How to Choose the Right Floors to Suit Your Company’s Needs

It’s important to think about what you need from a flooring material before picking one out. Learn which questions you need to be asking yourself before making a purchase!

One of the basic foundations of a business is one you probably don’t think about daily: floors. You expect them to always be underneath you, but when it comes to actually picking out the type that is best for your business something that seems so simple becomes complicated. Your flooring needs are entirely dependent on the type of business you conduct and its aesthetic. Whether you are moving into a new space, or it’s time to update your floors, let’s talk about what it is you need to focus on before purchasing and installing.

Durability
This is a standard requirement of most floors, making sure they can handle the wear and tear that comes along with the business that is going to be conducted. For example, in venues with a lot of foot traffic it is best to use a material that won’t wear down quickly. For this reason, avoid using natural hardwood floors in restaurants, offices and schools. If you still want to get the same sort of look as natural wood, reclaimed wood is a good alternative. It is already worn down which means that it won’t change in appearance from when it is finished to when it starts to wear out.

In the health services industry, it is best to use floors that are not only abrasion and skid resistant, but also resistant to cleaning chemicals and disinfectants. If the floors are not durable you are going to have to replace then sooner than you would like. Look for quality when it comes to purchasing and avoid the cheaper option. Try to think about the price as an investment in your business, rather than about how much it is going to cost today.
Maintenance
Another aspect you should think about before you make a purchase is how difficult it is to install and fix. In some situations, if there is a crack or leak it can mean closing up shop for a couple of days in order to fix it. A lot of businesses cannot afford this sort of problem because of the loss of revenue. If this is the case, tile is a great option because instead of tearing up the whole area, you can just replace an individual tile and move on with your day.

Cleanliness
Unfortunately, an easy clean-up is not a guarantee with all flooring material. When cleanliness is a priority, like it is in schools, restaurants and nursing homes, one of the most important parts of picking out floors is making sure that cleaning won’t be a hassle. In these sorts of businesses floors can become quite slippery, which means that keeping them clear of liquids and grease are a top concern. Grout lines and seams are habitats for dirt, bacteria and grease. A great material that is easy to clean and lacks the aforementioned issues is polished concrete. Whatever floor you do decide to go with use a coordinating epoxy coating to keep them in tip-top shape.

Aesthetic
Does your flooring choice match with your brand and space? Before making a decision think about how your business will look with your choice. Make sure that it relates and flows with the space. If your business is a restaurant, does it match your menu? For an office, does it reflect the color scheme of your brand? The flooring system should be consistent with the rest of the brand to make the space feel authentic.

Simply put, when making a decision on flooring you need to think about how your business will be influenced by it one way or another. Does it go with the décor? Will it withstand things being dragged across it? Does it cause enough friction? It should meet all of your standards. Also, when installing make sure that you hire a team that can assess the situation and knows what they are doing. re:fab has all of the answers for your flooring needs. Contact us for an estimate and learn more about our services!
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