Flooring is the foundation of any safe and stylish commercial building, public area, or residential property. Your floor should be more than a basic surface to walk on, it should enhance the appearance of a space while providing the highest level of safety and comfort.

Given that 32% of all non-fatal workplace injuries in the UK were caused by slips, trips, and falls, it is essential to select the right flooring for your environment to significantly reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.

Here, anti-slip flooring experts, GripClad stress the importance of selecting the correct floor materials and designs for both safety and aesthetic reasons, while highlighting the options available to you.

Anti-slip Flooring

Safety should always be the top priority in any commercial, residential, or public setting, particularly where young and elderly people are present. Anti-slip flooring options such as GRP grating improve grip underfoot and reduce the threat of falls and slips.

GRP grating is typically used in a variety of industrial and public spaces including commercial buildings, railway stations, schools, hospitals and other areas with high footfall. However, alternative products like luxury vinyl tiles also feature anti-slip properties and come in a variety of designs and colours, making them ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, and other indoor areas.

Vinyl Plank Flooring

There’s no reason to overlook style when laying a safe floor, and both can be achieved with vinyl plank flooring. This effective product mimics the look and feel of wood or a real stone floor while also providing a safe, cushioned surface for walking on.

As vinyl plank flooring often comes with water-resistant qualities, it is also suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, and other high-risk, slippery areas prone to spillages and humidity.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles

As previously mentioned, one of the most common forms of safe, attractive indoor flooring is luxury vinyl tiles (LVT). Not only are luxury vinyl tiles hard-wearing and durable, but they also come in a range of striking colours, designs, patterns, and textures to suit any theme or project.

LVT is a popular choice in places that experience high traffic such as schools, retail buildings, and healthcare facilities. Due to its resistance to wear and tear, his long-lasting product offers a durable flooring solution while also elevating the look and functionality of a room.

Carpet Tiles

Versatile and comfortable, carpet tiles are commonly used in offices, hotels, student accommodation, and other hospitality settings. Both easy to install and replace, they are a cost-effective flooring solution in areas of high traffic.

In addition to being comfortable underfoot and offering sound-absorbing qualities, carpet tiles are also available in a vast assortment of colours and designs, making it simple to create a customised look to match the theme of a room.

Linoleum Flooring

Linoleum flooring, also known as ‘lino’, is making a major comeback thanks to its strong safety features and variety of design options. It provides impressive strength and durability and is also water-resistant, making it ideal for busy areas and wet environments such as kitchens and bathroom. Lino also comes in a range of colours and patterns, so it works perfectly with any type of décor.

Linoleum also boasts several impressive safety features and is flame retardant, moisture resistant, and extremely hard-working, reducing maintenance costs. Not only that, but lino is manufactured from biodegradable, renewable materials like tree resin and linseed oil that make it a more sustainable than other floor materials.

Overall, prioritising safety doesn’t mean that your floor can’t look great and enhance the aesthetic of a building – far from it. In fact, you’ll find all kinds of flooring options that can transform any commercial or residential space for the better. From the safety of users through anti-slip flooring to brightening up an office, your choice of flooring can have a dramatic effect on aesthetics and functionality, while giving you reliable, trouble-free service for many years to come.