Installing carpets in your office is beneficial in many ways. For one, they can improve safety because they can act as a cushion when someone falls. They can also serve as insulation, both for sound and temperature.
Many modern carpets are also made from sustainable materials, making them the greener choice. Last but not the least, rugs and carpets can enhance your workplace’s aesthetics.
These are just a few of the many advantages of installing carpets in your office. The only question that remains picking the best one for your needs. To help you choose, here are some helpful guidelines:
Factor in the Size of the Space and Foot Traffic
Different areas in your office receive different amounts of foot traffic. For example, more people pass by and use hallways, conference rooms, and common areas like the lobby. Therefore, you need to install more durable carpeting in these areas. If you want, you can opt to install just one kind of carpeting for the entire office and delineate areas using different colours.
The size and shape of the space also matters. For example, decorative rugs are more suited for a private office. Meanwhile, modular carpet tiles are ideal for big spaces like break rooms (which serve more utilitarian purposes).
Choose Something That’s Easy to Maintain
To make sure that your office carpets stay in good shape for years, it’s best to work with commercial cleaning companies for proper maintenance. Nevertheless, even if you’re working with reputable cleaners, it’s best to choose a carpet that’s easy to clean.
Nylon is one of the best carpet materials for commercial use, with a strong fibre structure that can spring back into shape even after cleaning. Wool carpets may look good and feel extra soft, but they’re also more difficult and costly to maintain.
Another thing to consider is the height of the carpet’s pile. Those with longer fibres or thicker piles can hide more dirt and dust. On the one hand, this can minimise the need for frequent cleaning. On the other hand, letting the dirt and dust stay longer may cause undesirable consequences such as allergy attacks. If you ultimately decide on carpets with a thicker pile, make sure that you schedule it for regular cleaning.
Consider Its Colour
As earlier mentioned, carpets can contribute to your office’s aesthetic. Brightly coloured carpets can make a space look more lively, while darker or neutral coloured ones can evoke a more serious, “all-business” atmosphere.
However, aside from the mood that the carpet’s colour can inspire, it’s also important to choose based on practicality. Light colours will show stains faster than darker ones, which means you’ll also be spending more time and money on cleaning. If you don’t like too-dark tones for carpeting, opt for something in the middle like grey or copper brown.
Check the Carpet Classification
It’s one thing to conduct a visual and tactile inspection of a carpet to check its appearance and thickness. It’s another to determine for sure that the carpet is durable enough to stay in great shape for years.
Luckily, there’s something called the Australian Carpet Classification Scheme (ACCS). This is a four-star rating system that shows the quality of the carpet in question based on a series of tests. The more stars, the better the carpet can withstand high foot traffic and normal wear-and-tear. Therefore, using the ACCS, a four-star carpet is what you need for heavy-traffic areas.
Calculate the Costs
Obviously, carpeting your entire office will cost you a lot of money. A bigger space will also incur a higher cost, both for materials and labour. These matters won’t be as big a concern if you have a large budget. Meanwhile, those working with limited funds will need to prioritise.
The best option is to use affordable yet durable carpets such as polyester. (Nylon is more affordable than luxury materials, but it’s still more expensive compared to other synthetic carpets.) You may also want to just cover selected areas instead of carpeting the entire office.
Consider the Installation Time
Unless you’re only buying area rugs, installing carpeting in your office will cause some amount of business disruption. Wall-to-wall carpeting will usually take the longest, especially since you have to move furniture and work around permanent fixtures.
Tile or pieced carpeting are a little easier and faster to install, since you can do it one at a time. However, you need to make sure that there’s not too much of a big gap between the start and end of the installation. This is to prevent the first pieces from aging faster than the newer parts.
The best option is to have the carpets installed during the least busy days. You may also want to consider doing the project on a weekend so as not to disrupt work.
Picking the right carpets and rugs for your office makes a lot of difference in the comfort levels and style of your workplace. Hopefully, this list of guidelines can help point you in the right direction.
And in case you get to the point where you need professional carpet cleaning, don’t forget about Crewcare and its specialised service dedicated to this kind of cleaning.
Good luck on your search for the perfect office carpet!