Important factors to consider when selecting commercial flooring

Combination carpet tile and vinyl flooring

Commercial flooring has a significant impact on the functionality and the level of comfort of an office. While longevity is always a consideration when deciding on flooring materials, other factors are equally important.

4 important factors to consider when selecting commercial flooring

Not all finishes, particularly for businesses, are ideal for all spaces. Various factors come into play when selecting commercial flooring. Generally, a suitable commercial floor should be easy and fast to install as well as durable. It should also require minimum care.

1. Level and type of traffic into your office

High-traffic offices necessitate flooring that can withstand wear. Natural choices are of course Vinyl Tiles (or Planks) and Carpet Tiles but consideration should also be given to barrier tiles in entrance ways. Research proves that up to 90% of dirt in a building is ‘walked in’ or comes in via wheeled traffic. Having an entrance system and barrier matting is an effective way of ensuring longevity of all flooring types throughout the building.

We recommend choosing Carpet Tiles or Vinyl Tiles that are at least Class 32 for general commercial use and Class 33 for heavy commercial use. The standard specifies that the flooring product will last at least 10 years without presenting problems, if used in the designated room type (various domestic or commercial usage types), and on the condition that the floor has been installed according to the instructions and is used and maintained as prescribed.

There are additional requirements for carpet covering colour fastness, castor chair suitability, antistatic behaviour, acoustic properties, thermal resistance, suitability for humid conditions, suitability for use on stairs and fraying behaviour that should also be considered but having Class 33 gives a lot of reassurance.

The additional requirement for Vinyl Tiles in high traffic areas includes a consideration around slip ratings. We covered these considerations in a previous blog.

2. Flexibility in repair

An observation into office hallways shows that most activity takes place in this location and thus the floor is expected to wear out faster here than in other areas. Therefore, the flooring type selected for this area should be easy to replace and repair without inconveniencing movement within the premise. Vinyl tiles and carpet tiles are again both durable and easy to install, therefore they’re great options to consider.

3. Reusing or recycling the flooring material

Sustainability is always a key consideration. Even though this aspect does not relate directly to the durability of the flooring, if you intend to recycle or reuse your commercial flooring in future, it is better to be fully informed before making your decision.

Both Vinyl Tiles and Carpet Tiles do fit the bill, the amount of re-cycled content is a key question to be asking. The are a number of guides to the decision process but choosing reputable manufacturers is always a good start as it will be part of their environmental policies to ensure the most sustainable options.

4. Commercial factors 

While taking into consideration the above factors, you should consider the most appropriate flooring for your office depending on your needs. While some materials are appropriate, they come at a very high cost, which might be overwhelming for small businesses. On the other hand, some are very cheap but fail to serve their purpose adequately.

Apart from budget issues, you should consider the life-cycle of the commercial flooring type. In most instances, flooring that requires lower preliminary costs might turn out to be more costly in the long run than those with higher preliminary costs. Ultimately, selecting a cheap flooring plan during the initial phase may result in more repairs and replacement.

Standing in the office – the health benefits

man standing at a laptop

We discuss the health benefits of standing in the office.

Modern office working can bring benefits, but also health risks. More periods of standing can help overcome postural problems, but it needs to be interspersed with frequent sitting, and your office environment needs to help not hinder.

Many people working in an office spend a lot of their time sitting at a desk. However, this isn’t good for their health. Those who spend the most time sitting down at a desk are at a higher risk of musculoskeletal problems, deep vein thrombosis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even risk death from these causes.

According to Government statistics, our postures at work can decrease the amount of time that staff work. Every year, 30.8 million workdays are lost due to musculoskeletal problems. Research has therefore concluded that offices should be designed to allow for office staff to spend some of their time standing.

The health benefits go far beyond the minimising of risks. Those who spend a significant amount of time standing are less likely to suffer from headaches, have better posture, and experience better mental health. Those who regularly get up and use a standing desk also experience weight loss after a few months.

