For business owners, success starts from the ground up, literally. Whether it’s a high-end boutique, a bustling restaurant, or a busy office, the type of flooring installed can either support the business… or sabotage it.
It’s not just about aesthetics. The wrong flooring can lead to costly maintenance, safety hazards, or worse, a first impression that turns customers away. So how do you choose the right material in a sea of vinyl planks, carpet tiles, laminates, and hardwoods?
We spoke with TrustDALE Certified Partner Sha Reason of After Five Floors, who broke down the biggest flooring mistakes businesses make, and how to get it right from day one.
Traffic, Traffic, Traffic: Know What Your Floors Are In For
The first question every business owner should ask: “How much foot traffic are we expecting?” From there, everything else falls into place.
High-traffic environments (think restaurants, retail stores, or medical offices) require flooring that’s durable, water-resistant, and easy to maintain. Vinyl composite tile (VCT) and its more modern cousins, luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and luxury vinyl tile (LVT), are workhorses in this category. They’re tougher than they look and often mimic wood, stone, or ceramic at a fraction of the cost.
Skipping this durability check can backfire fast. One common pitfall? Small restaurant owners trying to cut costs by installing residential laminate or unsealed flooring. The result: floors peeling apart from moisture damage before the grand opening month is even over.
Location Isn’t Just Real Estate… It’s a Flooring Factor
Believe it or not, where your business is physically located plays a huge role in choosing the right surface. Got an asphalt parking lot outside your door? That means oil, grit, and grime are coming in with every step. In those cases, carpet near the entrance isn’t just a bad idea, it’s an expensive one.
Sha recommends using a combination of walk-off mats and hard-surface materials near entryways to absorb and trap grime before it’s dragged deeper inside. Without that buffer, even high-performance floors can suffer long-term damage.
Look Good, Last Long: The Aesthetic Equation
While durability is critical, don’t discount the design. Your flooring sets the tone of your business from the moment a customer walks in. Is it clean and modern? Soft and welcoming? Or scuffed, peeling, and sad?
A floor should hold up under pressure and look good doing it – especially 6 or 12 months after installation. Today’s commercial flooring options offer a range of styles, from bold carpet tiles that help with sound absorption to realistic wood-look vinyl planks that clean up beautifully.
But it’s not just about visuals. Ask yourself: Will this material still look good after thousands of steps, spills, or scrapes? Will it be easy to maintain with the right cleaning supplies? Those are the questions that lead to long-term savings—not just upfront sticker satisfaction.
Bonus Insight: Leasing? Read the Fine Print
If you’re leasing your commercial space, it’s critical to know who’s responsible for flooring replacement or repair. Don’t assume the landlord will cover it. Lease duration also matters: installing a 15-year floor for a 3-year lease might not make financial sense.
Sha advises working with flooring professionals who ask the right questions up front, from traffic and moisture to lease terms and layout. That way, you’re investing in something that fits your real-world needs, and not just your dream office Pinterest board.
Final Thoughts: A Floor That Works as Hard as You Do
Choosing the right flooring is more than a design decision. It’s an investment in your brand, your customer experience, and your bottom line. Cut corners now, and you may be paying the price with repairs, lost business, or costly do-overs.
Need help finding flooring that balances style, durability, and budget? Visit TrustDALE.com to connect with certified pros like After Five Floors. They’ll come to your space, bring samples, offer a written quote, and make sure your floor is built to last – from day one, to ten years down the road, and beyond.
