What Are Most Popular Flooring Materials for Your Office?

What Are Most Popular Flooring Materials for Your Office?

Whether designing a new office or renovating an existing one, it’s important to consider the flooring. High-quality materials can define your design and create a comfortable environment for employees, so it’s vital to make sure your floor combines beauty and functionality. As such, many factors need to be taken into account, including design, budget and maintenance.

Here are some options from which you can choose.

Best Flooring Materials for Offices

Let’s look at different flooring materials suitable for commercial office spaces.

1. Hardwood

Hardwood flooring is considered aesthetically pleasing by many property owners thanks to its classic authenticity and sophistication. It’s also durable and affordable.

Being a natural and thus porous material, however, hardwood is highly susceptible to damage from moisture and water spills. To prevent it from warping, seal it with a polyurethane coating; this brings out its best appearance. Its durability also means it stands up well to foot traffic, which makes it suitable for commercial spaces. With regular cleaning and maintenance, hardwood flooring can last many years.

Additionally, there are virtually limitless designs and stains available, meaning there are options for both modern and traditional interiors.

2. Carpet Tiles

Owing to its versatility and affordability, carpet tiles are becoming increasingly popular in offices.

As the name suggests, they’re made from pre-cut pieces of carpet that are designed to be installed similar to how tiles are laid down. The material is low maintenance, and damaged tile can easily be removed and replaced.

Since they absorb heat well, carpet tiles are especially suitable for home offices in winter. Additionally, their softness means falling objects are less likely to break.

Carpet tiles also provide a comfortable working environment which can increase employee productivity. Moreover, they curb distracting noises through their insulating properties.

However, they are vulnerable to dirt building up and need to be cleaned regularly to avoid odours and stains from accumulating.

3. Vinyl

When dealing with a tight budget, vinyl flooring is a good choice. The wide variety of available designs and colours allows vinyl to mimic natural stone, hardwood and ceramic, among other materials, at a fraction of the cost.

It is excellent in enduring scratches and stains in high-traffic office spaces. As it demands less maintenance, it’s suitable for retail outlets and clinics as well.

Generally, they’re installed using one or two large vinyl sheets that have a pattern or design printed beneath the wear layer. Furthermore, its manufacturing allows it to be printed without grouting lines for a seamless appearance. This results in better protection against moisture penetrating the surface and reaching the subfloor.

When looked after properly, vinyl tiles can last anywhere between 10 and 20 years.

4. Laminate

Like vinyl, laminate is affordable, practical and easy to maintain. It also resists stains, dirt and spills, making it suitable for busy areas, including offices. The wear layer is UV resistant so is impervious to fading caused by sunlight.

Since laminate is manufactured, it can be made to mimic expensive materials such as stone, tile and hardwood without costing as much.

However, it cannot be repaired and, if damaged, must be replaced entirely.

5. Concrete

Besides looking great, concrete is easy to clean, resistant to fire and food, and durable enough for high-traffic areas. Additionally, it comes in a polished variety suitable to create an industrial look and feel. Polished concrete is, however, cold and noisy, and must be rebuffed every few years to maintain its shine – not a cheap process.

Choosing the flooring for your office can be challenging with so many varieties available. Although budget must doubtless play a big part in your decision, know that cheaper variants aren’t likely to last as long. Ultimately, it comes down to your needs, the environment you want to create for your employees, and the impression you want to make on clients.