Another important consideration when designing spaces for kids is what’s beneath their feet. When discussing flooring options, there are many possibilities for the type of floor coverings that will be used in your church building. These include choices for durability, maintenance, looks, and cost. This post will help sort out the options.
Flooring Considerations
All flooring should be commercial grade—building codes have requirements for flooring in commercial spaces. While it can cost more than residential flooring, commercial flooring is more durable, has a longer life, and is designed for large amounts of foot traffic.
Before you start selecting flooring, you’ll want to think about what type of ministry each room is being used for. Next, consider warranties for the flooring, as well as maintenance, and if they meet up with the anticipated ministries.
Carpet Options
A popular option for children’s spaces, especially in classrooms, is carpet. Today, you have many options to choose from, such as a carpet tile, plank, or broadloom—a 12-foot rolled carpet product. Carpet tile and planks have really started to increase in popularity and have taken over the carpet industry. These allow you to create a wide range of different patterns and colors.
In this example, you can see how carpet tile provides a little bit more interest by creating a pattern on the floor. You can change the carpet tiles if you need to, for example, if you have a major spill, and it’s likely that damage from minor spills won’t penetrate the tile; also, cleaning is easier.
Hard Flooring Choices
Another flooring option that has been popular for many years is VCT, or vinyl composition tile. It’s a 12×12 tile that requires waxing. However, it will keep the same look for a long time because the wax that you strip and replace is on the top layer of the floor.
A more popular floor finish when it comes to resilient or hard floor surfaces is LVT, or luxury vinyl tile. You can get a lot of different looks with this product, such as a standard wood plank design. But LVT can give you other looks, such as water or grass.
Another option when it comes to resilient flooring is sheet vinyl. This isn’t as hard as LVT or VCT, so it can be gouged and sustain other damage more easily. But it is a commercial-grade product that’s commonly used in hospitals, so its durability is time tested. You’ll get a variety of looks from this product, as well.
This example shows a check-in area for younger kids. When it comes to the theme for this space, the church stretched their dollars and went with vinyl cut-outs, with a plan to add to the theme over the years. Their flooring is a sheet vinyl that looks like wood planks. This goes through the corridor and connects to other check-ins for the older kids.
There you have some of the flooring options for your children’s spaces, and hopefully some inspiration. If you’re looking for more ideas and guidance for your church building, sign up for our monthly i3 webinars. In these free sessions, we discuss the latest trends and topics in church building and design.