The choice of floor covering for a store should not be taken lightly. It is strategically important and must also be practical for the in-store staff. Gerflor provides you with insights in this article so you make the best choice.
The importance of floor covering in the retail sector
At first glance, the choice of floor covering for your store may seem like a minor decision, but in fact, it is highly important and should not be underestimated.
Floor coverings for all types of applications
Each business has special requirements and must be able to fit a floor covering that is suitable for its specific, technical and aesthetic needs. For instance, a clothing store has different expectations than a grocery store or a bank. Moreover, some stores undergo high foot traffic and need a more durable floor covering than others.
Gerflor covers all the possible situations with a wide selection of PVC floor coverings suitable for diverse environments from a large grocery store to a local real estate agency or small fashion accessory boutique, for example. There is a perfect floor covering to suit the identity of your store.
Enhancing your brand identity
The design of the floor covering is strategic for retailers. In non-food retail stores such as clothing shops, it helps strengthen the brand's visual identity and contributes directly to creating a unique customer experience.
In practice, PVC has the advantage of having a very wide colour and design palette so you are able to empower your brand identity with the right floor covering. Some references also offer true-to-life imitations of other materials, such as wood or tiles, without all the technical issues that go with real materials.
Installing a PVC floor covering in a boutique has very few disadvantages as it does not require adhesive and can be easily fitted with the interlocking system, thereby, saving 30% of installation time.
A carefully designed and tailored customer experience
Stores open to the public such as banks or other agencies need to be consistent with their choice of floor and wall coverings, as well as with other design elements of the corporate image. The warm and classy environment that is inspired by the choice of design elements makes customers feel at home.
In this respect, PVC floor covering is an excellent choice for perfect coordination. Customisation and modularity are easy to achieve and the end result is a 100% unique and warm appearance.
Feel free to explore our luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) range for a particularly refined result. Luxury vinyl tiles are perfect to create distinct zones within your outlet.
Gerflor solutions for stores
Gerflor's PVC floor coverings are particularly suitable for stores thanks to their many advantages.
Durability and easy maintenance
PVC floor covering is known for its exceptional resistance, a crucial factor for store owners. Store floors are subjected to heavy duty foot traffic every day so if the floor covering is not suitably durable, it will suffer bad wear and tear and get prematurely damaged.
Our technical GSA range is perfect for large grocery stores as it is designed to withstand heavy traffic while providing slip-resistant characteristics and noise reduction. How the floor is to be maintained should also be addressed before investing in the floor covering for your store. In practice, a floor subjected to heavy foot traffic must be cleaned regularly so it looks perfect at all times, but without it being too much of a technical burden. PVC floor covering is the ideal choice here because cleaning is so easy: just wash with soap and water.
A wide range of designs
As well as being easy to maintain, PVC floor covering comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns, allowing for a more modern and personalised look compared to other materials. Our digital printing techniques offer totally tailored results to meet all your requirements and honour your brand identity.
Also, this type of floor covering opens up many possibilities for your store as it can create differentiated areas or subtly guide your customers' in-store itinerary. Many PVC references are excellent alternatives to other floor coverings such as wood or tiles, which can be quite expensive and come with a number of maintenance and installation related conditions.
Streamlined installation
Easy installation is key when choosing the floor covering for your store as it can have significant financial consequences.
Opting for a more difficult-to-install floor covering such as tiles may require your store to be closed to the public for an extended period of time during which you will unfortunately not be able to generate any revenue.
Therefore, it is wise to choose a floor covering that is easy to install for your store, and once again, PVC is the best alternative. Our floor coverings are particularly easy to install: For instance, 200 square metres can be installed in just eight hours thanks to their interlocking system. Choosing a PVC floor covering helps you save time and money by minimising the time needed for the job and the store’s closure. It can also be very useful for floor renovations, as in most cases, a PVC floor covering can be installed directly on top of the old floor.