There are also benefits for the company. Those standing have higher energy levels and can be more productive. Their positive mood can also rub off on others in the office and impress customers which can help to improve sales.

Standing for the right amount of time

Of course, there is a balancing act here. In laboratory-controlled studies in Canada, it has been found that 50% of workers who were told to stand for too long (over two consecutive hours in the study) developed lower back pain. These participants had not experienced back pain before the study.

The actual amount of time for people to stand is challenging to determine. Health experts have stated for a long time that office workers should be standing for about 15 minutes in every hour of work. However, research from the University of Waterloo has found the health benefits aren’t experienced unless the person is standing for about half an hour in every hour of work.

The research also found that some people won’t experience any benefits of standing unless they sit for 15 minutes and stand for 45 minutes. But this has to be done in moderation.

A member of staff can’t just sit down for a couple of hours and then spend four hours standing. This is what causes back pain and bad posture. The change between sitting and standing needs to be frequent and that is why your office design needs to be such that it allows for frequent changes.

Designing the office for standing desks

To ensure that your office designs are suitable for this more mobile and active style of working, you need to consider several aspects. First, staff should be able to move between sitting desks and standing desks. This will require more hot-desking and less assigned areas for work.

Also, as more staff are going to be more mobile, you need to ensure there is enough space for their activity. This might include changes to your commercial flooring by using coloured areas or different types of flooring, where activity is expected to remind staff to keep those areas clear of obstructions.

There are many other ways you can improve standing ratios as well. Meetings could be held stood in a meeting room and not around a table, for example.

How to choose the right carpet tile

Inspecting the yarn of a carpet tile

Interior designers and end users have a range of criteria that will inform their choices when exploring carpet tile solutions for a space. Factors like dye method, weight, construction, and pile significantly affect the way carpet tiles perform and their durability under differing foot traffic demands. They should all be considered when choosing the right carpet tiles for commercial floorspace.

In addition to their ability to be custom cut and fitted to any space, there is a unique advantage to using carpet tiles over broadloom carpet: any areas that are damaged can be replaced without anyone noticing the difference. This makes them very appealing to interior designers and architects, who frequently specify them for high-traffic walkways. Here are some of the qualities to look for in a good carpet tile:

Dye method

The way a carpet tile’s fibres are coloured gives a clue as to how long the colour will last. There are a number of benefits and advantages of solution dyed carpet tiles. For instance, solution-dyed products will hold their colour through high use and sun exposure, while printed or piece-dyed carpet may not hold up so well.

Weight

Most professionals will have minimum standards for carpet weight – the more fibre per square metre, the plusher the carpet will be. Look for tiles with more weight per square metre as a sign of their quality, and how well they will hold up against wear and tear from day-to-day use.

Construction

This is where you need to consider the look and feel you want in the commercial space. They all look different, whether they are woven, loop or tip sheer products. Low, dense carpet in loop pile construction will show traffic patterns less than other types, making them a good option for high foot traffic areas. Sparser carpet construction is softer and can be more comfortable in lower traffic areas. Duraflor offer a range of options including our Freedom Collection (Rainfall, Storm, Bark, Pavement and Compound) which all a use Heavyweave™ construction which gives increased durability, resulting in a 20-year commercial wear guarantee.

Pile

The height of the pile means the measurement from the backing to the top. A lower pile height with strong, durable fibres is ideal for a high-traffic area, while thicker pile offers more comfort for less busy spaces.

 

Making the right choice involves considering all these factors, but money has to be a consideration as well. Think about the length of time the commercial space can be contracted out for, design and functionality needs and how far your budget can comfortably stretch.

Bringing nature into the workplace enhances productivity

natural environment lighting and plants

We consider some of the less expensive options and benefits of bringing natural materials, plants, lighting and nature-inspired patterns into the working environment, when it comes to enhancing productivity and well-being.

