First introduced in the 1970s as a practical residential flooring solution, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) has become a cost-effective staple in commercial flooring over the past twenty years, thanks largely to its ability to withstand many of the challenges of commercial settings, such as heavy foot traffic, exposure to moisture and frequent scuffs and scratches. 

Originally designed to mirror the look of hard surfaces such as stone, ceramic tile and wood, LVT is now one of the most sought-after hard surface flooring options in commercial design, as it features a number of impressive advantages, including:

• Durability
• Ease of use and installation
• Stylish design options
• Simplified maintenance and upkeep
• Affordability 

Here at TAJ, we take pride in designing LVT flooring options that address various customer or industry needs and strive to be a trusted purveyor of choice for your LVT commercial interior design projects.

We offer the choice of luxury vinyl and resilient sheet flooring so that you can select the option that best fits the needs of your space. 

Benefits of Using Luxury Vinyl Tile

The advantages of LVT are numerous and can vary depending on your specific application, product type, and thickness. Explore the benefits below to see why commercial LVT is one of the most in-demand flooring options in commercial spaces.

Featured Project: Pointe Place featuring Sharkskin from our Wavelength Modular Acoustic Flooring collection. Photo by: George Murray

A cost-effective choice that combines diversity in style and durable functionality, commercial vinyl flooring is commonly used in the following applications:

• Multi-family complexes, such as apartment buildings and dormitories
• Senior and assisted living facilities
• Corporate offices
• Healthcare facilities, including doctors’ offices, hospitals, and labs
• Schools from K-8 to colleges and universities
• Retail spaces, including department stores and supermarkets
• Hospitality spaces, such as hotels, restaurants and event venues
• Fitness spaces and yoga studios
• Places of worship, such as churches and synagogues 
• Government buildings and facilities

Unlimited Design Visuals

Commercial luxury vinyl flooring allows for endless design possibilities that offer the same aesthetically-pleasing textures and richness as high-end wood, stone, and polished concrete. You also have the option to mix and match designs to achieve the distinct look your space calls for.

Natural Resistance to Topical Moisture, Scratches, and Scuffs

Since luxury vinyl tile is made from non-porous materials, liquid is not absorbed through the surface, making LVT naturally resistant to environmental moisture and topical spills. Although it is already highly effective in resisting surface spills, if you’re looking to install LVT products in a high-moisture area, further steps can be taken to increase moisture-wicking properties such as using a high-moisture capable adhesive.

Comfort and Warmth Underfoot

Commercial vinyl flooring is naturally softer underfoot than other hard surface flooring types including stone and ceramic tile, making LVT better suited in senior and assisted living facilities where falls can be frequent, and in retail settings where employees are on their feet for long periods at a time. Keep in mind that LVT is available in different thicknesses to support varying levels of cushion. While 3mm products are the standard in commercial use and offer a natural cushion underfoot superior to other hard surfaces, selecting a 5mm product will provide an additional layer of cushion.

Featured Project: Avenir Memory Care facility features 3MM luxury vinyl plank design, Rosewood, from our Select collection.

Slip Resistance

Unlike hard surfaces such as ceramics, stones and terrazzo, LVT features an embossed top layer, which provides added texture that helps to minimize the risk of slipping.

Ability to Withstand High Traffic and Rolling Loads

Luxury vinyl features a highly durable and dimensionally stable construction, which makes it optimal for high traffic and rolling loads. It’s also finished with a polyurethane coating, which helps resist everyday stains, scratches and scuffs.

Affordability

Compared to polished concrete, wood and stone, commercial-grade LVT is considerably less expensive per square foot of flooring. In addition to carrying a lower upfront cost than other hard surface flooring, LVT is also cost-effective over the long term, as it is designed to last from 15 to 25 years or longer when used in commercial settings.

Ease of Installation

Professional installers can easily put in this type of flooring with quick drying time for adhesives with no need for time-consuming topical finishes to ensure minimal downtime and reduce business interruptions.

Furthermore, LVT installation does not require heavy, noisy cutting machines, which can be especially important in commercial spaces such as hotels, schools and even retail environments, where it is crucial to maintain operations even as renovations are taking place.

Ease of Maintenance

LVT is a low-maintenance flooring option and is best cared for with routine/daily cleaning regiments per the manufacturer. Most LVT requires a neutral PH cleaner. For deeper cleaning, a rotary floor machine or equivalent scrubbing brush on an auto scrubber can be used.

Read our Care and Maintenance Instructions guide for more information on caring for your LVT floors.

