Finishing Touches are part of the Planning Process
The finishing touches on any renovation project that you do will always include either paint or flooring or both. The options are endless for both, and they can be very daunting. Even in commercial projects, you still want things to look nice and be durable. For some projects it is very simple. These are the colors of our company; everything needs to be in these colors and/or colors that are complimentary to them.
First Finishing Touch - The Paint
Let us start with paint. Exterior or interior? Warehouse or office space? High traffic or low? Warehouses will normally want Eggshell since it is for high traffic, and they normally focus on the color scheme of the company logo. For the sake of this article, we will focus on interior office space. Ceilings are normally done in a Flat sheen if you are not using acoustical tiles. Doors and trim can use Low Lustre, Pearl/Satin, or Semi-Gloss/Soft Gloss. Spaces with low traffic can go with a Flat, normal traffic use a Matte/Ulti-Matte and high traffic areas should use either an Eggshell or Pearl/Satin. Using the right paint sheen will help with the durability and keep things looking nice longer.From forgiving of imperfections to more durable, the sheens are as follows: Flat ~ Matte/Ulti-Matte ~ Eggshell ~ Low Lustre ~ Pearl/Satin ~ Semi-Gloss/Soft Gloss ~ Gloss/High-Gloss. Flat sheen is shine free and more forgiving of flaws and helps create a uniform surface; but stains are harder to remove, and constant rubbing or cleaning can result in burnishing. Matte is nearly shine free and a little more durable than Flat. It works great for areas that are exposed to moisture. Eggshell is still low sheen, easy to clean, and much more durable than the previous two. Satin maintains high durability which means it is easy to clean but will show painting flaws. Semi-Gloss leaves a furniture like finish. High-Gloss is extremely durable, easy to clean and leaves a mirror like finish.
Another Finishing Touch - Carpet
Moving on to carpet. There is carpet on a roll and carpet tiles. Depending on the project depends on which way to go. Blank canvas with open concept, just roll that beautiful carpet. Need to move furniture, cubicles, lots of enclosed spaces? Carpet tiles may just be the easier choice. What do you need to know about carpet tiles? Collection, Style, Color, and Pattern.
Each manufacturer will offer Collections in which they group similar color palettes and weaves together. Within each Collection is a set of color swatches that compliment each other. Then you pick the style. I would recommend selecting a primary and secondary color that are complementary to each other before moving onto picking the style.Each collection will have its’ own set of styles. Each style is different due to the weave pattern and tightness. You can select one style or do a combination of styles that will create unique designs, designate individual spaces, and direct traffic flow. To assist with the design, let us look at patterns.The basic patterns for laying carpet tiles are Quarter Turn, Monolithic, Brick, Ashlar, and Non-Directional. Each pattern will be easy to lay as there are arrows on the back of the tile to show direction. Quarter Turn is also known as checkerboard and tessellated tiles. It is a very basic pattern with 4 tiles turning 90 degrees to one another. Monolithic/Broadloom/Sheet are all tiles going in the same direction. Brick has all the tiles going in the same direction with each row off by half a tile. Ashlar has the tiles all going in the same direction with each column off by half a tile. Non-Directional is not for the OCD as it goes in any direction.
Tile and Baseboards are important Finishing Touches as Well
Not doing carpet? Looking at tile or epoxy concrete floors? For commercial projects, there are two tile options VCT and LVT. VCT is Vinyl Composition Tile meaning it is made up of different materials to include limestone, fillers, and a thermoplastic binder. It is impact resistant and great for high traffic areas if maintained properly. You will have to seal coat it a few days after it is laid and repeat that process every so often. You are limited in color and pattern options.LVT is Luxury Vinyl Tile and made of plastic and has a barrier layer to protect it. It is a hard surface that has been made to look like stone or wood and is waterproof. LVT is great for a heavy foot traffic area. Epoxy Floors is a concrete floor with an epoxy coating and normally used for commercial and industrial spaces. It provides a smooth and durable surface. It is great for heavy foot and machinery traffic.There is one final step when it comes to flooring, the baseboard. This can be made of wood or vinyl. In commercial properties, it is best to use cove base (vinyl) due to the ease of installation and durability. It comes in an array of colors to match your flooring and walls.Now that you have a basic knowledge of the different paint and flooring options, decide on a color pallet and get creative!