Many interior designers take advantage of the positives which nature can bring by using plant- and nature-inspired patterns and tones in their work. A natural look can transform the appearance of the workplace and make a noticeable difference to employee well-being and morale.

We consider a number of cost-effective measures which can make a demonstrable improvement to the employee environment, potentially resulting in reduced absenteeism, enhanced productivity and a more positive workplace morale.

Increase natural light

As well as it being a requirement under health and safety legislation that “where practicable” workplaces are lit using natural light, studies have shown that daylight can have a positive effect on mental health and mood. Often a considerable increase in natural light can be achieved by removing interior barriers: something as simple as replacing opaque interior screens with translucent options, for example, can make a noticeable difference to interior lighting levels without requiring radical structural change. “Natural” light bulbs can also help achieve an outdoor lighting look where there is insufficient natural light.

Add plants into the working environment

Not only are plants aesthetically pleasing, they also have a selection of functional advantages: a well-placed plant can be an attractive yet effective privacy screen, for example. Plants can also counteract the effects of pollutants, potentially contributing to better internal air quality. Reasonably cheap to acquire, low-maintenance plants can often be managed in-house.

Plus, there is plenty of evidence to support the fact that plants have a positive effect on the working environment. They help reduce stress, increase productivity, reduce noise levels and improve creativity.

Using natural, or natural-look materials

Timber and stone look fantastic as part of an interior scheme, and there are some excellent alternative synthetic products on the market: these replicate the look and texture of stone, trees, or water, at the same time as having the durability, ease of maintenance and versatility needed to work well in an office or similar environment.

Commercial flooring, that mimics nature can complement many of these interior choices, that focus on creating a more natural environment. The Duraflor Freedom Bark range, inspired by the texture of natural tree bark, is a good example of this.

Consider organic accessories and furniture

As well as opting for a natural colour scheme (greens, greys and browns work well), adding furniture or accessories that enhance the natural theme can also help to create the required ambiance, without a full makeover being required. With organic, natural interiors always on-trend, the time could well be right to invest in the appearance of the workplace and enjoy the difference it makes.

5 unique ways to improve productivity in your office

Dog resting on office floor

Designing an office involves multiple considerations. You need to ensure that it is functional, welcoming and offers maximum productivity. Here are some unique ways to improve productivity in your office.

There are many ways you can help increase productivity in your office. Most of the options for improving productivity are based on the placement of equipment in relation to staff. Another common trend is to offer employee well-being solutions. These are all good ways to help you increase office output, but they aren’t the only options to consider.

1. Colour co-ordination

There are many ways that colour helps improve productivity in offices. It isn’t just about one colour for the whole office either. Every colour has a different impact on your workers’ emotions. The best colours can also be very specific to the type of work you need doing. For example, red is very good for those undertaking physical work and yellow is great for creative work.

With this philosophy, you can use different colours depending on the purpose of the room. Any staff rest areas should have a blue tint to them, while heavy, physical areas should have strong red decoration. This is a subject we recently touched on in another blog Office Design Colours for Employee Well-being and Productivity.

2. Commercial flooring

Commercial flooring is an important part of your productivity. The right flooring must be easy to care for as well as easy to move around on. The wrong flooring options can increase noise in an office, which is very disruptive to your employees’ performance.

In addition, while not often thought of, the right commercial flooring can be used staff to make staff feel comfortable as well as reduce workplace accidents that can lead to injury related absence.

3. Television

Televisions in the office have been found to help increase productivity. This is because the television can be another way to display information vital to the business. This could include information about business operations (e.g. sales goals) or general information to instil teamwork and collaboration.

A television can also be a good way to entertain staff when productivity levels are low. By having the television on at these times you can reset the minds of your staff and this can increase productivity in the long-term. Of course having a TV permanently on showing non-company information, or using it as background noise is a tough decision for executives – it has been shown to have negative effects but there are articles out there that dispute this.

