When should I use commercial grade flooring?

Most people can spot the differences between different flooring materials. However, when it comes to understanding what makes commercial grade flooring different to residential, far fewer people will be sure.

The essential difference is that commercial grade flooring is the more hard-wearing and durable, so when should you opt for this over standard residential floor choices?

If it’s an office space

An office space will have a lot of people walking across its floors during a typical day. Everyone from members of staff to clients will do so each day while wearing either shoes or boots.

Office spaces are also likely to have heavy furniture and equipment placed on their floors. That will cause further wear and tear and make commercial grade floor options like luxury vinyl tiling (LVT) or carpet tiles the most effective and durable floor choice.

If it’s a shop

Again, the floors of a shop will experience large volumes of traffic. The people using them will range from employees to suppliers and customers, and all those feet would cause residential floors to get scuffed and damaged. Furthermore, in places like Chester and Wrexham in Northern England and Wales, there is a lot of rain, and wet, muddy shoes will inevitably make for dirty floors.

Shop floors also have to be able to withstand trolleys of goods being moved across them on a frequent basis. Many shops choose laminate as a hardwearing floor option that is quick to clean and fairly cheap to install.

If it’s a kitchen area

Commercial grade flooring solutions can be best for busy kitchen spaces too. These floors will be at heavy risk of spillages and grease stains, which means that they need to be easy to keep clean.

For that reason, tiling tends to be a common choice of commercial grade flooring for kitchens in restaurants and hotels. Tiles can be wiped clean at the end of the day without fuss, and are resistant to staining.

If you have pets or children

Although the name ‘commercial grade flooring’ may imply that it is just for businesses, there are situations where it can be the smart option in a home.

If you have young children, pets, or both, this will inevitably increase the risk of damage to carpeted floors, so vinyl or laminate will be safer.

If you want advice about commercial grade floors, start by contacting a specialist that can handle every stage of the process.

What is the best thickness for engineered flooring?

Engineered wood is a popular type of flooring, but many do not know precisely what the difference between it and solid wood flooring is.

The primary difference is that solid wood floors are entirely made of natural wood, while engineered ones combine a top layer of real hardwood with underlying layers of softer ones such as plywood.

Precisely how thick the layers should be is something else that’s not widely known. In fact, a number of issues will determine the thickness needed.

Will the room have underfloor heating?

If the engineered floor is being fitted on top of underfloor heating, it is generally best not to go for maximum thickness. In practice, that means no more than 15mm for all of the layers combined.

In this situation, the hardwood oak top layer should be on the thinner side of what is typical – roughly 3mm in thickness. If the engineered wood layers are too thick it will make it harder for the warmth from the underfloor heating to spread through the room efficiently.

How often will the room be used?

The amount of footfall the floor is likely to experience is another factor that will determine how thick the different layers need to be. This is particularly true if the floor is for commercial premises rather than a home, because then everybody walking on it will be wearing shoes.

That can lead to the hardwood veneer layer of the floor becoming scuffed and marked, which will be unsightly. Opting for a top layer of around 6mm thickness will ensure that the floor can be periodically sanded and refinished without wearing away.

Is it a replacement floor?

If the engineered wood is being put in to replace a previous floor, the easiest option is to go with a thickness that closely matches the old one.

A big disparity between the two will mean that everything from the height of the door in the room to the skirting boards would also have to be adjusted to accommodate the different thickness. Whether the floor is being fitted in a house or the premises of a business, this is a process that will cause a lot more disruption, as well as increasing the overall cost of the new floor.

If you are still unsure about what you need, it will make sense to talk to a flooring company with a good reputation and long experience of installing engineered floors.

Carpet recycling conference to discuss circular economy

A key topic at the Carpet Recycling UK’s (CRUK) annual conference, which is to be held next month, will be the circular economy.

The main principles of the circular economy are the elimination of pollution and waste, and the reuse of materials at the end of a product’s life. CRUK is a not-for-profit organisation that is decreasing the number of worn carpets that are sent to landfill sites. The latest data from CRUK shows that the number of carpets sent to landfills has been reduced by 65%.

The conference members will discuss the latest circular initiatives and technologies that make carpets more sustainable, reduce waste and promote recycling. A new circular design award will be given at the 2022 conference that recognises achievements in the circular economy.

In a statement, CRUK Scheme Manager Adnan Zeb-Khan said:

“Our packed two-day conference programme highlights the sector’s clear change in attitudes and commitment towards sustainable solutions and progress towards creating more circular opportunities within the sector.”

Zeb-Khan said that there has been a significant increase in enquiries to CRUK from carpet companies that have concerns about their business’ environmental impact.

There are several ways to dispose of carpets in Chester. If replacing a carpet, the carpet installer or shop may take away the old carpet. The council will collect the carpet for a small fee. If the carpet is still useable, people can contact Freecycle, which arranges for household items to be given away for free to others in need of them.

The Carpet Recycling UK’s annual conference is set to be held on June 29th and 30th.

Polonaise carpet sells for over £2 million

At a recent auction at Christie’s, a polonaise carpet once owned by the Rothschild family was sold for £2,322,000.

Polonaise carpets were the most common type of carpet exported from Persia in the 16th and 17th centuries. The highest quality carpets of the period were made during the reign of Shah Abbas (1587-1629), who was enthusiastic about premium-quality carpets made in Isfahan.

The carpet was made in Persia around the 16th or 17th century. Baron Rothschild (1823-1900) once owned the carpet and, after his death, it became the property of Maurice de Rothschild. For the last 50 years, a German noble family has owned it. It is a fine example of a high-quality polonaise carpet, boasting a floral arabesque pattern, corner and central medallions and strongly defined borders. The carpet is knotted with gold and silver brocade. Due to the carpet's age, the colours have faded, but this did not put the winning bidder off paying over £2 million.

People choosing carpets for Chester, Wrexham and North Wales homes who love classic designs that are similar to Persian patterns don’t have to pay over £2 million. High-quality wool carpets are available for much less. Modern dyeing technology means that the carpet’s colours will not fade.

Unlike the polonaise carpet, new carpets will not be worth a fortune after a century or two, but a decent-quality carpet will last a few decades, provided it is cleaned regularly and any spills are wiped up promptly.

Nightclub enjoys benefits of new carpet

The Acapulco nightclub in Halifax decided to replace its worn-out 20-year-old carpet. It was cut up into many pieces, which were sold to fans of the nightclub to raise money for charity. A new carpet has now been installed, and it has an almost identical pattern to the old carpet.

In a statement, the owner of the nightclub, Simon Jackson, explained why he tried to try to find a carpet with the same pattern as the old one:

“The iconic carpet is recognised throughout Halifax, therefore we didn’t want to change the carpet pattern, although we could not get the exact match as the previous carpet company no longer exists.”

The nightclub has many visitors each week, which is why a premium-quality, durable carpet was required. To prolong its life, at the end of every busy week, the carpet is professionally cleaned. The carpet was manufactured locally as the nightclub has a policy of supporting the local economy. The layout of the club is complex, and required expert fitters to install the carpet.

Visitors to the Acapulco are impressed by the new carpet and are glad that the old carpet was replaced, as it had a reputation for being very sticky and smelly

When it’s time to replace old, worn carpets in North Wales and Chester rooms, there are a wide range of colours and patterns available. If the paintwork and furniture colours are kept, like in the Acapulco nightclub, people can choose a pattern and colour that resembles the old carpet.