What should you look for in office flooring ?
Flooring is just as important to the design of your office space as any piece of furniture or decoration, so you’ll need to make sure that it’s suitable for your surroundings. It’s also important to understand the purpose of the flooring, and what it will work to achieve. This guide will weigh up the pros and cons of each type of office flooring, so you can decide which is the best choice for you and your workforce.
Things to consider when looking for office flooring
Design
Your office is where you and your employees will be spending a lot of their time, so it’s only natural that you should make your working space as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Whilst your flooring may not be the focal point of your office from a design perspective, it should work well with the other features of your office to create an ideal environment to work in. For example, why not invest in some office artwork to brighten up your space, making sure that the colours used blend in perfectly with your flooring choice.
Practicality
Make note of how busy your office is; is there heavy foot traffic, do pieces of furniture move around often? By asking yourself these crucial questions, you can plan accordingly. Most importantly, your flooring needs to be robust enough to suit the environment it’s placed in, otherwise you’ll end up constantly shelling out money for maintenance and repairs. Not only will this cost more, you could end up inconveniencing working employees – leading to a potential decrease in productivity.
Cost effectiveness
When deciding on your office flooring, it may not always be appropriate to go for the cheapest option available. Whilst this may seem like a tempting solution, it could end up costing you more money in the long run. Weigh up potential maintenance with the cost of installation, the ideal choice being one that does not break the bank to install – but also is robust enough to not need constant care.
What types of flooring are available?
Hardwood flooring
Hardwood flooring is the traditional choice for office flooring. Although generally on the more expensive side, it’s both durable, long-lasting and looks great. Hardwood flooring is very low maintenance, and relatively simple to keep clean, but keep in mind it’s susceptible to water damage. Consider if you want your entire office to be hardwood, or somewhere more executive such as the boardroom.
Vinyl flooring
Vinyl flooring is a popular alternative to hardwood, as it can mimic the classy design, whilst also being cheaper but just as durable. Vinyl is a suitable choice for a busy office with a lot of traffic, and can resist the typical wear and tear that is found there.
Carpet
Carpets are common fare around most offices. It is a relatively cheap option, and tends to look good in most places due to the variety of designs and colours available. It also has the added benefit of being able to help keep the office a comfortable temperature in the winter months. Carpets can help to reduce noise levels in the office too, as well as being easily replaceable with the use of carpet tiles.
Ceramic tiling
Ceramic tiling is known for its durability, and for being incredibly easy to clean; ideal for the occasional tea spill. However, ceramic lacks the heat insulation qualities that may be found in carpeting, so this flooring choice might not be suitable for an office in a colder environment. Ceramic can be a pain to replace if cracked, but it would have to suffer heavy damage to reach this point.
Laminate
Another popular office flooring option is laminate. It lacks the cost that hardwood may incur, and has a variety of styles that can spruce up an otherwise drab office. Another added advantage is its resistance to water damage – something that can severely damage a material like hardwood.
Rubber flooring
Rubber flooring isn’t typically found in many offices, but it does have its own set of advantages. Once you get past the rubbery smell after the first few months following installation, this type of office flooring can also help with noise insulation, similar to carpet, while also being slip resistant.
If you’re embarking on an office refurbishment and are curious to see how switching up your office flooring could completely spruce up your space, get in touch with us today! Our team of professionals are fully equipped to help you throughout the whole process, from initial office planning to post-project support. What are you waiting for?