Airports are the lifeblood of our increasingly global society. When considering which commercial flooring to invest in for an airport, the magnitude of the project is the first aspect to examine. Airport flooring installations are some of the most daunting projects flooring professionals undertake. The sheer scope and size create unique challenges. There are thousands upon thousands of square units involved, and the final product will serve millions of people and cargo loads. Since airports are such central hubs in the flow of human travel, airport terminals and general facilities are a reflection of the city and region it is located. The design of the floor must be carefully chosen as it will be the first impression for the untold numbers of visitors and tourists traveling through.
Psychological studies, particularly within the Industrial/Organizational branch of psychology, have consistently shown a relationship between the physical environment of human beings and the emotional or affective state of those people. Scientific literature also reveals a strong correlation between a patron’s emotional state of being while utilizing a commercial space and their reported levels of satisfaction in future reviews.
This has prompted many airline companies to renovate their operation areas within airports to provide guests an improved travel experience. By implementing designs and patterns that create “home-like” ambiances, airliners are seeing their ratings in customer satisfaction and comfort skyrocket. While some airline brands prefer the innovative and avant-garde trends in contemporary flooring designs, other airline companies are choosing more traditional looks, such as giving off a rustic atmosphere with hardwood floors. Another consideration that companies are acting upon is the layout of their operational structures. By selecting airport commercial flooring with advanced printing options, airlines can use their floors to indicate with graphics and images what patrons ought to do in different spaces, e.g., to walk in this direction or that direction depending on if you’re in the left lane or right lane. The use of images instead of words on your airport flooring helps to convey messages without tripping over language barriers.
The different types of people passing through an airport isn’t the only “variety” factor. There are areas within an airport that are similar to each other and other regions that are vastly different from one another. Because of the full range of services, functions, and operations that occur on airport grounds, there are a variety of different commercial flooring needs inside every airport.
Regardless of the aesthetic goals and functionality requirements, luxury vinyl tile makes an ideal flooring solution for all areas found inside airports. Commercial airport LVT flooring has been shown to perform well in areas such as:
• Flight Gates
• Rest Areas/Lounges
• Bars and Restaurants
• Food and Beverage Vendors
• Retail Stores and Kiosks
• Internal Offices
• Cargo Loading
• Security Checkpoints
Commercial LVT flooring represents the intersection between industrial-strength durability and innovative design technology. Let us examine how the properties of luxury vinyl tile make it the best airport flooring among the many commercial floor products on the market.
Durability, Resilience, & Longevity
No matter the hour or location, airports are the busiest sites in human civilization around the world. There are millions of passengers that arrive or depart on any given day, and billions of tons in cargo weight that are shipped along intricate trade routes. With travelers and freight often subjected to layovers and delays, missed flights, and other miscellaneous phenomena, airports experience more onsite traffic than any other commercial sector.
LVT’s high level of endurance is ideally suited to withstand the hustle and bustle of airports. Not only does LVT continue to perform despite the relentless traffic, but it also maintains its aesthetics longer than other airport commercial floors. With its intended design safe beneath protective coats and its structural integrity immune to the constant wear-and-tear, LVT is being installed more frequently in airports around the world.
One of the recent technological advances that put LVT above its competition in airport environments is the hot press method. This production method is a unique technology that uses thermal fusion to create tighter chemical bonds between the various layers of backing in the LVT floor. This manufacturing technique produces an extremely stable and durable product. Clearly, with proper selection and installation, LVT is the best flooring option for airports.
Maintenance
The never-ending traffic that passes through an airport means that areas are always getting dirty. For airport custodians and janitors, this means that cleaning the floors is their most common duty. Given how low-maintenance LVT flooring is, airports can save time and money when it comes to their flooring maintenance.
Cleaning LVT floors can be a trivial matter. Although there are always options for special cleaning solutions and polishing products, these are not needed to maintain LVT airport flooring looking new. Regular sweeping and mopping is more than sufficient to keep LVT clean and pristine. For airport areas that experience the most amount of foot traffic, there may be a need to provide additional, more focused cleaning on a rotating schedule. Keeping airport dining and drinking areas as hygienic as possible is also an essential priority for airports. LVT’s antimicrobial properties make it not only easy to clean but hard for bacteria and mold to accumulate and grow.
The bulk of your LVT floor cleaning can be described as basic cleaning. Sweep up dirt, dust, and debris, then mop using common cleaning products. If mopping leaves behind some excessive moisture or the environmental conditions prevent normal drying or evaporation, we encourage you to utilize dry mops or fans to remove excess water. The natural resistance against water and stains keeps floors healthier for longer periods of time, especially in bars and restaurants.
Installation and Replacement
The around-the-clock activity at airports means that it is more difficult to schedule installation and replacement of commercial airport floors. While other high-end floors may have some attractive features here and there, the headache of installation is often too much for airports. Downtime must be minimized, and this is where luxury vinyl flooring can help tremendously. Because of the relatively quick and easy installation process, owning commercial airport LVT flooring is a smooth experience from the get-go. Likewise, should any area of the luxury vinyl flooring become damaged or in need of repairs, the replacement process is as fast as installation.
By decreasing the amount of disruption during installation and replacement, LVT becomes the top choice for airport flooring. It not only eliminates headaches in the short-term, but it also generates more savings in the long-run.
Aesthetics
The utilitarian reasons for installing LVT as your commercial airport flooring are not the only appealing aspects. Luxury vinyl tile offers an unmatched range of designs due to its cutting-edge printing capabilities. With increasingly more complex applications of 3D printing technology, the luxury vinyl flooring industry is delivering aesthetics and designs that cannot be matched by other flooring materials.
Aside from being able to mimic any classical flooring look – hardwood, stone, ceramic, etc. – LVT can bring to life any design, pattern, or color scheme your imagination can conjure. This is a critical advantage in commercial and economic sectors where brand competition is cutthroat. With the recent economic climate in the airliner industry, choices in marketing and branding can make or break companies.
Airport flooring owners can take advantage of their floor-space to carry out their campaign strategies if they maximize the full potential of LVT printing capabilities. In a world where every little bit matters, turning your airport floor into a creative advertising space can change the outlook of a company.
At Europine, we have made a name for ourselves by helping commercial owners find the right luxury vinyl flooring for their needs and interests. If you have any inquiries, doubts, or comments, we invite you to contact us to get that conversation started.