Access Vs Traditional Flooring: The Better Option for Commercial Spaces

Flooring is a crucial part of any building, be it residential or commercial. It’s obvious that office flooring is different from the ones built in residential environments. They should be designed to hold moderate to heavy foot traffic. That said, the material used for the construction of office flooring should be chosen diligently.

Traditional and Raised Office Flooring

There are two flooring options available if you are looking to build or redo your office flooring – 

(i) Raised or Access Flooring and (ii) Traditional Flooring.

Traditional flooring is the type of flooring, and we all know how it is built. The floor is laid on a flat surface. On tile floors, the tiles or planks are installed on the solid (concrete/wood/plyboard) subfloor by applying thin-set mortar to the tile back. There is no empty space between the substrate and the floor surface.

Raised or access flooring is an innovative method of building office floors. Its surface is higher than the subfloor surface, and there is plenty of empty space under the flooring panels. This space is used for hiding cables, wires, pipes, and ducts and enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the office interior. This space also helps streamline the distribution cabling and wires.

Access vs Traditional Office Flooring

Installation –

Concrete floors are built on the subsoil. A concrete mixture is poured on the floor, spread to the length and breadth of the area to be floored, and allowed to set for 24 to 48 hours.

In the access flooring system, a solid and stable platform with pedestals and stringers will be first installed on a sturdy substrate. This is not a DIY job.

Durable –

Concrete flooring is fairly durable once it is allowed to set and cure. It doesn’t crack or chip when dropping utensils and other heavy objects. Access floors are also quite strong and durable, but they are not as robust as traditional concrete surfaces.

Convenience –

Access flooring is designed to have empty spaces under their surface for easy and strategic dispersion of cables, wires, pipes, and ducts. Concrete flooring doesn’t offer this level of convenience.

The amount of convenience you get with raised access flooring is incomparable, especially during repairs and maintenance.

Looking for a trusted office flooring supplier or guidance on selecting the right material? Just drop us a line in the comments section below!