Replacing a commercial floor can be a significant expense. This is one reason why so many commercial property managers or supervisors put off this monumental task for as long as possible. It may become clear that linoleum tiles are beginning to crack, separate, and have to be replaced constantly. It could even demand hundreds upon hundreds of extra hours every year on the part of the maintenance personnel just to keep up with cleanliness and those spot repairs.
At some point in time, a decision needs to be made.
Every floor surface is going to wear out. The more foot traffic and possibly even machine traffic (such as with carts, trolleys, dollies, and more), the more wear and tear that it’s all going to place on the floor surface. Eventually, liability will become an issue.
If the maintenance personnel are constantly tracking down problems, repairing cracked tiles, replacing tiles that become separated, or struggling to keep the floor looking decent, the investment in those man-hours (as well as the benefits paid to them) are going to add up.
Here are a few questions to ask in determining whether a commercial floor needs to be replaced or cleaning methods and even machines need to be addressed.
First, how old is the floor and how much traffic does it see?
These two questions, answered honestly, can give good insight into what expectations to have. If a floor is 10 years old, for example, it’s probably past time to replace it.
Second, does your maintenance personnel have the best equipment?
They might have old equipment that is also beginning to break down. The older the equipment, the more damage it could be causing to those older tiles.
Finally, have there been accidents recently?
Have people tripped on the corner of tiles that have folded up? Have they slipped on certain areas? If the risk of accidents or other safety issues is increasing with age, that’s going to increase the cost of insurance and other liability. In that case, it may be prudent to replace the commercial floor as well as purchase the right equipment to keep them well-maintained, if your maintenance personnel currently don’t have the best.