4. Office pets

Pets have a wide range of benefits for those who keep them. This can include relieving stress and improving well-being. Offices with pets often experience higher levels of job satisfaction, lower absenteeism and higher productivity. An office pet doesn’t need to be a dog or cat. It could be a reptile, fish or a bird.

The concern here is that pets can mean more work, but they can also become an important office mascot that unites the team.

5. Free coffee

Lastly we suggest – ensure that your office is offering free coffee. Coffee is a known stimulant that will increase productivity and sharpen focus.

Why use a raised access floor

raised access floor installation image

Renovating your office space? This could be a great time to consider opting for a raised access floor if you haven’t before. Experience a tidier workplace with fewer potential accidents.

Although it initially might seem like a lot of work to install, raised floors are actually fairly simple to implement and even easier to maintain. Here are some of the main benefits you could enjoy from choosing this new flooring system:

A tidier aesthetic

One of the main reasons businesses opt for a raised access floor is to keep cords and wires out of the way. Lots of companies are maintaining their minimalist look by keeping all these electrical components beneath the floor. This means you won’t have wires trailing along the carpet and everything is still easily accessible when maintenance is needed.

Fewer accidents

Because wires will be tidied away, there will be fewer trip hazards, making it easier to keep your employees safe and comply with health and safety regulations. Equally, wires will be kept safely away from spills or even cleaning products, avoiding damage to your equipment.

Simple and cost-effective maintenance

If anything was to happen to your raised floor, it’s often very straightforward to repair. Because the design of the floor means it is made up of individual tiles, this often means single tiles can be swapped out and replaced if needed.

Energy saving

If you’re storing your electricals beneath the floor then you’ll want to make sure they don’t overheat. It’s possible to have a flow of air conditioning travel through the space in the floor, which is much more efficient than cooling the entire room. You’ll lose less energy and save money, all while keeping your computers in optimal condition.

If your systems above the floor are also prone to overheating, then extending the cool air to flow above the tiles is also possible and much more effective than a traditional air conditioner that might sit high up on the walls.

Improved organisation

The individual tiles effectively offer you a neat way to compartmentalise different systems. When performing maintenance, you can quickly find the areas you need if you have a labelled floor plan in place. This is especially useful for businesses that use many different servers or have had difficulties in the past with technicians accessing hard to reach areas.

Adding Vinyl Planks and Carpet Tiles

Carpet tiles and looselay vinyl planks obviously have the same modular benefits of raised access floors, so it is easy to replicate the benefits of being able to access individual sections.

Office design colours for employee well-being and productivity

Colour paint pots

What office design colours are good for your employees’ well-being and productivity? This article explores the best colours to use on the floors and walls to make your employees work hard but also stay calm.

When it comes to designing an office space, there’s often a lot of thought put into what colours should be used. Previously, there have been two main industry trends in business colour schemes. One is for neutral colours, and the other was for the company’s brand colours to be used within the workplace.

There’s one specific problem with these types of colour schemes. Both can result in poor work performance, poor employee well being, and ultimately less productivity.

Sullen moods

Another problem is that what demotivates men and women can be different. A study by the University of Texas found that bland grey, beige and white in the office can make female workers feel gloomy and depressed. In contrast, purple and orange spaces are more likely to make men feel gloomy.

So bland colours are likely to make female workers less productive. And if you have any purple or orange incorporated into your branding and then your office space, it could have the same impact on the men in your workplace.

Basic colour choices that can emulate nature

Using natural colour schemes within your workspace can be an effective way to boost productivity. For some this means using more organic materials within the design like wooden benches, desks and chairs. But the colour schemes around the office should also be integrated into a natural feeling for the office.

When choosing the colour schemes for the office walls and your commercial flooring, you could also emulate the outside. You can use accents of restful green as part of the flooring plan, and introduce a calming blue on the walls to represent open spaces. These two colours are the most common colours seen in nature.

