Author: Kelly Pedone

FM Issue: November December 2018

It’s one of the most basic elements of any facility, and the one that is used by every person who enters a building. Flooring may not be the sexiest part of facility design, but attention to what guests step on when entering a building is becoming one of the most essential design decisions architects and designers make.

Function, maintenance, durability, and fashion are all things to take into consideration when either creating a new facility or upgrading an existing one. Whether choosing carpet, polished concrete or resilient surfaces such as linoleum, flooring designers have stepped up their game to help managers satisfy discriminating customers.

Color and texture continue to exert a strong influence on user perceptions. Some designers try to strike a balance between “unique” and “timeless,” but others opt for lively, trendy shades such as hot pink, teal, and electric blue.

A variety of options exist to create a more exciting look with flooring – various color palettes, inclusion of logos or artwork, and combining different flooring materials in various patterns. In addition to morphing aesthetic demands, building owners, and operators look for higher levels of sustainability.

Either way, flooring decisions are essential to not only setting the tone of a facility but for providing a workable space that can take the pounding of all the feet that travel through the space each year.

“It’s a welcoming point,” says Kristy Jones, Marketing Development Manager for Royal Thai. “The right flooring can help establish a brand when trying to sell the space to potential clients.”

Opening Statement

For many entities, a public facility may be the primary opportunity for officials to make an impression on visitors. Business travelers tend to spend time in hotels and convention centers so facility operators have made a move toward making a statement through the type of flooring they choose. This is especially true of convention centers, where there are long hallways of vast, empty space. The popularity of allowing in more natural light by way of windows and skylights allows for the opportunity to become more artistic by placing specific attention to the details of flooring. It helps set a tone or feeling for their guests.

“You want to create an elegant finish and not something that feels so institutional,” Jones says.

Carpeting is one way for designers to flex their creative muscle. Intricate designs and use of color and texture help make that statement.

Design options are endless, when it comes to carpet flooring. Placing an emphasis on carpeting allows facility designers the opportunity to be creative and tie together an entire space while demonstrating brand personality.

The more popular designs for Royal Thai, Jones says, are the creation of a city grid or what may be considered a timeless geometric design or use of various eye-catching colors. Some facilities have installed carpeting with a city logo or a team mascot. At McCormick Place in Chicago, for example, the carpet design is an architectural interpretation of a “windy” city block whereas the convention center in Broward County used a more literal design with images of sea creatures swimming through the hallways.

Earth tones, blues, and greens continue to be the most used colors.

Of course, carpet comes with some concerns – durability and maintenance. Anything placed on the floor must be able to hold up to hundreds of thousands of feet scuffling across it each year. Spills, tears, and fading are all issues that facility managers must consider. Attention to sustainable cleaning practices may sway some away from carpet, due to chemicals needed to keep it looking nice. Additionally, flooring installation can be a big hit to the budget, so a product needs to last a minimum of 12 to 13 years. New manufacturing processes have helped to alleviate those worries by producing products that are long-lasting and many that require no chemicals to clean.

Axminster, a brand used by Royal Thai, is created through a manufacturing process that weaves together pile and backing yarns to create a durable surface. Randall Thrasher, New Business Development Manager for Forbo Flooring Systems, offers Flotex, which is woven so that yarns stand straight up eliminating the appearance of “traffic lanes.” The other advantage of Flotex, Thrasher says, is that it is more comfortable to stand on since the fibers are standing up, creating a softer, more comfortable feel and is washable with water.

One of the more popular ways to include carpet in a large space is by using carpet tiles that are pieced together to create a design.

Carpet tiles account for about 55 to 60 percent of carpeting contract sales. Tile products offer design flexibility and are easily replaced when worn or damaged since only the effected spot, or tile, can be changed out instead of relaying an entire floor. Additionally, many tile products no longer require adhesives. “The carpet tile market has doubled the last 10 years,” Thrasher says. “Whether using traditional rolls of carpeting or tiles, more facilities view their entry ways as a large canvas to make a statement.

“You only have one chance to make a first impression. If it’s bland and plain, people will remember. I do think that attendees appreciate it was designed to be blended to fit with the environment.”

Performance Quality

Creating a wow factor in regard of aesthetics is not the only consideration building designers and operators make when it comes to flooring. Decisions on function are more of the nuts and bolts of flooring selections. Whether for a trade show floor, back-of-house, concession area, or a stage, flooring is designed with a purpose.

Brian Phillips, President of Productions Unlimited in South Carolina, developed a product for live performance stages to answer a need of theater consultants seeking a more durable surface over traditional hardwood stage floors.

The product, polyonyx+, is a blend of polymers that is solid black all the way through eliminating the need to be sanded or painted after use. Hardwood floors also tend to warp and buckle after use.

“The catch for facility managers is the low maintenance aspect,” Phillips says. “Wood floors require a lot of maintenance while (polyonyx+) can take quite a bit of use and abuse.”

While many people like the romance of a wood floor for theater staging, Phillips notes there has been an uptick of interest in polyonyx+ because of its longevity. Tap dancers are especially pleased with the product, he adds, because it has a nice “pop” to it. Other advantages to polyonyx+ are that it can be directly placed over an existing stage floor and it takes latex paint well so can be painted to fit specific colors. Additionally, polyonyx+ has two sides – a smooth and rough side – so it can be used for outdoor staging as well.

Function Over Style

Marmoleum is another product that is durable and low-maintenance. It requires no wax or stripping, doesn’t shrink and can last 30 years. The product is especially popular for convention center exhibition space as well as back-of-house use.

Hard-polished concrete is another trend that many buildings lean toward for multi-use space because of durability and low maintenance. However, Thrasher believes that may slowly be replaced as building managers tire of looking at its bland appearance and also seek something more comfortable to stand on.

“Polished concrete is taking some business away from other options but I believe it will change as people get tired of looking at nothing but a vast sea of battleship gray,” he states.

Whether the space is used for a main entrance or a loading area, more emphasis is being placed on the type of flooring used. Jones says she has worked with building designers who consider their major clients when choosing patterns for their flooring in addition to its longevity.

“Flooring is an essential element in contributing to the aesthetics of a building. It draws your eye and adds to the atmosphere,” Jones says. “You want to create an experience so people remember you and return again and again. Having something eye-catching and unique will cause event planners and attendees to remember your building and will make them want to return.”

Kelly Pedone is a freelance writer based in Charlottesville, Virginia.