27 July 2020
By Goran

It may seem obvious to most, but there is a percentage of people who are not aware why commercial floors are essential in some circumstances. Whether this is because they have not worked in the industry before, have limited experience with designing a commercial space or some other reason, they may not be aware of the properties that make a commercial floor as resilient as it needs to be. But here is the truth: Just because something works in a residential setting there is no guarantee that it will work well in a commercial space.
As such, we wanted to review the circumstances that make having a commercial flooring solution a priority over a simple more generic flooring option.

Resilience Against Chemicals

Whether it is for a corporate office, restaurant, or retail space—thinking about what the best flooring for commercial use might be is essential. Yes, it may just be a floor in a breakout area of the office, but the increased need for cleaning (especially with the increased requirements of COVID) may make a simple flooring solution useless.

Instead, you should go for options that are designed to withstand chemical spills and stains but which may not be ones you would consider for residential settings.
If we dial it up a notch and consider manufacturing facilities, for example, there are likely to be chemicals (whether these are cleaning chemicals, production chemicals, inks, machine oils or even food waste such as blood) which will end up on the floor. Cleaned up instantly, these may not cause a problem, but with time and repetition, these cause issues.
Regular vinyl or regular tile flooring isn’t designed for this workload, especially when you factor in the high foot and machine traffic often found in a busy work production space.
Incorporate offices, floors can be subjected to spilled printer ink and toner, coffee and other beverages, and strong cleaning liquids. If the floor is not specified and designed to be resistant to these elements, it will need replacing pretty soon. That extra cost and effort can be avoided though through the installation of the most durable commercial flooring at the outset.

Improving Non-Slip Performance

As we reported in a blog about falls at work, accidents in business premises can lead to a lot of headaches – yet they are more prevalent than you may believe. A fall will affect not only that employee’s health and productivity, but there might even be a costly halt in operations. Worse, the accident can lead to lengthy and expensive litigation battles, which will affect team morale and the business’ reputation and profitability.
To mitigate accidents, the extra cost upfront which does (unfortunately) come with commercial flooring options is one you may wish to consider, especially as regards one that offers quality non-slip performance. Think of it as an insurance premium, but one that you pay for once and which represents a fraction of the potential future cost. A non-slip floor (as afforded by epoxy floors) are quite utilitarian and easy to maintain as well.
COF, or the coefficient of friction, is a numerical rating given to floors to indicate how slip resistant they are. The higher this value is, the less slippery the flooring in question is. For most commercial spaces, a COF of 0.5 or higher is recommended. The flooring material must also be tested and proven to be non-slip when oil, water, dust, and other traction-reducing components are added.

Designating Different Work Zones through Different Colours

There are many ways to improve productivity in workspaces and interior design plays a huge part in that. Of course, flooring can be used to streamline operations as well. Its most obvious use of this effect is to designate work zones through the use of different flooring colours and materials.
Factory floors often have different zones (wet zones, forklift zones, etc) and using different colours to depict the different zones can help people to understand the risks of an area, and to be more vigilant. By choosing to apply a colour specified flooring option, each business section or workspace division can have the type of floor best fit for them – whether that is a different slip rating, bunds to keep in fluids, or anything else.

Imagine a working factory with a showroom and back-office: The boardroom, showrooms, and offices can have a show-room finish, anti-static flooring through the kitchens and bathrooms and commercial carpeting for better acoustics and anti-noise properties where there are chairs.
Warehouses and product areas meanwhile, can have impact-resistant and hardwearing floors. Non-slip polyurethane or epoxy flooring is great for areas with a lot of foot traffic, such as places where employees stand or traverse on frequently or places where deliveries are handled.
Essentially, commercial flooring can facilitate major workflow improvements and safety that are beneficial to your staff and to your company’s operations.

Far Easier Maintenance

Flooring maintenance and repair costs can easily add up for businesses if not managed appropriately. If the floors are not durable enough or not resistant to chemical spills, they may need replacing sooner than later. If ignored, they could lead to even costlier accidents or hiccups in business processes.
This is yet another reason why you need to consider your commercial flooring options at the outset instead of going for regular flooring. Yes, initial installation and purchase of these floors can be more expensive, but savings can be accrued in the long run in the form of maintenance cost savings.

For Superior Performance

Vinyl, tiles, polished concrete, and other regular flooring options are great for residential use but they may not withstand the unique challenges presented in business premises. Yes, there are tiles for commercial premises, but if you need to have confidence that your floor is not harbouring germs, or is seamless, then tiles may not be your best option. By opting for the most durable commercial flooring, as you will receive from an epoxy floor, you can be assured of a highly effective and top-performing floor coating.

Generally, they are designed with consideration of the safety of more people (employees and customers), ease of cleaning, and high foot traffic. Aside from that, commercial floors are built to be resistant to harmful chemicals and acids, are meant to last the test of time and are designed to not trap moisture thus minimising the opportunity for harmful mould and bacteria to grow.
They are superior on all levels when compared to regular residential flooring. This makes them a worthy investment for companies that want to ensure a safe and productive environment to work in.

Choose the Best Commercial Flooring Options

There are a variety of commercial flooring choices available and you should select the perfect option by carefully considering the specific needs of a workspace. Selections include Methyl Methacrylate Acetate (MMA) flooring, non-slip epoxy flooring, resin-based floors that are heat and acid-resistant, hardwearing floors designed to withstand chemical spills, pharmaceutical-grade flooring, and more.

One thing is clear though — commercial floors are the best option for a safer and more effective space to conduct business in.

When You Need Commercial Flooring