Versatility

There are numerous commercial applications for LVT flooring, including but not limited to:

• Multi-family housing
• Hospitality
• Healthcare
• Education
• Corporate/Office workplaces
• Retail
• Sports/Multipurpose
• Common areas, such as corridors, elevators, bathrooms, stairwells, locker rooms, and so on

Improved Acoustics

Commercial LVT products, and specifically our 5mm Modular Acoustic Flooring options, are sound absorbent and help to minimize noise pollution and echoes. This is particularly important in commercial settings, where preserving appropriate levels of privacy and minimizing distractions are paramount.

Ease of Transition

With the rise in popularity of open floor plans, we encounter many designers looking to utilize options that make for an easier transition between flooring types or design looks. LVT can be installed alongside carpet or can achieve the look of wood and stone all with the use of luxury vinyl tile.

Featured Project: Everest Rehabilitation Hospitals featuring Spectrum luxury vinyl plank, Carter, Mayer and Jagger. Photos courtesy of Everest Rehab

Wayfinding

With so many color and design options available, you can easily use LVT flooring to help direct the flow of foot traffic in commercial settings for improved safety and efficiency.

LVT Flooring Options

When considering LVT for a commercial setting, there are three different product categories: LVT & Plank, Modular Acoustic Flooring, and Resilient Sheet Flooring.

Luxury Vinyl Tile & Plank

For nearly all commercial LVT flooring projects, luxury vinyl tile or planks are the universal choice and will be your go-to products. This type of LVT flooring is generally available in 2mm, 3mm, and 5mm thicknesses.

• 2mm LVT is appropriate for light commercial use in applications like multi-family housing
• 3mm LVT is considered the standard for everyday commercial use
• 5mm LVT, also known as Modular Acoustic Flooring (discussed more in-depth below), is quickly becoming the in-demand option for LVT flooring solutions due to its sound absorption qualities and comfort underfoot

Our LVT collections include our 2-3-5, Select, Phoenix and Spectrum lines, all of which feature numerous design options.

Featured Product: Terrazzo Light from our 2-3-5 Luxury Vinyl Plank and Tile collection.

When it comes to replacing LVT, removing a tile is easy, depending on the type of adhesive used during installation. A soft set adhesive makes it easier to pull up a tile since the adhesive never fully hardens underneath. On the other hand, with a hard set adhesive, you have to soften the adhesive with something like a hairdryer, then sand down the old adhesive before putting in a new piece. However, replacements are far easier than any other hard surface or even carpet due to dye color matching.

Modular Acoustic Flooring

Modular acoustic flooring is a preferred option for controlling the acoustics in a commercial setting. As we’ve mentioned before, thicker products mean a larger sound barrier. Since you won’t need to install an acoustic underlay, you can streamline installation and cut down on costs. Combined with the other benefits of LVT flooring (durability, design, ease of maintenance, and competitive pricing), this type of flooring is suitable for just about any space.

Modular acoustic flooring is becoming more commonly adopted in commercial spaces. For example, when used in hotels, this type of flooring can help keep guests comfortable by limiting the noise saturation from the hallway. Additionally, it provides great comfort underfoot for those who might be on their feet all day, and the ceramic beading coating provides scratch-resistance flooring that’s twice as effective as other options.

Featured Project: A luxury hotel, Ambiente Sedona features Wavelength Modular Acoustic Flooring Storm throughout its guest accommodations.

TAJ offers two types of modular acoustic flooring: our Color-Infused line and our Wavelength collection. Both are suitable for use over raised access floor panels and can be installed next to carpet tiles without the need for transition strips. Both collections are available in a variety of colors and designs, making it easy to give your commercial space a modern and sleek look.

Resilient Sheet or Vinyl Sheet Flooring

Resilient or vinyl sheet flooring is a vinyl product that includes many of the same advantages of LVT, such as being affordable, waterproof, and available in a wide range of designs.

Known for its durability, flexibility and moisture resistance, TAJ resilient sheet flooring is a high-performance fiberglass reinforced antimicrobial heterogeneous vinyl product. The construction is free from phthalate plasticizers and does not require wax, stripping or toxic chemicals for routine maintenance.

This is a popular option for commercial settings that require welded seams to maintain impeccable hygiene, such as in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Resilient sheet flooring is also commonly used in applications where comfort underfoot is essential, such as in gymnasiums or multipurpose facilities.

