice these days, from carpet to vinyl, hardwood to laminate, marble to tile, with types and styles to suit every budget. It is also very important to put some effort into the interior decorating, particularly in the choice of colours. This may be limited depending on your choice of flooring type (e.g. marble or hardwood) but with many options (e.g. carpet, vinyl) the choice can be endless.

 

Old Fashioned

Traditionally, offices in particular were always decorated in muted hues of grey and taupe as these were thought to be sophisticated and least likely to be offensive. However, it’s now believed that décor like this which lacks colour can be very numbing, leading to a loss in employee productivity – and it certainly isn’t likely to attract customers into a café or shop! In fact, companies which had dimly lit, grey cubicles were finding it increasingly difficult to attract creative talent. So now there is a shift away from neutral shades towards more colour, which can be very stimulating to the brain, improving moods and effectiveness.

But choose wisely. The wrong bright colour can be just as bad as a boring neutral shade. In general steer well clear of bright, garish colours and colours that do not occur in nature – such as fluorescent orange, pink or green – these send jarring signals to the brain, almost like the ear picking up on painful, loud noises. While it’s important to have a reasonable amount of colour, it should not be too strong and saturated – try to pick shades which are soothing to the eyes. Some good choices are:

BLUE – the most popular colour, according to surveys of employees, blue has a very calming effect on the brain and creates a soothing environment, thus helping to reduce stress. Probably one reason it is often used in day spas. Popular shades are those which resemble the sea or sky – a grey blue can be too chilling and depressing. Note, also, that the signals it sends to the brain are the least stimulating and so it may not be the best choice for a creative environment, such as an advertising agency (although this depends partly on the shade of blue).

GREEN – this is another soothing colour, inspiring relaxation, particularly if it emulates shades found in nature, such as grass green or spring green. The wrong shade again, though, can also be depressing (think of hospitals!).

ORANGE – this is one colour which can have hugely different effects depending on the shade and tones used. A muted, earthy orange can create a very warm, welcoming environment and can help people to relax and be more creative. However, get the shade slightly wrong so that it is too loud and strong and it can have a very negative effect, raising tension levels and even causing headaches. It is a known fact that fast-food outlets often use orange interiors to encourage people to eat quickly and leave.

RED – red was also quite a popular choice in surveys as it is a very stimulating colour, sending the most signals to the brain. However, for this reason, it can be very distracting and so should be used sparingly, as accent colours in small areas. Similarly with yellow and magenta.

PINK – this is probably one colour to avoid, less you are a baby boutique (and then it’s important to choose the right shade) as it has been found to have a numbing effect on the brain and in fact, a specific shade of pink has been known to be used in police cells and institutions to help calm inmates who are manic or delirious.

In general, people seem most comfortable with pastel shades and colours found in nature, therefore even if you pick a strong colour (e.g. red), opt for tones and hues that are slightly more muted or more “natural”. And remember, whatever colour you choose, it is important to ensure regular cleaning of your commercial flooring, to maintain a professional image.

 

Hotels and Commercial Accommodation

 

For hotels and other places of commercial accommodation (such as B&B’s, lodges, hostels and self-catering units), the flooring is of utmost importance. Not only does it have to cope with constant wear and tear and heavy foot traffic but it must also be easy to clean and maintain, stain-resistant and above all, retain an attractive appearance.

In the past, expensive luxury hotels often had floors to match – such as marble and mosaic tiling – which is why many such places are now sightseeing destinations in themselves. Think of the Hotel Danieli in Venice, for example. However, most modern hotels want more cost-effective options, particularly with the current trend for refurbishment every few years.

 

Behind the Scenes

The flooring choice will also depend on the type of room it is destined for. Kitchens and other back-of-house areas, for example, usually just require functional, easy to clean, durable and long-lasting surfaces with little importance given to aesthetics. They should also usually be water-proof and stain-resistant. Thus even materials like rubber would be ideal. Other choices are vinyl and concrete.

 

Front of House

On the other hand, areas like the guest rooms and any boardrooms will need a more plush, luxurious interior and carpet is usually the flooring of choice in these areas. In bedrooms, especially, sound proofing is paramount. Cork, although insulating, comfortable and environmentally-friendly, does not quite give the same impression of quality and luxury as carpet, although it might be a good choice for an ‘eco-establishment’.

