Commercial Flooring Guide

Choosing flooring for a shop, office, salon, rental or café is different from choosing it for your home. The floor has to cope with far more footfall, it will be cleaned harder and more often, and replacing it means closing for a day or two. This guide covers the questions we ask trade customers at our Trafford Park warehouse, and which of our ranges suit which kind of space.

Start with three questions

1. How busy will it be? A small private office and a high-street shop entrance need very different wear ratings.
2. How much water will it see? Think about wet mopping, spills, drinks, rain walked in from outside, and any sinks or toilets.
3. How will you repair it? Some floors can be sanded back. Others need damaged boards or tiles swapped out, so it helps to keep spares.

Laminate: best value for dry, busy areas

Laminate gives you a hard-wearing wood or stone look at a low cost per m², and click-fit boards go down quickly over a suitable underlay. It suits offices, showrooms, waiting rooms and lettings.

The key is the wear rating. Under EN 13329, every laminate has an AC rating and a use class:

• AC1–AC2: domestic use only.
• AC3 (class 31): heavy domestic or light commercial use, such as a hotel bedroom or a small private office.
• AC4 (class 32): general commercial use, such as offices, boutiques and cafés.
• AC5 (class 33): heavy commercial use, such as busy shops, corridors and public buildings.

For most businesses we recommend AC4 or above. The rating is listed on every product page.

Standard laminate has a wood-fibre core, so it doesn't suit areas that are wet-mopped or where water can stand. Water-resistant ranges such as Quick-Step Impressive (with Quick-Step's Hydroseal treatment) cope with spills and standing water on the surface when fitted to the manufacturer's instructions. They are still not suitable for wet rooms or shower areas.

Laminate can't be sanded or refinished. A damaged board is replaced, either by unclicking back to it or by having a fitter cut it out, so order a spare pack from the same batch.

Shop laminate flooring

LVT: the all-rounder where water is a factor

Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is our usual recommendation for kitchens, cafés, salons, retail and anywhere that gets mopped daily. The vinyl itself is waterproof, quiet underfoot and very realistic. We stock two types:

• Click LVT, a rigid-core board that floats like laminate. It is quick to fit and good for refurbishments.
• Glue-down LVT, which is bonded to a smoothed subfloor. It is the most stable choice for heavy traffic, wheeled loads and large open areas, and a single damaged tile can be lifted and replaced.

LVT can't be sanded or refinished. Keep it looking good with the manufacturer's recommended cleaner, use entrance matting to catch grit, and replace any piece that gets damaged. Water can still get under the joints and round the edges if it is left standing, so wipe up floods promptly.

Shop LVT flooring

Sheet vinyl: few joints, easy to clean

Sheet vinyl comes off the roll in wide widths, so a small room can often be covered in one piece with no joints. That makes it practical and economical for staff kitchens, toilets, utility areas and rentals.

True wet rooms, walk-in showers and commercial washrooms are a different job. They need specialist slip-resistant safety flooring, fitted with welded seams and coved up the walls so the whole area is watertight. Standard sheet vinyl and LVT are not designed for that.

Engineered wood: for looks, in dry areas

Engineered wood brings real timber to boardrooms, boutiques and reception areas. Its big advantage is that worn surfaces can be sanded and re-oiled or re-lacquered. How many times depends on the thickness of the top hardwood layer. It does not like water: regular wet mopping or spills can make boards swell, cup or gap, so keep it to dry, lower-traffic spaces.

Quick comparison

Floor	Best for	Water	Repair
Laminate (AC4+)	Offices, showrooms, lettings	Dry areas. Water-resistant ranges for occasional spills	Replace boards
Click LVT	Retail, cafés, refurbishments	Waterproof vinyl. Wipe up standing water	Replace planks
Glue-down LVT	Heavy traffic, large areas	Waterproof vinyl. Wipe up standing water	Lift and replace single tiles
Sheet vinyl	Staff kitchens, toilets, utility rooms	Very good, with few or no joints	Patch or replace sections
Engineered wood	Receptions, boardrooms, boutiques	Keep dry	Sand and refinish

Buying for a business?

We are supply-only. Stock lines are ready for same-day collection from Trafford Park, and you can order samples to check colour and finish before committing. Regular trade buyers can open a TradeFloors account. If you're not sure which floor suits your space, call us on 0161 300 3330 or come in. Our team has over 20 years of combined experience and will give you a straight answer.