Flooring has one job – to look pretty. Right? Wrong.

When you think about, flooring is the lowliest of all building materials. It’s place in the world is to be continuously trodden on. I don’t envy flooring. And neither should you, but you should consider carefully what kind is right for your commercial building project.

As with any fitout – appearance, practicality and cost will ever vie for supremacy. This can turn into a nightmare if not properly managed. So we’ve developed a guide to help you make the decision on flooring more efficient. Below we’ve listed the most popular flooring materials along with a breakdown on where they sit on the scales of appearance, practicality and cost.

Laminate

Otherwise known as floating floor, laminate can afford you the look of wooden floors without the assault on the budget. This flooring is better suited to areas of low traffic and lighter coloured styles can dirty easily. In short, probably not your first choice for a waiting room, but great for consultation room hallways.

Vinyl

Vinyl and Linoleum are the perfect flooring solution for large areas with heavy traffic. On the lower end of the budget spectrum, modern products mean that choosing vinyl doesn’t necessarily mean your foyer will look like the hallways of the local hospital!

Carpet

Carpet’s greatest quality is its noise reduction ability. It also says comfort and reminds people of home, which is why it’s popular in medical waiting rooms. Dark coloured carpet is great for hiding dirt and doesn’t need to be cleaned as often as other types of floor. Best of all there are really affordable types of commercial carpet available.

Polished Concrete

Sadly, this extraordinarily popular flooring finish is not as cheap as most imagine. In fact, it’s the hardest to price because it depends heavily on what work needs to go into preparing the existing concrete and what finish is used. That said, in many cases it can be done without needing to win the lotto. And contrary to popular opinion, it’s not only for new organic bars and cafés that serve only smashed avocado and have been opened inside the switchboard cover between two real shops.

Tiles

Ceramic tiles are generally considered to win the appearance contest. If the space you are creating comes with a particularly specific theme, like Mediterranean for example, then tiles are probably the best fit. This is why they’re so popular with restaurants and cafés. Keep in mind though, they are noisy and the quality of tile needed for heavy commercial traffic can be rather expensive.

Of course, these are not the only options. But they are generally the most popular. Also, don’t forget that many businesses will choose to use a combination of these products, even sometimes within the one space. Such as a carpeted waiting room with a laminate or vinyl track around the outside which separates the reception desk from the seating.

Really, the possibilities are endless. And when you engage Elite Construct to manage your commercial building project, you have our extensive expertise at your disposal! So get in touch today.