As a General Contractor or Developer, you need to choose the right flooring for your projects to ensure their long-term success. It may be true that few people will notice the flooring if it fits the application, but everyone will notice if the wrong type of flooring causes problems.
With all the choices that are available for commercial and industrial flooring, deciding on flooring should be based on a number of criteria. The flooring you select should be able to handle the anticipated traffic and look good while making the most of your budget. Here are the top seven things you need to consider while you’re making flooring choices.
1. Compliance
Determine if there are any regulations you need to consider when choosing flooring. Consider local building codes and industry regulations, especially if your project is in the healthcare, food processing, or food service industries where a sanitary environment is paramount.
Being proactive in identifying and meeting regulations will let you avoid legal and operational problems. You’ll be able to choose the flooring that fits within the rules and regulations your clients must follow.
2. Usage
After compliance, the next most important factor to consider is the traffic that various areas in the facility will have. You’ll need to conduct an analysis of usage and traffic patterns to make sure the flooring suits the purpose of each area.
If you anticipate a high volume of traffic in some areas, you’ll need a flooring known for high durability. Specialty zones such as clean rooms and laboratories will need flooring with exceptional chemical resistance such as Novolac. In addition, some flooring materials like epoxy flooring are especially resistant to abrasion and could be a good choice for warehouse floors.
If you are choosing flooring for an entrance, pay attention to the slip coefficient, which is a measure of how much force it takes for a shoe to slide on the floor surface.
3. Maintenance
If your flooring doesn’t get the required maintenance, the beauty of the floor will suffer, along with its longevity. You don’t want the client to be saddled with a type of flooring that needs frequent replacement, or that requires more maintenance than anticipated.
Evaluate flooring maintenance requirements. For instance, does the flooring you’re considering require polishing or regular sealing? Determine what the client plans for a maintenance crew and/or a maintenance budget. If you can’t ensure that maintenance will be performed as needed, choose another type of flooring.
4. Environment
The environment in the facility’s location has a big influence on the overall performance of flooring options. Based on location, determine if there are severe temperature fluctuations or if the humidity levels are high enough to affect the performance of a type of flooring. Evaluating the climate where your facility is located will help you ensure that the flooring chosen will be stable and dependable over the long term.
5. Aesthetics
How the flooring looks will have a big impact on how appealing the facility is to employees and visitors. However, it’s critical to match aesthetics with the functionality that you need. With all the choices available today, it’s possible to choose a flooring that is attractive and meets your needs.
For example, epoxy flooring comes in a variety of attractive colors and styles. In addition, epoxy flooring can provide a high-gloss shine that increases the brightness in any location and they’re resistant to fire and heat. Epoxy coatings create a seamless surface that is very easy to clean. So, you can have style and functionality in one.
It’s important to balance the look and functionality of your flooring to make your facility inviting while ensuring that it fits with the facility’s purpose.
6. Budget
Budget is always a concern. If the initial flooring costs put your project over budget, you’ll have a new range of problems. You also need to evaluate the costs that will be incurred throughout the life of the floor, including maintenance and replacement costs. When you balance budget and functionality, you’ll have the opportunity to stay within budget without compromising on performance.
7. Installation
You’ll need to coordinate the flooring installation process with the rest of your construction activities. Different types of flooring require different types of lead time and installation approaches. Make sure that you make flooring choices early enough in the construction planning process to avoid delays. You’ll also need to plan enough time for the installation to ensure that it is done properly and will last a long time.
As a General Contractor or Developer, you can be a star if you guide your clients to the type of flooring that will improve aesthetics while providing the right functionality and longevity. You need to address compliance, usage, maintenance, environment, aesthetics, budget, and installation. Once you are knowledgeable on those topics, choosing the right flooring will be no problem.