Luxury Vinyl Flooring Design Inspiration

Not sure how to incorporate LVT into your commercial application? Here are some real-world examples of how commercial vinyl flooring is used in different scenarios:

Corporate/Workplace

• Commonly use 3mm and 5mm LVT products
• Use 5mm LVT for sound and access flooring needs
• Mix and match looks and textures to adhere to brand image
• Use LVT to create space designation within open spaces
• Often use LVT in high-traffic, rolling load areas like hallways, as well as elevators, stairwells, cafeterias, and break rooms

Hospitality

• Commonly used in hotels and restaurants
• Although previously limited to lobbies and common spaces, LVT is now used more widely in guest rooms, living spaces, and bathrooms and is preferred over carpet because it is easier to clean
• Fits a wide range of hotelier brand models, from economic to luxury
• Used in hotels, as LVT is easier to clean and maintain in guest rooms than carpet and area rugs

Retail

• Typically use 3mm LVT
• Frequently used in department stores, supermarkets and grocery stores, convenience stores, clothing and apparel stores, and homegoods
• Serves an important role in wayfinding and aisle navigation
• Is amenable to higher rolling traffic, such as from shopping carts and dollies
• Easier to maintain in high-moisture, high-spill areas, such as grocery store produce sections

Healthcare Facilities

• Use both vinyl sheet and LVT flooring
• Used in hospitals, which will seek a mix of LVT and resilient sheet. Prioritizes sheet in more critical areas like patient rooms and ICUs, where moisture resistance and hygiene are essential.
• LVT is often found in common areas like waiting rooms, lobbies, elevators, corridors, etc.
• Used in MOBs (medical office buildings, such as outpatient, dental, physical therapy), which lean more towards LVT for less critical spaces, though may also seek sheet. Physical therapy facilities would likely choose a sheet product that offers more cushion
• Used in med spas, where LVT is the norm and offers very stylish interiors that provide a sense of day spa-style luxury
• Is preferred in hospitals as it requires less downtime for installation and maintenance
• Helps with wayfinding (color options to designate certain specialties; for example, cardiac might use red)
• Is popular for its biophilic design options; healthcare facilities can’t use real wood but can achieve the look of real wood to create a more organic, natural environment

Multi-Family

• A growing trend in multi-family housing including apartment units, hallways common areas, clubhouses, gyms
• 2MM, 3MM, or 5MM thickness LVT may be used
• 2MM light, lived-in traffic, for living units
• 3MM standard thickness for living units and higher traffic spaces
• 5MM for sound reduction qualities and additional cushion underfoot
• LVT is a popular choice for ease of cleaning by tenants and property owner
• Easy to replace if needed as tenants change out
• Strong visuals of wood and stone, seamless from one room to another
• Pet-friendly hard surface
• Hygienic (compared to carpet and grouted tiling)

Education

• Uses both LVT and vinyl sheet
• Becoming more popular in K-12 schools due to affordability; commonly used in universities and colleges in classrooms, union buildings, student housing, athletic facilities
• Hygienic (when compared to carpet), easy to maintain, no daily wax/polish routines required like VCT
• 5mm for sound reduction qualities
• Visuals help with school branding with color offering, also achieves biophilic with more natural wood and stone patterns

Senior and Assisted Living

• Typically use 3MM and 5MM LVT; some facilities may use vinyl sheet flooring
• Most practical hard surface with natural slip resistance, comfort and warmth underfoot, easy to clean, better mobility when compared to carpet products (wheelchairs, walking assistance like canes and walkers)
• 5MM offers acoustical benefits and additional comfort underfoot
• Natural aesthetics to support overall wellness (natural wood and stone designs), as well as guidance to tenants.

Fitness and Multipurpose

• Relates to K-12 gymnasiums, multipurpose and recreational spaces, such as in churches or municipality buildings, as well as yoga or other workout and personal training studios
• LVT used In more common spaces like locker rooms and general waiting areas, typically that of 3MM and 5MM due to higher traffic
• LVT and vinyl sheet are easy to clean and maintain; hygienic
• Variety of visual aesthetics to choose from

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Why TAJ for Your LVT Needs?

When you work with TAJ, you have flooring options, industry knowledge, and customer service at your fingertips to help make your experience a great one. As a family-owned business, we pride ourselves on our ability to provide outstanding customer service and the highest quality products for our customers. With a wide variety of LVT flooring options to choose from, we’ll work closely with you to help pick the product that checks all of your boxes.

Whether you’re an architect, designer, contractor, corporate purchasing agent, or end-user looking for more information, we’re happy to help. We’ve worked with clients across numerous industries, from large, big box retail to universities, hospitals, and local restaurants.

TAJ’s success is not only connected to our high-quality products but also to the outstanding individuals who make up our company. Our family values have created sustainable and prosperous methods of teamwork and collaboration across the board.

Contact TAJ with Any Questions

There’s no shortage of advantages when it comes to using commercial LVT. From its stunning visual aesthetics and greater comfort underfoot to its cost-effectiveness and ease of installation, luxury vinyl tile flooring offers a well-rounded solution that can meet the needs of any commercial space. Contact us today to find your rep and order LVT samples to help you decide on the flooring specifics for your next commercial design project.

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