Commercial or Naturistic: A Guide To Different Types of Flooring

Constructing a building may be a challenging task as there is so much to work on, from the design to the materials that are to be used in construction. Buildings, may it be for commercial or house use, need to have the best materials for its foundation. And one of the foundations of a building is its flooring.

There are so many materials available in the market that can be used for flooring. It usually depends on the building design and the owner’s preference to choose which type of flooring would be best. Here are some of the different types of tiles, their main materials used and the pros and cons of each type.

In this guide, the types are divided into two categories namely the traditional commercial approach, wherein the primary materials used are those that are manufactured by companies and are sold in commercial markets. The second category is the naturistic approach wherein the elements are taken from nature, mostly from trees.

Traditional commercial Approach

• Ceramic or Tiles – usually made from stones or the common ceramic materials. This is the most common type of flooring used in a majority of the buildings and houses.

Pros: this is a durable type of flooring and is a good investment. Aside from being strong, you can also play with the design of your flooring since tiles and ceramics can be styled into different sizes, shapes, and patterns. Also, it can be pained and comes in different colours so you can play around with the design. Lastly, it is one of the floorings considered to be a good investment since it is easy to clean and with low maintenance needed.

Cons: For tiles, they are usually slippery when wet so it may have some issues with safety. But the good news is with adjustments on the width and size of the tiles; you can lessen being slippery. However, tiles and ceramics can break overtime especially when there are earthquakes. Lastly, it may be a bit costly to have this kind of flooring.

• Vinyl – additives along with resins are the stars for this kind of flooring. It is usually used for small areas, most of the time for home floorings.

Pros: this is one of the types of flooring that costs less. Also, you may play with its design since it comes in different forms like tiles or sheet. And once there is damage to the material, it can quickly be repaired or replaced.

Cons: since it costs less, the quality of this material is not as durable as that of wood or ceramic. Which means that you need to check on the flooring now and then for possible damages for repair or replacement.


• Laminate – laminate flooring is installed through layers of photo paper. These materials go through a process of layering these photo papers to create solid flooring. This kind of flooring is best for small spaces like a small office area or a small pad.

Pros: since it is made from photo paper, you can easily play with designs that you want for the floor of your building. Also, with the help of technology, this type of flooring so far is the easiest one to install plus it is very cost effective and is cheaper compared to other species. Although it costs less, the quality of this product and durability is still good and not compromised.

Cons: one of the downsides of this kind of flooring is the fact that it is not entirely waterproof. Since it is only made from layered photo paper, too much exposure to water may cause damages to the material. With this, it also means that this type of flooring requires high maintenance since you need to check whether the floor is still in good condition every time it gets wet.

Naturistic Approach

• Wood Flooring – materials that are used from wood flooring are usually timber or bamboo. This type of flooring is more on the durability of the content rather than the design. This is more compatible when building houses with a laid-back theme than buildings for commercial use.

Pros: Timber and bamboo are very sturdy kinds of trees which will ensure you durable floorings. Also, this is a suitable type of flooring since the material comes from nature and is not commercially processed.

Cons: The downside of this kind of flooring is that you cannot play much with its design. What you see from the tree is what you get. They are cut to fit the base of the house and cannot be split into different shapes and sizes to create a pattern. Also, since it comes from nature, it is a bit high maintenance considering you need to check the material now and then to avoid termites from eating on them.


• Parquet Flooring – trees like the walnut, cherry, lime, and oak are the standard materials that fall under parquet flooring. They are the hardwoods that are good for constructing patterns for flooring. This is the more preferred kind of flooring in today’s generation since it is a combination of an environmental type of material plus the luxury of being able to put design and pattern on your carpet.

Pros – Like ceramic and tile flooring, you will be able to play with designs with this kind of cement which will give a more dramatic effect on your building.

Cons – although it is better than wood flooring, only a few people can get this type of flooring since it is a bit expensive and high maintenance. The materials used are still taken from trees, so they are prone to termites. You still need to check them now and then to make sure they are still in excellent condition.

These are the usual types of flooring in Singapore. There may be other kinds of flooring that some designers are considering, but these are the common ones.

Always remember that in choosing which type of material to use in your flooring, you should still know your preference. Whether you want to go with a naturistic article or a commercial one, choose which will be perfect for your building. And then decide which type best suits the design of your building, if it’s ceramic, tiles, vinyl, a laminate, wood or parquet.