Benefits of LVT for Lobby Design
You only get one chance to make a first impression. In most commercial flooring settings – whether it be healthcare, hospitality, education, or even retail – the first area people encounter is the lobby. This makes design of the lobby an especially critical component of any new or renovated flooring project.
Lobby flooring serves a multitude of purposes. From an aesthetic perspective, it welcomes visitors to a space and communicates one’s brand or mission. In terms of performance, lobby flooring must be versatile, durable and up to the aesthetic standards previously mentioned. A balancing act for sure, but one that can be elegantly achieved with luxury vinyl flooring.
To help in the selection process, here are some of the benefits of LVT flooring for lobby and lounge area design and best practices to serve as a guide for your next redesign.
Lobby Area Design Best Practices
#1 LVT is High-Traffic Flooring
No matter the industry, lobbies all tend to be high-traffic areas. Whether its visitors, employees, deliveries or maintenance workers, people come in and out of the lobby arguably more than any other area of a building. Therefore, the lobby flooring must be high performing and durable.
LVT is perfectly suited flooring product for entries, lobbies and atriums. Luxury vinyl tile is composed of multiple layers fused together using a unique high pressure and heat process that is then sealed with a protective layer that makes it incredibly durable and naturally scuff resistant. Paired with nearly endless design options, LVT flooring is the ideal option for lobbies.
#2 Go for Glue Down
While LVT flooring is naturally suited for high-traffic settings due to its strong construction, the installation methods can further enhance its durable qualities. To help prevent shifting, it is recommended that lobby flooring be either 3mm glue down or 5mm loose lay vinyl flooring that is also installed using adhesive.
While gluing down 5mm loose lay might sound counterintuitive, this is actually a common and highly recommended option for lobby designs. The 5mm loose lay vinyl is a thicker constructed option that offers acoustical benefits that will help to muffle and reduce noise.
#3 LVT is Smooth & Flat
It’s not just foot traffic that lobby area design needs to consider. Because lobbies are the primary access to any business or office, deliveries often come through – or roll through – the lobby or entry area. To help ensure the smoothest delivery possible, look for a smooth and flat flooring option like luxury vinyl.
LVT, unlike other flooring options, doesn’t impose any roller resistance. This will help dollies, hand trucks, carts and cleaning equipment move freely over the flooring without damaging or scuffing the lobby floor.
#4 It’s Easy to Clean & Maintain
In addition to its highly durable construction and countless design options, another appealing feature of LVT flooring is its ease of maintenance. You don’t need harsh chemicals or wax; luxury vinyl can be cleaned with a broom or mop, using a neutral pH cleaner.
LVT flooring is naturally scuff and stain resistant, but every commercial flooring can use some refreshing after years of heavy use. To reinforce the protective layer on LVT, simply apply a synthetic flooring finish – NOT wax. Finishes developed for LVT flooring in high traffic areas can add an additional protective barrier, making floors look new again.
#5 Select Patterned Lobby Flooring
In pursuit of making a lasting first impression, we sometimes see designers and companies opt for an eye-catching lobby floor, usually selecting a white or very light color. While this certainly will draw people’s attention, it will also show every speck of dirt, water, mud, salt, and sand brought in with people’s shoes.
To get the best of both worlds, it is recommended that lobby area design incorporate more than one flooring pattern. In the initial entry area, opt for a luxury vinyl flooring solution with more design integrity and a diverse pattern to better mask any mess on the floor. As visitors move through the lobby, it is simple and aesthetically pleasing to switch to a different, complementary LVT design. Luxury vinyl is intended to work and blend together, so all lobby area design visions can become reality.