While flooring considerations for your home or commercial space always require thought, high-traffic areas need that extra bit of legwork. This is because these areas are typically subjected to a lot more pressure from constant footfall, furniture or equipment wear. 

In a home scenario, it’s usually the hallway and living room floors that need to withstand high traffic. While in a commercial set-up, it is all the more imperative to have flooring that takes on everyday heavy wear and tear. Imagine bustling office lobbies, busy hospitals or airport terminals. 

Below is a useful guide to help you choose the right flooring for your high-traffic space – keeping in mind both functionality and design. 

This goes without saying. Look for flooring options that are known for being highly durable and resistant to wear and tear. The starting point, of course, is to consider the space and purpose of the floor. Floors like engineered wood flooring, laminate flooring and vinyl are perfect for high-traffic areas in homes and regular offices. However, commercial spaces that see heavy impact like a warehouse, will need a sturdier flooring material, like concrete, for instance.

High-traffic areas tend to accumulate much more dirt and spills, so it’s important to choose a floor that’s easy to clean. It’s best to avoid floors that stain easily or require too much polishing and waxing. Opt for scratch and stain-resistant floors that will make life much easier.

Click vinyl floors come out tops in this regard. These hardy floors are comparatively low-maintenance and just need regular sweeping and mopping to keep them looking good for years. These floors often come with a hardy multi-layer construction – that offers exceptional resistance to scratches and stains. 

We are not talking about water resistance alone, but fully waterproof, which makes the floor impervious to any kind of spill. Especially in areas prone to watery mishaps, moisture and humidity, such as bathrooms or restaurant kitchens, it is imperative to have floors that can withstand it all.  

With recent breakthroughs in vinyl technology, the waterproofing abilities of this versatile material is simply outstanding. 

Whether in homes or commercial spaces, safety is a major priority, especially where there are children and elderly people concerned. Choose flooring options that are slip-resistant and meet all the safety standards, to reduce the risk of accidents. Some floors like luxury vinyl and engineered wood are slip-resistant, while some others can be treated with an anti-slip coating. Some flooring like Tiles, while being hardy and durable are a huge slip-risk. 

Since high-traffic areas are subjected to a lot of footfall, opt for floors that feel warm and comfortable underfoot. 

While functionality and performance are important, that doesn’t mean a compromise on aesthetics. Look for high-performing floors that also offer you a wide range of colours, textures and designs to suit your taste and style.  

Now that we’ve gone through the checklist, let’s look at some of the preferred floors for high-traffic areas.

When it comes to durability, comfort, style and affordability, laminate ticks all the boxes. This floor is great at withstanding high foot traffic and is scratch-resistant while being comfortable to walk on. However, it is not the best option in areas exposed to too much moisture. Living rooms or an office lobby will benefit from this type of flooring.

Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP) and Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) are taking the flooring world by storm. And for good reason too. They look exactly like natural materials, such as wood or marble, but without the expense and fragilities of the real thing. 

With LV, you get floors that are packed with a strong core and many layers, which makes it 100% waterproof and extremely durable. It’s also stain, slip and scratch-resistant, making it ideal for busy commercial spaces and homes alike. LV is also comfortable and warm underfoot, while being noise-resistant. The best part? It comes in so many design, colour and texture combinations that you can customise your space any way you wish. 

They are also very quick and easy to install and maintain. Click vinyl flooring, in fact, is surprisingly effortless to install. While it seems perfect in every respect, LV floors might not be the best option for heavy-impact commercial applications.

A timeless material, wood is a much-coveted flooring option and is known to withstand high-traffic. But it comes with certain disadvantages that make it seem like an overwhelming choice. Engineered wood might be a better choice in this case, since it tries to eliminate some of these disadvantages by being more cost-effective and water-resistant – while sporting all the sturdiness of solid wood. 

Carpet has come a long way over the years, and its soft and cushiony feel makes it a comfortable option for high-traffic areas. For those worried about its upkeep and maintenance, carpets now also come in stain-proof, spill-proof, and pet-proof variants. 

In certain spaces, like gyms, for instance, rubber floors make the most sense. Not only is it resistant to the impact of heavy loads, its cushiony effect helps prevent fatigue. Rubber floors have the added advantage of reducing noise. But it is definitely more of a functional floor than an aesthetic one, with limited design and finish options.

When it comes to commercial flooring for high-traffic areas, other popular options include Terrazzo and Tiles, but these are typically cold underfoot and are a slipping hazard.

Choosing the right floor for high-traffic areas is essential to ensure long-lasting and optimal performance. With Flooring Factory Outlet, you can even save up to 70% while having a wide array of flooring options to choose from. If you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to call us on 020 3004 6630 or email us at [email protected]