commercial Subfloor Preparation
High-standard commercial subfloor preparation is essential.
In our experience, your finished and installed commercial flooring will likely only be as good as the subfloor. So, the work done by professional flooring contractors such as Sussex Vinyl Flooring before your “main event” is extremely important.
In other words, there can be no compromise on the immense attention to detail and product knowledge that specialists like us need to deliver longevity and quality in your working environment.
First Things First, with Flooring
To start with, we’ll paraphrase slightly:
Above all, proper preparation prevents poor performance when it comes to your floors.
And, nowhere is this more evident and essential than in high-traffic areas in the workplace. Essentially, the quality of your subfloor directly impacts the durability of the flooring that a flooring installer will lay above it. Get it right, and it will look amazing and last for years. In this case, it will work as hard as you and your team.
Get it wrong and, well – not so much. Basically, it could even collapse.
Buy Cheap, Buy Twice
Think you’d save money by engaging a commercial flooring contractor who could skip this step? Obviously, that’s unlikely. But, think again.
In our experience, a subfloor that’s not structurally sound, or that’s dirty, damp or faulty in any way could cause the floor to fail. in fact, spectacularly so. Inadequate subfloor preparation can cause sagging, unsightly surface variations, and excessive wear in high-traffic spots. It could, quite literally, move or shift in some way. Potentially dangerous? Yes, indeed.
Your floor will not live long and prosper. And, these issues will get worse as time moves on.
Sussex Vinyl Flooring’s reputation for honesty, integrity and transparency follows us around. We’re known for telling the truth: if your subfloor is acceptable, we’ll say so. But, to be fair, most are OK.
If not, there’s some work to do. Don’t be concerned. We’ve been sourcing and installing commercial flooring throughout Sussex for over 24 years, and can spot any issues with floors at 50 paces.
Plus, we always work carefully to manufacturers’ guidelines.
From our experience, hardboarding is one of the most cost-effective ways to smooth uneven floorboards. This process also works exceptionally well for carpets, carpet tiles and some types of vinyl. Here, the results are very good, with insulation for sound and draught.
We sometimes use Ply boarding over a wooden subfloor for a professional finish. It’s important to know that specific grades of ply boarding are ideal in areas sensitive to water and moisture. For example, kitchens, bathrooms and wet rooms.
Equally, latex floor screeds are now more versatile than ever.
What are they? Latex floor screeds consist of powder and liquid latex. They’re self-levelling compounds that our experienced installers pour onto the floor, then they level the surface with a trowel. This is an effective preparation method to lay sheet vinyl flooring, LVT or safety flooring.
Talk to us about the type of flooring to be installed, its use, and whether it’s a new construction or a remodelling project. We’ll analyse any sealants or compounds and test for pH and moisture.
Let’s get started. It really IS all about the groundwork.
