Fun Fact: Planning your floors could save you money

5 August 2020
By Hamish

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When it comes to factory design, today’s planning process is almost a science. In fact, industrial facilities have come a long way in the last 20 years. Technology improvements have made factories and production facilities much safer than before. Robots have made processes more efficient, reduced spillages, and made facilities cleaner than once thought possible.
But it is not just the facilities which have progressed, so, too are the options available to companies with regards to flooring solutions. Whether it is a non-slip floor, hygienic matting, or floors for cleanroom facilities – the options are more expansive than ever.
So without any further fuss, read on to better understand:

• the range of flooring options and uses;
• how the design of floor space areas can be incorporated into floor application; and
• why planning and selecting the right floor saves retrofitting one later.

Industrial Flooring Options and Uses

There are a wide variety of industrial flooring options out there and each has different uses. Choosing which is best should depend on the main function a certain space is intended for.
DYCEM flooring is great for controlled environments such as cleanrooms, hospitals, pharmaceutical laboratories, food processing plants, and automotive manufacturing plants. Dycem flooring is a rubber-like surface due to the fact it is made of a polymeric compound. It has that tacky feel when you walk on it. The best part is that this industrial flooring has anti-bacterial properties, so that as you walk across it, it is actually working to remove and neutralise bacterial contamination.
Epoxy flooring is yet another top option when it comes to industrial floors. This compound provides smooth surface finishes, is highly resistant to chemicals and can take heavy foot traffic. Epoxy floors can be designed to be non-slip and come in a variety of colours for versatility. They are great choices for factories, commercial kitchens, paint rooms, car showrooms, public walkways, and more.
Methyl Methacrylate Acetate or MMA flooring is a flexible solution that can be applied in a variety of spaces including below-freezing environments. It is ideal for those that require anti-slip resistance and an extra hygienic floor. MMA has high resistance to blood, animal fats, chemicals, and corrosive substances making it an ideal solution for loading docks, kitchen floors, warehouses, delicatessens, cool rooms, laboratories, and other area where food and chemicals are prevalent.

Incorporating Floor Space Design into Floor Application

Simply put, there are a variety of industrial floor types to select from, and within each type there are different variations, making the options available to you very diverse. From colour, to non-slip ratings, to bunding, to anti-static, chemical resistance and so on, if you can conceive it, there is a solution which will work for you. But like all things, planning is key – to make the best choice, it is crucial to plan your floors.
Whether you’re planning for your cold room floor, a warehouse, showroom, or a plant, keep in mind that your floor plan should incorporate not only aesthetics, but also accommodate safety, flow, and functionality. Furthermore, it should also be designed to be promote intuitive and uninterrupted movement of building occupants (whether on foot or machinery) thereby enhancing their productivity.
A good floor plan should offer a bird-eye perspective of how the people inside the space will move around. For production facilities, it should identify which area is appropriate for production and which portion can be used for a particular purpose. Doing so will allow you to determine what type of industrial flooring will work best for specific areas and to avoid any potential challenges that will compromise safety and impede functionality. For commercial spaces, the same level of planning should also be exercised, so that you can have as much flexibility as you need with the knowledge the floor is up to the challenge and not likely to degrade due to use – costing you more money in the short term.

How Planning Your Floors Can Save You Money

Industrial flooring options vary in costs and installation periods. New floors where there are no machines can be installed faster, existing floors need to be stripped, prepared and applied to before you can use them.

1. Planning Floors Help Establish a Clear Timeline

It is not uncommon for construction projects, floor installation included, to be either cost-orientated or schedule-orientated. But it is also typical for projects to be approached with consideration for both cost and schedule controls.
With proper planning, the efficient and timely scheduling of resources can be executed properly. The list of activities needed to be completed prior to the actual installation of industrial floors can also be maintained and done according to the timeline.
As we all know, one of the main reasons for construction bottlenecks is poor planning, which usually results in delayed delivery of materials, extra work hours, and extended equipment rental, among others. In parallel, more budget will be needed to cover the activities and resources caused by the unplanned extension of the building timeline.

2. Properly Planning Your Floors Can Prevent Costly Retrofits and Mistakes

Where the new floor will be installed should factor heavily into your decision. For instance, installing polished concrete floors where DYCEM flooring is more ideal can be a costly mistake to fix. As problems arise, you will need to halt production, remove the old floor, and then pay for a new one.
Don’t get yourself in this pickle by carefully discussing and planning with your contractors the type of industrial flooring that needs to be installed.

3. The Right Flooring Can Minimise Expensive Repairs in the Future

As you plan which industrial flooring options to get or how to go about the whole industrial epoxy floor coating procedure, make sure to think long-term. Five to 10 years from now, will the floors still be functional or will they be so used up be due for replacement? Tiling may look good, or be a cheap flooring option today, but will it last the test of time, or end up costing you more sooner than you realise?
Be strategic in your flooring approach. Identify the areas where heavy foot traffic is expected and determine those places prone to chemical and acid spills. This way, you can get the most appropriate and most durable flooring designed for the intended use of the space. Doing this will help you avoid untimely and premature repairs, which could be yet another budget nightmare for you.

4. Planning Your Floors Will Promote a More Informed Material Buying Decision

Armed with a thorough flooring plan, you will be able to lay out the project launch time as well as the projected completion period that will facilitate the timely and efficient completion of the industrial floor installation.
Planning will also allow you to estimate the resource requirements and will give you the opportunity to research and get quotations from a number of suppliers and contractors. With many quotations in hand, you can properly review and compare raw material costs, delivery expenses, and installation expenses—which in turn will lead you to a more informed buying and resource management decision.

Start Planning Your Floors

Get your construction project moving by planning now. The more you know about industrial flooring (or commercial flooring) and what is suited for purpose the more easily you can approach the right installation teams and suppliers. Most important of all, you will be able to save money upfront and in the long term.
We are here to help and with 50+ years’ experience under our belt, you know you can count on us. Let’s have a chat. Alterantively, check out our Beak & Johnstone case study to see how we work and the difference a new, well planned out floor can make.

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