The Advantages and Disadvantages of Each Flooring Type
If you are now in the stage of shopping for new flooring for your commercial space, you might be feeling overwhelmed with so many options laid in front of you. With a large variety of flooring options available in the market, deciding which one to choose can be a challenge which requires careful consideration.
To help you decide which one would suit best your commercial space, we have gathered here the pros and cons for each type of flooring used in commercial spaces. Continue reading this article to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each type of flooring so you could figure out what flooring is best to buy for your property.
Vinyl
Advantage:
Durability is the biggest advantage of vinyl floorings. With its scratch-resistance and low-maintenance material, this flooring type has been widely popular and used in large commercial spaces. Vinyl is highly customisable and can look so much like the real thing. Like if you want to make it look like hardwood or marble, you can make it look authentic and people will not even know the difference. Disadvantage:
The disadvantage of vinyl is not on the material itself but on the installation process. Unlike other flooring materials that can be done by non-experts, vinyl requires a set of expertise that not everyone, even other professional flooring contractors have. For optimal results, you will have to hire highly trained and experienced vinyl flooring installers to do the installation job.
Tiles
Advantage:The two most common types of tiles used in flooring are ceramic and porcelain. Since they don’t absorb bacteria and moisture, tiles are the most suitable flooring material for mess-prone areas which include entrances and bathrooms. Disadvantage:
The disadvantage with tiles comes from their grout. The grout in between can get dirty quickly so it requires regular cleaning. While an epoxy grout can solve the issue, the cost is a bit more expensive which could add to the overall cost of your flooring.
Another disadvantage is the complicated and lengthy installation process of tiles, especially ceramics. Although ceramic tiles and longer-lasting when compared to other flooring materials, the installation process and labour cost could make it an expensive option for flooring.
Hardwood
Advantage:There are plenty of reasons why hardwood floors are a classic favourite. Its elegant look, warm ambience, and lasting quality provide effortless sophistication to a property. Hardwood floors are also very easy to clean and require less maintenance than other flooring materials. Disadvantage:
Choosing hardwood flooring means you should be ready for its cost. The material itself is more pricy that other flooring types as well as its installation and refinishing process. Hardwood flooring also requires certain temperature levels for it to last a long time without issues. If you choose hardwood floors, you have to make sure your facility has a 35% to 55% relative humidity ratio. But since most commercial facilities cannot always achieve the perfect level of humidity hardwood floors require, that is the reason why you can barely find this type of flooring in commercial spaces.
Laminate:
Advantage:If you want to achieve the hardwood for your commercial property but you are short of budget, laminate would be the best choice. This material is considered the low-maintenance and budge-friendly cousin of hardwood floors. Laminate is lightweight and sturdy enough to withstand high foot traffic. Disadvantage:
Unlike hardwood which you can refinish when it starts wearing, laminate requires total replacement. And since laminates float over padding, they are not that resilient to heavy loads. Another problem is that laminates are not moisture-proof so exposure to moisture should be avoided. The material requires extra caution if you decide in using it in areas where moisture is inevitable such as laundries and kitchens.
Carpet
Advantage:The most popular flooring type in commercial spaces, the carpet, has a variety of benefits that make the material a crowd favourite since decades ago. Carpets come with limitless design and colour options which make them very suitable for commercial spaces. Carpets are also very easy to clean and are very good at reducing traffic noise and dirt pollution. Disadvantage:
Since most carpets are made with synthetic fibres, they might not last for so long depending on the traffic of a commercial facility. The longevity of carpets relies big on the type of carpet fibre, the quality of the installation, and the frequency of maintenance. It is crucial to hire skilled and experienced carpet installers if you want to make sure the quality of installation for your carpet floor to last as long as possible.
Flooring Solutions
Not sure what type of flooring to install for your commercial space, feel free to speak to one of our flooring specialists at Flooring Solutions. We are a premier commercial flooring company that provides a full range of services for all types and sizes of commercial facilities. Contact us for details.
