Carpet Tiles VS Laminate Flooring In Office

Exposed office floor makes around three quarters of the space in the office environment. Making a choice between laminate flooring and carpet tiles as your carpeting material can be at times difficult but here are some major advantages and disadvantages of the two types of flooring materials that will enable you choose the best material for your office:

Laminate flooring

Laminate flooring is a novel invention that has swiped the entire world of flooring by surprise. It is crucial to consider both the pros and cons of this material before arriving at a decision on whether to use laminate flooring for your office or not.

Pros of laminate flooring

Versatility – Laminate flooring can assume the look of a number of hardwood materials, ceramic flooring materials and a number of natural stone. Manufacturers of laminate flooring material are able to produce the natural surface texture of the materials that they mimic.

Cleaning – The top layer of laminate flooring materials protects it from spills and stains making maintenance and cleaning an easy affair. Typically, the only requirements for laminated flooring material is vacuuming and sweeping to get rid of dirt and grit that will erode the floor after some time.

Installation – The installation of this material on floors is the easiest project you can attempt. New innovations allow you to eliminate the usage of adhesive in fixing the material. All you are required to do is to roll a sheet of laminate flooring material then separate the tiles or planks of the material. You can actually complete the flooring of an entire office in a day or two.

Goes anywhere – Laminate flooring can be placed on almost any type of floor in the office as long as you prevent water from going to the material before installation and you put a moisture barrier in place. This removes the expense and hustle involved in removing old floors before installing new laminate flooring material.

The elements – Laminate material is tolerant to chemical agents that may cause the discoloring of other flooring materials. It also tolerates exposure to UV light.

Health – Laminate materials resist the growing of bacteria and mold on floors. You can use a special anti bacterial coating and allergen to treat laminate flooring thus making them safer.

Cons of laminate flooring

Refinishing – You cannot refinish laminate materials. They have one wear layer and if the wear layer gets damaged, you will have to replace the pieces. Over time, scratches may appear and this will necessitate the replacement of the entire floor.

Sound – Laminate materials produce hollow sounds as you walk on them. This sound can be irritating at times.

Environmental concerns – Some health professionals have shown concern over using formaldehyde to make laminate flooring materials. The professionals claim that such a chemical might lower the air quality when used for a long time.

Lifespan – Laminate materials might be damaged by water and the quality depends on wear layer and thickness. You should take a lot of precaution while installing laminate materials to avoid losing the warranty.

Carpet tiles

There are some circumstances that do demand the use of carpet tiles in the flooring of an office but before you consider purchasing this type of material, first look at the pros and cones of the material that includes:

Pros of carpet tiles 

a) These types of materials are small in size and easily manageable. This makes the material easy to carry to the site of installation.

b) Carpet tiles offer a lot of convenience during installation. You do not require any adhesive material like glue as the surface of the tiles can stick on an existing floor. You require simple instruments to make correct measurements for the carpet floor. Such tools include measuring tape, scissors, knives and alignment tool.

c) Carpet tiles are less costly as compared to laminate floors. You can therefore reinstall new ones whenever the old ones are damaged.

d) They last longer depending on how they are used.

e) There is no need of removing existing floors before installing carpet tiles. You can add the tiles on top of any floor.

f) Carpet tiles are water resistant and easy to clean

Cons of carpet tiles

a) Carpet tiles do not create a beautiful environment in the offices if you compare them to laminate flooring materials.

b) The seams between the tiles are at times visible depending on the expertise of the installer.

c) The tiles can easily crack and rise up the surface due to lots of traffic in the office

The perfect choice for your flooring material will depend on the proximity of your office to a manufacturer and practical factors such as durability, convenience and cost. You should consider the pros and cons of both the carpet tiles and laminate flooring materials and make an intelligent decision.