Lobbies and cafes or restaurants may need to be more visually impressive and provide the sense of quality and image that the establishment is hoping to project, whether that is classic, modern, rustic, edgy, bohemian, homely, etc. If you have spent a lot of money on the décor scheme, then it is essential that the flooring complements the rest of the environment, particularly as it is likely to be the single largest surface area in the room. However, functional aspects will still need to be taken into account, such as the amount of foot traffic and the acoustic properties, particularly with a large number of people together and the possibility of women in high heels or other noisy shoes. Other things to consider are the type of surface finishing, for example a matt finish that absorbs dirt and oil.

 

Practicalities

With the advances of modern technology these days, choosing a more practical material does not necessarily mean sacrificing on looks. Laminates, for example, come in a range of wood simulations which can provide the same overall look as a hardwood floor without the cost or the high maintenance issues. Similarly, vinyl now comes in a huge variety of simulation designs, from marble to wood to cobblestones – and a range of textures as well. As mentioned earlier, with refurbishment on the calendar every few years, it is also important to consider ease of installation and repair when choosing flooring and a floating floor system may be a better choice. Another thing to consider is the hotel’s location: if it is near water or in an area of high humidity, would there be problems from expansion and contraction of floor materials, such as hardwood floorboards?

Carpet – while a popular choice – has some negatives which need considering. One key point is that it is not waterproof and dirt and grime cannot simply be wiped or mopped away. Therefore thorough cleaning via extraction method is required and these procedures often require complete evacuation of the premises and a lengthy drying out period.

One of the key areas a hotel or any other public place has to consider is health and safety, particularly in today’s litigious society. Failure to ensure this could lead to suits against the establishment for negligence towards its duty to maintain safe premises for its guests. A recent report in the Saipan Tribune described a man suing a hotel chain for injuries due to slippery tile flooring. Thus anywhere near water, whether a pool, water feature, fountain or even public toilets, should have flooring with non-slip, high-traction surfaces.

 

Appearance of Commercial Flooring


The look and feel of your place of business – whether a retail shop, corporate office or even leisure centre – can have a significant impact on the mood of your customers and clients and therefore the profitability and success of your business as well. Research has shown that how a retail outlet looks and the ambience it creates can affect the length of time a customer spends in the shop and even their inclination to make purchases. It is also essential in helping to attract a customer into the store in the first place. Similarly, the aesthetic environment of an office can have a big influence on the productivity of staff.

The right flooring speaks volumes and this can depend both on type, such as carpet, tile, laminate or vinyl, and also on styles and colours. Some popular choices for office flooring include:

  • carpet sheets
  • carpet tiles
  • laminate
  • vinyl tiles
  • wood-effect vinyl
  • stone
  • ceramic tiles
  • marble

Creating Ambience

With shops, in particular, it is important to create an inviting atmosphere and even corporate environments need to balance the professional look with a welcoming ambience. The use of more luxurious flooring materials, such as carpet, can go some way towards creating a warm and relaxing ambience or conveying a sense of prestige in a professional environment. Even the presence of a good-quality rug over harder flooring can give the illusion of class and quality. Similarly, using laminate can give your premises a stylish and sophisticated look for a fraction of the cost of real hardwood.

 

Choosing Colour

While it is tempting to stick to a neutral palette and bland furnishings, a complete lackof colour and design can make a workplace or retail unit feel cold, clinical or even just plain boring. Conversely, the correct use of colour can boost creativity and output as well as reduce levels of stress – in fact, the creation of “mood enhancement environments” is very popular now in the commercial sector. Since the flooring covers a proportionately large area of the workplace, its colour can have a major effect. Avoid bright, jarring colours which do not exist in nature, such as fluorescent pinks and greens. Similarly, avoid saturating the area with a strong colour – instead, choose shades which are soothing to the eyes and perhaps save the more dramatic colours, like red, for occasional accents – e.g. a patterned carpet in muted shades of browns and oranges, with occasional flecks of red, is better than a wall-to-wall expanse of bright crimson. Pastels are often chosen to create a cool, refreshing appearance and natural, earthy shades are generally considered more comfortable.

