Ultimate Guide to Commercial Carpet – Broadloom vs Carpet Tiles

If you need commercial flooring, you’re probably wondering about commercial carpet. High-traffic carpet is a durable, low-pile flooring option that won’t wear or stain easily. Heavy-duty carpet has the durability and style needed for commercial settings. It is great for wear and tear, won’t get matted down or worn-looking, and will stand up to lots of use.

This guide will help you decide which type of commercial-grade carpet is best for your needs. We’ll look at them all, and consider important factors including their pros and cons, installation, and more. Whilst this guide is specialised for commercial use, we also have a guide to choosing residential carpet if that piques your interet.

What is a Commercial Carpet?

Commercial carpets are made for high traffic and easy maintenance. Unlike hard floors, carpets offer a more comfortable feel underfoot and typically cost less.

Commercial carpet fibres are looped through the carpet backing, making them less soft but more durable. Commercial carpets are also more stain-resistant than regular carpets, often constructed from low-pile solution dyed nylon.

You can find carpets of commercial-grade quality in many shapes, patterns, and colours. Commercial carpet is thinner, which allows it to hold up to wear and tear without matting or crushing. You can choose commercial carpets for entryways, gyms, offices, grocery stores, airports, banks, and even your home.

There are two main types of commercial carpets:

Commercial Broadloom Carpet Rolls

Broadloom carpets, which are made up of rolls, still account for the majority of the carpet industry. Carpet rolls are less expensive than tiles and planks since they can cover a larger area. These are great for large open areas like open office spaces, public libraries, educational facilities and conference rooms.

Most commercial carpet rolls are made of hard-wearing synthetic fibres like nylon. They are also solution-dyed for extra stain resistance, making them stellar options for commercial interiors that need to withstand heavy foot traffic.

Broadloom carpets are slightly more affordable overall compared to carpet tiles and squares because they cost less to install. Whilst this will save you money, you are more limited with designs when it comes to broadloom wall-to-wall carpets because they are usually monochromatic in design. This is great for minimalist designs, however brings out less visual appeal if you want some flair.

Advantages of Broadloom Carpet:

1. Seamless Appearance: Broadloom options have fewer joins which makes the rooms look more open and clean compared to carpet tiles, especially as they go from wall to wall.
2. Subfloor Tolerant: More forgiving for subfloor imperfections as the carpet simply unrolls over bumps and dips. Commercial carpet rolls are your the best choice if the subfloor is uneven and you wish to save on subfloor levelling costs.
3. Affordable: Usually more affordable than carpet tiles because of the installation method. Unlike carpet tiles, they don’t require any glue.

Broadloom carpets are great for:

1. Office Flooring
2. Schools & Classrooms
3. Multi-Residential Common Areas
4. Public Libraries
5. Waiting Areas & Lobbys
6. Function Spaces

Commercial Carpet Tiles & Planks

Carpet tiles and carpet planks are a great alternative to broadloom rolls. These come in literal carpet squares or rectangles. You might be wondering if the modular system has any benefit, and the answer is yes!

Commercial carpet tiles are just as durable as the broadloom alternative, however allow a much larger array of designs and installation patterns. Carpet tiles are great at adding a unique flair to your commercial spaces. Furthermore, they are much easier to repair and replace in the event of damage.

At FloorVenue we have hundreds of different colours to choose from, including unique installation patterns like herringbone! If you want unique looks, go for a carpet tile!

Advantages of Commercial Carpet Tiles

1. Design Flexibility – Carpet tiles and planks offer a much larger range of colours, patterns and designs. Furthermore, planks and tiles can often be installed in different configurations, bringing out beautiful interior spaces.
2. Easy Repair & Replacement – Unlike broadloom carpets which need to be replaced in entirety for repairs, damaged carpet tiles can be cut out individually and be fixed in a matter of minutes.
3. Subfloor Accessibility – Similar to ease of repair, if you require access to electrical wiring or anything else beneath the carpet tiles, they can easily be taken up and reinstalled.
4. Acoustic Benefits – Some premium carpet tiles come with a pre-attached acoustic felt backing for enhanced noise reduction. This makes them great as multi-level commercial flooring.

Carpet tiles are great for:

1. Offices
2. Education Facilities
3. Healthcare Facilities
4. Function Spaces
5. Hospitality & Aged Care
6. Gaming & Gambling Facilities

Alternatives To Carpet For Commercial Areas

Keep in mind that carpets are only one branch of the tree when it comes to commercial flooring options. There are many commercial hard floor alternatives including commercial vinyl flooring, laminate flooring and engineered timber flooring. FloorVenue has a wide variety of commercial floor covering options.

Are Vinyl Flooring or Vinyl Tiles Any Good?

Vinyl flooring, also known as “luxury vinyl flooring” or “resilient flooring” is similar to carpet because it comes in two types; vinyl plank flooring and vinyl sheet flooring. Both are slip-resistant, extremely hard-wearing and fire-resistant making them perfect for high-traffic areas.

However, vinyl floors tend to cost more by the square metre because they are manufactured from more costly materials and need to be glued down with hard-set adhesive.

Is Laminate Flooring Any Good?

Commercial laminate flooring is another great option for commercial buildings. Not only are they extremely hard-wearing, but many higher-quality options are also water-resistant and anti-slip. These are also more affordable and easier to install.

Unlike vinyl flooring, laminate options are not waterproof. Hence laminate flooring might not be one of the best commercial flooring solutions near large entrances with a higher chance of water or rain getting in. A commercial vinyl flooring would fare better.

Is Engineered Timber Flooring Any Good?

Engineered timber flooring has a surface of real timber of either hardwood or oak wood and is considered the most premium option when it comes to commercial flooring. Whilst they look gorgeous, the real timber floor covering is not as durable as vinyl flooring and can accumulate wear and tear faster.

However, some newer engineered flooring technology allows us to achieve water-resistant real timber flooring and even water-resistant bamboo flooring! These options are much easier to maintain.

Furthermore, real timber does cost much more compared to synthetic carpets and vinyl flooring. If you are looking for a more affordable alternative, consider a laminate floor, timber-look vinyl plank or sheet vinyl.

Conclusion – Which Commercial Flooring Is Best?

How do you choose with so many commercial flooring solutions? The most suitable commercial flooring for your interior depends largely on the intended use and amount of heavy foot traffic. For example, a broadloom carpet offers a clean and minimalistic look with fewer joins, which makes it suitable for large open areas as carpet tiles may look more busy. If you’re after a real wood look, consider vinyl flooring, laminate flooring or engineered timber.

In terms of pricing from highest to lowest, engineered timber flooring will be the most expensive, followed by vinyl flooring, laminate flooring, carpet tiles, and broadloom being the most affordable.

FloorVenue recommends reaching out to one of our flooring consultants for tailored advice as every commercial space is different. We offer free on-site inspections and measure-ups to quote and can bring suitable carpet samples out for you to choose from. We’d love to help you choose the right commercial flooring or carpet.