Blue is particularly good for those working in jobs that require maximum focus like administration or project work. Blue helps to focus the mind and allows workers to concentrate. Green is great as a calming influence on workers. It is used as it is a balance between the primary colours and doesn’t strain eyes. It also helps create a calm environment, so those that work in stressful positions might benefit from a little green in the office.

Getting the heart pumping

However, you don’t want your employees always calm and relaxed. They sometimes need to be alert in their roles. Those that would really benefit from red colouring in the office would be those that are very physical like personal trainers and sales people.

Red can also be good to use in office designs sparingly to draw attention to specific points rather than a general colour scheme. However, red is also known to increase blood pressure and even tension within the workplace. Therefore, if you are trying to create a more harmonious workspace, then you need to stay away from red.

Yellow is another good colour for those looking to increase emotion in the workspace. Yellow is great for energising employees and increasing productivity. It is also the perfect colour if you work in a creative industry, or there is a need to have some optimism put into the work day.

Photo: Color. by DenisenFamily licensed under Creative Commons 4.0

Why we use antron® yarn

Freedom Storm using antron yarn

Why have we used antron® 6.6 yarn in our Freedom Collection? It’s because we know that carpets made using this quality material are especially durable and easy to clean, and in the Freedom Collection, we are offering you designs that we know you will want to stand the test of time.

Here are three key points to note when it comes to using antron fibres and that are especially applicable to antron® 6.6.

1. Longer lasting

When creating office designs, you want them to last a long time. The more frequently you have to replace them, the less value that the commercial flooring is for your business. Antron® yarn is expected to last 75% longer than other flooring options. This means that costs are reduced. Using antron® 6.6 and combining it with a Heavyweave™ structure, means Duraflor can offer its longest ever guarantee – 20 years for products in the Freedom Collection.

Part of the success of carpets made with antron® yarn is their ability to resist heat and deformation. In addition, the carpet will not be compressed as much by foot traffic in your office. By the way it protects itself, antron® yarn can retain texture much better than nylon carpet options.

2. Soil resistant

At home, people might take their shoes off, but in commercial premises, shoes are rarely removed. This can often means that debris from the outside can be brought into the office space and left on carpets and commercial flooring around the building. For some carpets, this can be very damaging and it doesn’t look very good to visitors on the site.

Carpets made from antron® fibre do a better job of hiding soil, sand and other small debris bought into your building from outside. At the same time, antron® fibre can also be easier to clean. Therefore, maintenance and cleaning will take up less time.

3. Stain resistance

Commercial flooring can take a lot of punishment. Another one of the most common problems that business owners have is spills on their flooring. Commercial carpets are very prone to coffee and tea stains. And, with more workers now eating lunch at their desk to complete work during breaks, the risk of food spillage is high. Stains on the floor don’t look good and are unhygienic.

However, antron® fibre is less permeable than other fibres used to create commercial flooring. This makes this material up to ten times better at resisting stains.

All this offers you a better return on investment when designing your commercial space. We especially wanted our Freedom Range of Pavement, Storm, Bark, Rainfall, and Compound to stand the test of time, as we know that these designs will be popular as much in the future as they are now.

Flooring definitions used in the commercial flooring industry

Concrete floor and wall

This article looks at some of the flooring definitions often banded around in the construction industry.

Definition of terms

A floor basically represents the lower horizontal surface of any structure that provides the foundation for laying finishes. By definition, the floor can be made of different kinds of material.

Floor loading

For the design of a floor to be structurally sound, the floor must be able to support weight exerted on it by various loads. In the design of a floor, two types of loads come into play, the live load and the dead load.

The dead load represents the weight of all the permanent items such as the screed while the live load will represent the temporary items such as furniture or even people that exert pressure on the floor.

According to experts in the design of floors for dead loads, there should be a minimum provision of 2.5Kn/m2 when designing floors above the ground with a provision of 3kN/m2 for those at or below the ground floor level. For the live loads, a provision of 7.5kN/m2 over approximately 5% of each potentially sub-lettable floor area.

