Top Carpets & Floors: 5 High-Traffic Flooring Options

Bustling commercial restaurants see it all – from busy waiters and customers to spills and stains of every kind. The floors they require, therefore, must be incredibly hard-wearing. High-traffic flooring options need not be drab or uninspired either. Today, there are plenty of products on the market that emphasise both refined style and toughness. If you are on the lookout for high-traffic flooring options that make sense for your setting, keep reading.

Important Factors to Think About

We all know that durability is going to be the most crucial feature in a floor when it comes to a restaurant or dining establishment. High-traffic areas will experience the most wear and tear from feet, serving carts, impacts from fallen plates and glasses and even abrasion from regular cleaning. The floor you choose will need to handle everything from scratches and scuffs to heavy impacts for years. But one cannot seek high-traffic flooring options that only cater to durability, there are other factors to consider too, such as:

• Chemical resistance from cleaning the surface several times a day.
• Resistance to moisture damage (including liquid and food spills, as well as high humidity and moisture in the kitchen and scullery). Bathrooms will also require a waterproof or highly moisture-resistant floor.
• Resistance to temperature changes. Some floors expand and contract too easily with temperature variations and installing these in a hot kitchen or cold freezer room will simply not work.
• How easy it is to keep the floor clean and hygienic. Floors with a lot of texture or seams that easily trap dirt, grime, food and moisture will contribute to the growth of bacteria or mould which is a health hazard in any environment.
• Anti-slip properties that prevent patrons and staff from falling. It is essential that the floors have some amount of grip so that even while damp, they do not promote slipping and falling.
• The ease of maintenance and repair, as some tiles or planks may face cracks, dents and scratches. Flooring options like tiles and hardwood floors are durable, but once damaged, are exceptionally tricky to fix, which makes them an unpopular choice for some.
• How quickly installation can be completed. Closing a restaurant for an entire week while the floors are overhauled means a loss in profit for the owners, and so finding options that are quick, easy and affordable to install is essential.

With the above features and properties in mind, there are a few flooring options that are known to perform well in restaurants, pubs, bars and other dining establishments.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles

Out of all the high-traffic flooring options available for restaurants, luxury vinyl tiles and planks are a favourite for many. It’s a versatile product that has been around for years and has proven time and time again how well it performs in commercial settings. High-quality LVT floors are waterproof, which makes them an exceptional option for kitchens and areas prone to moisture and humidity. It is a well-rounded product that is incredibly affordable, especially given the fact that it so beautifully mimics wooden planks and ceramic and stone tiles.

Wood-look Laminates

Wood laminates are known for their superior durability, which makes them one of the preferred options for commercial settings such as restaurants. Many wood laminates are highly resistant to water and even feature stain-proof properties. Easy to clean, easy to install, and ultra-easy to maintain, one cannot go wrong with a wood laminate installation. It also creates the warm, natural look and feel of real hardwood, without the drawbacks or the hefty price tag.

Commercial-grade Carpeting

People tend to stay away from carpeting in commercial settings for fear that it won’t last as long, but commercial-grade flooring options on the market are designed specifically for high-traffic areas. Such products feature fibres that are strong and pull-resistant, and many have stain-resistant features too. Commercial carpets are also safer because they are not easy to slip on, but if one should fall, the impact is significantly cushioned.

Discover the latest in flooring innovations now available from Top Carpets and Floors.