A Guide To Commercial Vinyl Flooring

Customers often contact us to ask the question: what actually is commercial flooring? With this in mind, we thought it would be beneficial to talk about the different types of commercial flooring available (often called contract, industrial or safety flooring), what makes them different from domestic vinyl flooring and how and when you would use them. As you will see, there are a lot of options available and without the right guidance, you could easily end up with the wrong flooring in the wrong place, which can become very expensive.

What is the difference between domestic and commercial vinyl?

One of the main differences is that a domestic vinyl is made up of different layers that are effectively stuck together, whereas commercial vinyl is often (but not always) formed using a single thickness of material.

When it comes to commercial vinyl flooring, most will be familiar with the big brand names like Altro, Polyflor, Forbo and Tarkett as they have been around a long time and have a reputation for their quality and durability. Generally speaking, a commercial vinyl from any one of these manufacturers will help provide a safe, slip-resistant floor for your staff and customers.

A guide to slip resistance

One of the most important factors for commercial flooring used in public areas or in the workplace is slip resistance. The flooring is thoroughly tested and given an "R rating" of between R9 (the lowest level) and R13 (the highest). But which R rating do you need?

How hard wearing?

Now we know a little about slip resistance, it is also worth bearing in mind that commercial vinyl is highly resistant to scratches, dents and scuffs, so much so that many manufacturers like Tarkett provide an impressive 10 to 20 year warranty for their vinyl. Homogeneous vinyl is waterproof, it can be turned up the walls (known as cap and cove) to provide a waterproof join between the floors and the walls and it can be heat welded to form a single continuous floor. This type of professional installation requires a trained professional with specialist tools and knowledge - it's not something that is recommended for DIY.

I need a commercially rated vinyl but want a nice pattern

Several manufacturers like Polyflor and Forbo offer a range of patterned commercially rated vinyls. They achieve this by making them thinner (with less of a spongy cushioned layer) and therefore less likely to puncture or tear, with a built-in patterned layer and an enhanced wear layer of 0.70mm. With an R10 slip resistance rating they are suitable for commercial use and achieve HSE compliance. Good examples include the Eternal wood range from Forbo or the Secura range from Polyflor, both suitable for domestic or commercial use.

What about the cost? Are commercial vinyl floors much more expensive?

The short answer is no, not always. We have a huge range of domestic vinyls from just £6.95 per m² for our budget ranges up to £20+ per m² for our more luxurious designer ranges. Most are available in 2m wide but some come 3m or 4m wide, so you can order the size that best fits your room and save some money.

When looking at commercial ranges like Altro Walkway or Tarkett Safetred, we have some bargain rolls in our clearance section from just £14.95 per m² - a huge saving compared to the RRP. Do bear in mind that a lot of the Altro, Tarkett, Polyflor and Forbo commercial vinyl ranges are only made in a 2m wide roll as they would simply be far too heavy to handle in a 3m or 4m wide roll.

What about the cost of those wider patterned commercial vinyl ranges?

There are some really good options available here. Check out our Polyflor Secura or Designatex ranges (from £20.95 per m²) or our Ultragrip Xtreme Vinyl (from just £16.95 per m²) - they are all available in 2m, 3m or 4m wide rolls, are commercially rated and have an R10 slip resistance rating so you can get that floor covered without breaking the bank.

Do I need special adhesives for my commercial vinyl flooring?

Yes you do. It is always best to fully stick down your vinyl using an approved adhesive such as our A300 vinyl adhesive by Bostik - a handy sized 6kg tub covers up to 24 m² and is the recommended professional's choice. We also sell the F Ball & Co. F44 vinyl adhesive in either a 1 ltr, 5 ltr or the larger 15 ltr tubs, with coverage of approximately 4 m² per litre.