The Skinny on Commercial Laminate Flooring
If you visit a flooring showroom, you’re likely to see dozens upon dozens of different laminate options. Before you start shopping, make sure that you’re looking at commercial offerings instead of residential offerings. High-quality commercial laminate is made up of a sequence of durable layers designed to provide superior stability and a long wear life.
Choosing the Right Rating
When it comes to laminate, it’s essential to choose floors with the right AC rating. AC ratings describe the type of traffic that different products can withstand.
- AC1: These floors are ideal for light residential use in spaces such as bedrooms.
- AC2: These floors are designed for moderate residential use in areas such as kitchens and living rooms.
- AC3: These floors are ideal for light commercial traffic or heavy residential traffic.
- AC4: These floors are designed for light-to-moderate commercial use and feature an extra-durable wear layer.
- AC5: These floors are ideal for moderate-to-high traffic commercial buildings such as grocery stores and busy offices.
To ensure the longest possible product life and best installation results, we only carry laminate floors with a rating of AC3 or higher at S&G Carpet and More.
More Options for Your Space
In addition to offering durability, laminate also offers flexibility in both large and small spaces. Laminate floors are available in a variety of plank widths and tile sizes. If you’re working with a very large space, choose long, wide planks or bold tiles. If you’re working with a smaller area, opt for tiles or narrower planks. Choosing planks that are too wide will make a small room look even smaller.
If it’s likely that your floors will get wet on a regular basis, you should also choose flooring designed to repel water. One great option is COREtec, which features a waterproof core. We recommend these floors for commercial kitchens and bathrooms as well as retail spaces with heavy foot traffic.
Matching Laminate to Your Space
Of course, laminate offers a lot of design choices too. It features a decorative layer printed to look like hardwood, stone, tile and an array of other patterns. As you shop, think about the overall feel of your space. Determine what furnishings will be placed on the flooring, and be sure that their upholstery and the flooring don’t clash. It’s a good idea to stick with classic hardwood and stone choices for professional spaces.