Having said that, use of colour does not mean that a work environment should be bombarded with brilliant hues at every turn, with flooring in multi-coloured tiles or psychedelic carpet patterns. In many cases, particularly with corporate environments, simple, clean lines work best and flooring styles which tend toward the minimalist approach are ideal. This means colours in contrasting tones of black, grey, cream, white, stone, beige and taupe and not too much variation in texture. Avoid “busy” patterns in the design, especially with carpets and vinyl.

Another thing to consider is the incorporation of logos, creative borders and other graphics into the flooring, particularly in client focus areas such as meeting rooms and the reception. Done well, this can give the premises a unique look and improve professional impact.

 

Recommended Types of Commercial Flooring

 

Flooring for the commercial sector has to satisfy many widely-differing needs, often simultaneously - depending on the industry involved. It is not unusual for a floor to need to be attractive, easy to maintain, durable, resistant to strong chemicals and still be cost-efficient! With floors having to do double, sometimes triple or even quadruple duty, it is difficult to find a certain type to fit all needs, but here are some popular choices:

 

Concrete

Concrete is used more in the industrial sector, although it is also rapidly gaining popularity with designers for use in interiors to deliver an edgy, industrial look (e.g. for trendy clothing stores or restaurants). It can be stained and etched into a variety of attractive colours and designs. Concrete is incredibly durable, strong and long-lasting, although it can be hard underfoot and so not ideal if many employees are to be standing all day. It is also extremely cost-effective which makes it a popular choice for areas which may not need to convey a premium image. Note, it is porous so must be covered with a protective sealant in order to protect against staining and damage from chemicals, as well as general wear and tear.

 

Laminate and Vinyl

Probably one of the top choices, particularly in the retail sector but also for offices and leisure facilities, such as restaurants, laminate and vinyl offer a wonderful combination of practicality and aesthetics. On the one hand, they are durable, stain- and moisture- resistant, easy to clean and maintain and insulating underfoot but at the same time, they do not compromise in the attractiveness stakes, coming in an enormous variety of colours and patterns, not to mention wonderful replications of other flooring materials, such as marble, stone and hardwood. This last characteristic, alone, makes them popular as they offer an affordable way to achieve a more luxurious look on a limited budget. For example, laminates are a fantastic alternative to real hardwood floors; easier to maintain and much cheaper to install. If budget is not a problem, there also ranges of luxurious vinyl that inevitably come with a higher proce tag.

 

Rubber

Again, a popular choice for the industrial sector but also in great use in the leisure industry, rubber flooring is used particularly for exercise and sporting facilities. It is also favoured in the public sector, such as in schools and hospitals. Rubber is naturally hygienic, water-proof, cushioning, insulating, easy to clean, stain-resistant and very, very durable, coping well in areas in high traffic and heavy impact. It does lose slightly in the sophistication stakes but there are some situations where its basic, industrial look is actually desired.

 

Carpet

Carpet is mainly used in offices and high-end stores and other leisure facilities (e.g. hotels, spas), carpet gives an unsurpassed feeling of luxury and class but can be difficult to maintain in high traffic areas or under constant, heavy impact. It is also vulnerable to staining and moisture, particularly if a light colour is chosen. Nevertheless, it is still a popular choice, particularly in colder climates. It is also one of the best insulators against sound, which can be vitally important in some situations (e.g. hotels). In some situations, carpet tiles can be a better choice as it offers the look and feel of carpet but is more affordable and easier to install and replace any damaged or stained sections, with minimal disruption to business.

Naturally, other types of flooring can also be used in commercial settings. Hardwood, for example, is frequently used, despite its higher maintenance as it has an unparalleled timeless beauty and lends a feeling of 'quality and value' to the premises. Ceramic tile is also popular, particularly in eating establishments, as it is one of the easiest types of flooring to clean and maintain, as well as being waterproof. Many businesses nowadays are also opting for environmentally-friendly flooring to promote their 'green' image and so may choose floor covering such as cork, bamboo and linoleum for their recyclable properties, their use of renewable resources and their promotion of a healthier working environment.

 

 

 
 

 
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