Types of floors

Floating floors

When constructing a floating floor, various floor pieces are joined together for support without offering any fixed attachment with the underlying base. This type of floor is frequently used in refurbishment work and has an array of advantages over other kinds of floors. The design of the floor allows for creativity, making it ideal if you plan on giving your office floor a decorative makeover. Based on the material, the floor can also provide excellent floor insulation.

Sprung floor

Regarding design, sprung floors stand out by having properties such as shock and noise absorption. Developed in around the 1870s the floor is designed for use in areas where activities such as dancing or even indoor sports usually take place. There are various kinds of sprung floors with each custom made to enhance certain properties depending on the use to maximise performance. It is important to note that sprung floors usually are not fixed to the substrate during construction.

Separating floor

This type of floor is designed with a unique purpose of acting as a barrier to absorb and restrict sound from passing from either below or under the floor. A separating floor can be made of a variety of materials ranging from concrete to even timber frames. The materials used should, however, pass the standards set out in the building and construction regulations.

Raised floor

During the construction of a raised floor, instead of placing the floor directly on the horizontal base, spacers are used to create a void between the actual floor and the base. In a design perspective, the void is very useful as it allows for the distribution of essential building services such as electricity and water. The voids can also be filled with heat insulating material.

Sources:

Resistance to sound – Government Document

Designing Buildings Wiki.

Could playful design deliver a positive ROI in the workplace?

Playful design image pool table and Duraflor Axis on floor

This article examines the evidence that introducing a “playful” environment in the traditional workplace can result in more productive employees, reduced absenteeism and increased employee retention.

Playful design is one of the concepts which has received increasing attention in the past few years. Evidence from a range of studies shows that introducing an element of playfulness into the workplace can have a number of benefits. The problem for facilities managers is to ensure that any elements of playful design not only complements the existing workplace culture, but is also in keeping with business activities. Plus, it needs to include the functional advantages required to deliver value.

What the research shows about a playful work environment

A number of studies have shown that working in an environment which gives the opportunity to combine work-related activities with recreational ones can have a longer term, beneficial effect. It’s clear from medical research that the physiological changes which occur due to negative emotions (boredom, frustration, anger) can bring about a range of unpleasant medical conditions. Not only can this increase absenteeism, but employees who are unhappy at work are also more likely to look for alternative employment, with a subsequent financial cost to the organisation. Studies also show that employees who are in an environment that encourages creativity, fun and collaboration demonstrate a higher level of productivity than employees working in a more mundane ambience.

What would playful design look like?

Obviously, the need to incorporate elements of play into workplace design needs to be tempered with practical considerations. Any fresh commercial flooring, paint, furniture or accessories need to offer excellent value, as well as demonstrate high quality, longevity, easy maintenance and safety.

Flooring can certainly have a role to play in creating a playful environment. Whether it is through palettes that provide bright, primary colours and the opportunity to create striking geometric patterns, contrasts and engaging accents, through the use of commercial carpet tiles. Or simply modern durable vinyls and attractive safety flooring which offer practical safety and ease of maintenance solutions in recreational areas.

Playful design can be economical

Often a few changes are all that’s needed to the workplace interior to achieve an engaging ambience. Popular alterations when it comes to flooring include adding individual floor tiles in bright, vibrant hues (these can be placed randomly, providing a cheerful accent without requiring a total floor replacement).

Also considering the purchase of furniture accessories including bleachers, games (ping pong tables are a staple in many corporations which have embraced a playful work culture) and items such as sweet dispensers and on brand feature walling that will reflect the company’s ethos.

Could a playful work environment make a difference to the corporate bottom line?

Any decision on resources needs to be weighed against the potential effect on profitability. What the research tells us is that, although there is little benefit in the shorter term, over months and years, the effect on employee attendance, productivity, satisfaction and retention through the introduction of a playful working environment can be enormously positive.

 

Image shown on this page is kindly supplied by Zentura – read our case study.