How to Select the Best Commercial Flooring for Your High-Traffic Areas

If you own or manage a commercial space, you know how important it is to have safe and highly durable flooring. Hospitals, airports, supermarkets, retail stores, and many other facilities that serve the public have this in common: high foot traffic. With high-traffic areas come a myriad of potential problems and liabilities if you do not ensure the proper maintenance of your flooring. Here, we will provide you with all you’ll need to make the right decision when selecting commercial flooring materials for use in your high-traffic areas.

Terrazzo

When it comes to terrazzo flooring, durability is one of its finest features. Terrazzo’s other benefits is that it is decorative and LEED-friendly, so you get several advantages when you select it for your high-traffic area. As this type of flooring is considered the most aesthetically versatile when it comes to flooring options, it is perfect for areas where a custom logo or design would add real appeal. In this regard, opry houses, showrooms, universities, airports, entrance-ways to corporate buildings and high-end office spaces would benefit from terrazzo flooring.

One thing to consider before selecting terrazzo for your flooring, however, is its upfront material and installation cost. While its durability and low lifetime cost can save you money on maintenance costs, its initial installation can be quite heavy for sensitive budgets. As a general good rule of thumb, terrazzo is better suited for large spaces as its cost-per-square foot decreases as square footage goes up.

Quartz Flooring

Quartz flooring is ideal for commercial spaces that have a high degree of foot traffic and are susceptible to wear and tear. As an all natural flooring that’s derived from the combination of quartz sand and calcium carbonate, its high durability can be attributed to quartz being one of the naturally hardest materials on Earth.

The strong and durable nature of the system makes it a great choice for many commercial and industrial applications, ranging from manufacturing facilities and hangars, to kitchens and restaurants. If properly installed, epoxy quartz flooring will be strong enough to withstand demanding conditions and at the same time prevent dirt, liquid, or any other type of contaminate from penetrating and potentially damaging the subfloor.

Luxury vinyl tile (LVT)

Vinyl flooring has been around for decades, but recent advances in engineering and manufacturing technologies have led to stronger and more beautiful vinyl materials that are easier to install. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) has been gaining increasing popularity because manufacturers have continued to improve its features. Luxury vinyl is increasingly more durable and therefore it can be used in different flooring setups including colleges, hospitals, and hotels, to name a few. Another benefit of LTV is that its variety at every price point and design makes it one of the most versatile commercial flooring products on the market today.

LVT may not be suitable, however, for high-impact industrial or commercial kitchen environments. Fortunately, iit is durable enough to withstand the foot traffic, abrasions and spills of any office, hospital or school application. Especially in comparison with other resilient flooring products, LVT is more flexible and aesthetically appealing for commercial applications, and is a great consideration when sensitive budgets are at play.

Epoxy Flooring Systems

Epoxy flooring is a cost-effective solution for both commercial and industrial spaces. Extremely versatile, epoxy is strong enough for manufacturing facilities and hangars, yet aesthetically appealing enough to fit in retail spaces. Epoxy is also quite sanitary so it is perfect for laboratories and other environments where sterility is vital.

Epoxy is created by applying a thermosetting resin directly onto a moisture-treated concrete slab. Its coating prevents wear and tear that is normally caused by abrasions, foot traffic or chemical spills.

It’s important to note that such durability can only be achieved when epoxy is installed correctly. The concrete needs to be cleaned and cracks patched with urethane prior to application of the epoxy coating. If applied before prepping, the epoxy is likely to peel or chip prematurely. As for maintenance, daily sweeping and infrequent deep cleans should be sufficient to keep your epoxy flooring looking like new.

Your Expert Flooring Solution

As just mentioned, epoxy (as well as other flooring systems) requires an experienced flooring expert to properly install it so you can reap all its benefits. Alpine Specialty Flooring has countless years of experience installing floor systems designed to meet almost all commercial and industrial needs. The best materials in the world will not perform as expected without a deep understanding of proper surface preparation and Alpine’s professionals are consistently trained in the latest innovations in flooring. Count on us to give you the right counsel on which flooring system is best for your commercial space and to properly install it once selected.