Best Commercial Flooring Options

When it comes to your commercial flooring options, many are available. Before making a selection, the demands that will most likely be placed upon it and your specific industry regulations should be considered. It’s typical for commercial facilities to need floors which are seamless, sanitary, anti-microbial, chemical-resistant, slip-resistant, thermal shock resistant, etc. Commercial flooring is usually designed to meet those requirements and offer some combination of durability, cost-efficiency, easy maintainability, and visual appeal.

Common types of commercial flooring options include concrete, epoxy, urethane, methyl methacrylate (MMA), and hybrid flooring systems.

Considerations for Choosing the Best Commercial Flooring Options:

• Downtime.
  An environment with multiple competing projects and business demands may require commercial flooring options with a fast turnaround time that will minimize business downtime and impact on revenues.
• Ease & Cost of Maintenance.
  Many types of flooring need significant attention. Some might require regular buffing or polishing. Over time, the cost of labor to maintain flooring acceptably will be many times higher than the initial installation cost per square foot.
• Traffic Volume.
  Many commercial floors get a beating from foot traffic and rolling equipment. Installing a flooring system built to withstand heavy foot traffic, abrasion and impacts can make the difference between a floor that looks attractive and lasts for many years and one that doesn’t.
• Safety.
  The traction of a flooring material is especially important in high traffic areas, moist environments or areas prone to spills. To prevent employee falls and injuries, commercial floors may need to be textured and slip-resistant. The appropriate degree of textures will be determined by the operating conditions, as well as cleaning and maintenance practices.
• Environmental Impact Issues.
  Certain industries require flooring installations that generate very little dust or odors. Low or no VOC products may be necessary, as well as specialized installation techniques like HEPA filtration, air scrubbers, or negative air machines.
• Sanitation Requirements.
  Food & beverage, healthcare, and other industries must follow strict federal and state guidelines when it comes to flooring. They must install flooring that is durable and impervious to moisture. These materials must reduce the growth of bacteria and mold to guard against contamination.
• Chemical & Thermal Exposure.
  It’s important to consider the processes associated with maintaining your commercial flooring system. Commercial floors may be subjected to different thermal processes, such as heat from industrial equipment or hot water washes, as well as different chemicals. It’s essential that your flooring can withstand these types of processes.
• Static Discharge.
  In data centers, electronic manufacturing, hospitals and other areas where highly sensitive equipment is used, manufactured or handled, static discharge can cause damage and possible component failure.  It’s critical to ensure your floors static dissipative qualities to avoid static electricity that could damage equipment.

Best Commercial Flooring Options

Concrete

Concrete is increasingly becoming the new flooring material of choice for commercial applications. Whether it’s stained, polished, or overlays, concrete offers a range of commercial flooring options, unlike any other material. With unlimited colors, textures, and patterns, you are likely to create a flooring system exactly to your environment needs while coordinating with your décor.

One of the major benefits is its affordability compared to other commercial flooring options. Installation can be quite cost-effective and the lifetime cost is very low because there is very little maintenance involved and it lasts for years.

• Stained Concrete
  Staining concrete is good for revitalizing dull, lackluster flooring. Concrete stains are semi-transparent and are intended to enhance rather than disguise the surface. They will not hide cracks, blemishes or other flaws in existing concrete. Nor will they completely mask an underlying color or conceal the texture of the surface.
• Polished Concrete
  Polished concrete involves grinding concrete floor surfaces to a high-gloss finish that never needs waxes or coatings. You can choose the level of sheen — from satin to high-gloss — that meets your maintenance and aesthetic requirements.
• Cementitious Overlays
  Cementitious overlays are used to repair the surfaces of floors that have been heavily eroded due to thermal shock, chemical exposure, and high impact traffic. One of the best solutions to avoid costly replacement is to overcoat and re-enforce damaged floors with cementitious overlay.
• Epoxy Flooring Systems
  Epoxy flooring is a system that is made up of epoxy resins and hardeners that when mixed together, form a material that is durable, chemical-resistant and solvent-resistant.  These epoxy coatings are formulated based upon your specific commercial flooring requirements. It’s the combination of the epoxy and hardener component that determines the final characteristics.
• Urethane Flooring Systems
  Urethane flooring systems are good for the most abusive commercial environments. They are a superior commercial flooring option for many harsh environmental conditions, especially where thermal shock is present.
• MMA Flooring Systems
  MMA flooring systems are great for those who require minimal downtime. They are also good for very cold environments and are UV stable for exterior applications.
• Hybrid Flooring Systems
  Hybrid flooring systems combine the best attributes of all of our flooring systems, making them the most value-packed systems. The various combinations can be designed to fit within your budget while ensuring your floors offer the performance requirements needed for your specific commercial environment.

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