What is the best flooring for an office?

Whether you are setting up a new office from scratch or simply refitting an existing one, you have probably already thought about the office flooring. You might be determined to opt for traditional carpet due to its sound-muffling qualities, or you might be looking into whether wood is a practical choice because you simply love the luxurious image it presents. This article aims to give you a quick rundown of some of the most popular types of office flooring, along with their pros and cons.

Carpet

Carpet is a popular choice for offices, particularly carpet tiles. These are affordable, hardwearing, and allow small sections of damage to be replaced without having to lay a whole new carpet. Carpet is great for muffling sound, which is something you might be grateful for if you work in a busy office. It is also warm and comfortable underfoot. If you are fitting out a smaller office, or you want a more luxurious feel, you can switch from the tightly-woven heavy-duty tiles to something with a deeper pile.

Wood

Wood flooring looks great in modern offices and traditional spaces alike. It is the timeless choice and is ideal for luxurious or aspirational brands. While it is hardwearing and can last for decades if well cared for, it is prone to scratching and does not always stand up well to heavy foot traffic without losing its lustre. It is not as noisy as tiles, but it does not have carpet’s sound-absorbing qualities. It is also expensive and will require specialist attention from time to time to keep it looking its best. If you want a luxe finish, however, polished hardwood is hard to beat.

Vinyl or laminate

Both vinyl and laminate floors are available in planks that can be laid quickly and usually fairly easily to modernise any space. Both types of flooring are available in an endless array of colours, finishes and styles, meaning there will definitely be something to suit every taste. Both are hardwearing and require very little in the way of maintenance or specialist attention, if any. They are easy to keep clean and can handle heavy foot traffic. With the right underlay, laminate can absorb a lot of sound, although it will generally not be as quiet as vinyl. These are good choices for busy offices, but you might find them too noisy if you have a lot of foot traffic.