How to Choose the Right Floor Covering for Your Workplace
If you’ve been looking for a floor covering for your workplace then you know that it can be a headache to find a floor covering that meets your needs. From choosing the right color to ensuring that you choose a floor covering that’s durable enough to withstand office traffic, there are numerous elements to consider when making your decision.
The questions below will help you narrow down the choices until you find the carpet that best fits your work environment.
1. What is your budget?
As you may have guessed, the first step in making your carpet decision is to set a budget. However, keep in mind that you may want to factor in more than a floor covering’s “sticker price” when considering your budget. It’s often worthwhile to include prospective maintenance costs, as some types of floor covering require more upkeep than others.
2. What is the purpose of the floor covering?
The second broad point that you’ll want to consider is the purpose that the floor covering will serve. Is it a background element that needs to withstand moving chairs and heavy traffic? Is it meant to add a sense of warmth to an office? Is it in an environment such a school or childcare center where children will be spending a significant amount of time sitting or lying on the floor? These questions will help you find a floor covering with the specific functionalities that you need.
3. How durable does the floor covering need to be?
Once you’ve determined the purpose of your floor covering, you’ll also want to think about how durable the floor covering needs to be. Will the floor covering experience wear and tear from frequent traffic? Is there a chance that it will be subject to higher-than-usual levels of dirt or spills? In this case, you might want to consider easy-to-replace carpet tiles, or a stain-resistant synthetic fiber.
4. How often are you planning to clean the floor covering?
If you’re planning to install your floor covering in a high-traffic area, then you’ll probably want to keep in mind that dark colors hide dirt more readily. This means that it’ll be easier to maintain a professional appearance between deep cleanings.
5. Are there allergy or health issues that you need to consider?
Many people don’t realize that carpets can actually help reduce allergy symptoms by filtering out airborne allergens. This means that, when cleaned regularly, carpets can be a benefit to allergy sufferers.
6. What colors and patterns fit best with your workplace environment?
Many people choose floor coverings with neutral or solid colors, in order to avoid creating a distracting workplace environment. However, this decision ultimately depends on the statement that you want to make with your workplace style. If you work with children, then you may want to consider a brighter, more playful style. Or, if you need to impress potential clients, then a subtle, elegant pattern may be a good choice.
7. How much of a factor is environmental sustainability?
Finally, some companies are concerned about the environmental impact of their floor covering choices. In particular, many workplaces need to be careful about complying with LEED certification protocols. If this is the case, then you may wish to look for carpets that are made of recycled materials, and that are processed with minimal chemicals. Fortunately, environmentally friendly carpet choices are plentiful… and carpets made from recycled materials are often durable, which makes them a good investment.
Once you’ve asked yourself these questions, you’ll be ready to move forward with your floor covering decisions. At this point, it’s a good idea find some flooring samples that you can bring to your workplace in order to get an idea of how the floor covering will actually look with your workplace’s unique lighting and color scheme.