When selecting the right flooring solution for a commercial office space there are several points that need to be considered. It is well worth consulting the advice of your local flooring specialist who will be happy to lend you the benefit of their expertise. In the meantime, here are some top tips to bear in mind.

If your office is in London, then no doubt you will want to ensure that the flooring is contemporary and stylish as well as functional. Classic choices include laminate flooring, hardwood, luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) or carpet tiles or wall to wall carpets. 

These floorings all have advantages and potential drawbacks. Consider issues such as how much foot traffic the flooring will need to cope with, and other sources of stress such as deliveries or abrasion from chairs with caster feet. 

It is likely that you will want a flooring that is easy to maintain and doesn’t show wear and tear easily. Noise control is a common issue in offices, especially open plan spaces where a lot of telephone calls or meetings take place. Carpets and carpet tiles are best for muffling sound, whereas hardwood and laminate flooring can create louder spaces.

Aesthetics is a key point to bear in mind when choosing office flooring. Fashionable hardwood flooring is considered to be a beautiful and stylish choice if you want a space with the extra wow factor to impress clients. It also works well to complement the surroundings if you have an older style building such as a converted warehouse or factory.

Hardwood is one of the most expensive types of flooring, and it also requires careful maintenance to keep it looking its best. It is less resistant to stains and scratching than laminate flooring or LVTs, and in a busy office environment it may need recoating in a wood floor finish every year. 

Furniture pads should be used on legs of tables, chairs and other items to reduce the risk of scratching. Ideally, hardwood flooring should not be walked on with wet shoes, which can be impractical for an office, especially in the British climate…

Laminate flooring or LVTs are great alternatives as they are generally more affordable and easier to maintain. These materials are manufactured to extremely high standards of design and detail that produce very convincing natural textures, so the flooring will still look the part whilst being more durable and less effort to look after.

Finally, the benefits of carpet and carpet tiles should not be underestimated. They provide good sound insulation so that a busy office space won’t be ringing with the noise of constant footsteps. They also give you the option of adding colour and pattern to your flooring, which can reflect your company’s branding. 

Carpet tiles are often preferred over wall to wall carpeting because if one area should become worn or damaged, the individual tile can be replaced without the need to replace the whole flooring.