How To Choose Carpet For A Commercial Entrance

by Sudarsan
Commercial-Entrance

Running a business requires constant decision-making—from business operations strategies to designing your business space. 

Whether it’s a commercial office, a warehouse, or a retail shop, you want to build a professional impression. To do that, the first thing you need is good flooring. You have a variety of flooring options; however, carpet is the best if you wish to create a welcoming, warm, and aesthetically balanced space. 

Of course, shopping for commercial carpeting is a lot different than looking for residential carpeting. Commercial carpets mean business, bringing décor value but can also stand up to the demands of your daily operations. So, your office space will need smart carpet entrance solutions, since they’ll be the first thing your client or employees will step onto.

With that said, we put together a brief buying guide for choosing the right entryway carpet for your business.

Set A Budget

First off, you need to consider your budget. Knowing how much you have to work with can impact other factors including the type of carpet, its design, the material, and even installation. 

So, start with a realistic idea of how much you can spend on your business’s carpet flooring product and installation. This can help narrow down your carpet choices. 

Length

When choosing an entrance carpet, the most important element you need to consider is length. There should be enough carpeting to ensure optimum moisture- and dirt-wiping functionality. 

In general, people don’t wipe their feet on entrance carpeting before they enter public buildings such as shopping centers. Thus, the carpet must be long enough to allow debris and moisture to wipe off as people walk. At least six footsteps are needed for this to happen. 

In addition, the length of the carpet is also depending on the amount of daily foot traffic. For office buildings that have low to medium foot traffic, for instance, 80 to 400 people walking per hour, a 3 to 7 meters carpet length is recommended. For high-traffic commercial buildings such as shopping malls and supermarkets at least 8 to 12 meters of carpet length is needed. 

However, not all entrance areas are large enough to accommodate some of the above recommendations. In that case, it’s recommended that you go for the largest area of entrance carpet you can find. 

Material Durability

Since your commercial building’s entryway has the highest foot traffic, it only makes sense that you choose a commercial carpet that can withstand abuse. The type of material used can impact the durability of the carpet and how it performs. 

In general, you have two best options for entrance carpet material:

Nylon

While this is the most popular material used in entrance carpeting material, it also comes with a higher price point. Despite that, many commercial establishments use a carpet made of nylon.

It may be more resilient than other materials due to its crush-resistant properties. This material is also fade- and stain-resistant, which makes it last longer. Plus, nylon dries quickly, preventing a soggy entryway on your commercial entrance on rainy days.

Polypropylene

An entrance carpeting with polypropylene fibers is a good low-cost alternative to nylon. It is suitable for commercial entrance carpets as it’s easy to clean and is functional.

Polypropylene carpets are generally durable and often used for zoned areas. They are best used in longer lengths as dirt-barrier runners in commercial reception areas for enhanced floor protection


Other than the material, you also want to consider the backing system of the carpet to ensure durability. It typically consists of three basic elements:

  • Primary backing
  • Applied bonding adhesive
  • Secondary backing or cushion

Some entrance carpets even feature moisture barrier backings to prevent spills and extreme weather conditions from damaging the inner carpet and subfloor.

Regulatory Compliance

Carpet may not be a top source of fire; however, it can cause the spread of fire. In general, commercial carpets should have fire-resistance ratings. Commercial carpets should be certified for regulatory requirements such as an NBS Smoke Chamber Test450. 

In addition, it’s also important that your entrance carpet complies with wheelchair regulations; meaning that a wheelchair should be able to safely move on and off the entrance carpet. 

With that said, it’s also important to consider that a full wheelchair will require a minimum length of 2.5m to remove moisture and dirt from wheels. 

Color And Design Matters

Your entrance carpeting doesn’t just need to be functional. Since this is the first thing most visitors see, it should also look great and enhance your commercial building’s interior design. 

We suggest considering color and design when choosing a commercial entrance carpet. Ensure that it complements the décor and color scheme of your whole establishment. If possible, choose a carpet that matches or complements your interior palette. In general, neutral palettes are a good starting point to flawlessly connect the interior with your entrance design.

Conclusion

With these five tips, you should be able to find the best commercial entrance carpet that best suits your needs. Choosing the right carpet should be able to add functionality and a decorative touch to your business front— both now and in the long term. 

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