When deciding on flooring choices for your overall church design, there are a variety of elements to consider in order to make the best overall long-term choices for your church construction project.
While planning your church design, consider not only the overall look, but also the volume of foot traffic in each major space in the building.
And remember, church construction projects require commercial grade flooring by code.
In this article, we will explore flooring options to consider for each area of the church building. Remember, decisions should not only be based on practical needs, but also appearance, maintenance, and long-term durability.
Main Sanctuary Flooring
Have you ever been in the middle of a church service and found yourself clearly distracted from the rhythm of footsteps entering or exiting the service?
There is nothing more distracting to the congregation than people moving during service, and when amplified steps—due to the flooring choice—accompany movement, it dilutes the service’s impact.
Consider the benefit of a flooring choice that dampens the sounds of footsteps instead of amplifying them.
Carpeting in the main sanctuary creates not only a nice sound dampener, but also a visually appealing look.
The high-traffic areas found in the sanctuary should always be visually appealing, practically durable, and financially feasible when it comes to church design.
Sanctuary carpet boasts a variety of benefits including:
- Easy to maintain
- Durable
- Long lasting
- Cost effective
- Excellent sound dampening
- Complements church design
- Good safety feature
Concrete, tile, and other hard surfaces provide fabulous options, especially when a sanctuary contains movable chairs and therefore can be reconfigured for other uses.
Today, many main sanctuaries are repurposed during the week for everything from exercise classes to volunteer banquets, as well as various community uses.
Concrete, tile, and other hard surfaces provide unique benefits including:
- Stain resistant (for the coffee loving church)
- Creative look (color additives mixed into concrete floors create a great design)
- Easy to clean
- Cost-effective maintenance
- Versatile/multipurpose uses
Sports Flooring
Churches are reaching out to the community and utilizing features like sports facilities to draw in those who may never otherwise visit the church campus.
Basketball courts, volleyball courts, weightlifting gyms, rock walls, and cycle classes are all possibilities when it comes to community sports activities on the church property.
Each of these activities requires durable, low-maintenance flooring to accommodate the activities.
The hardwood gym floor is the most long-lasting, timeless flooring around. Rubber and linoleum flooring are also great options for sports areas.
Synthetic flooring is a multi-layered 100 percent vinyl flooring with a reinforced fiberglass grid and foam backing.
Consider traffic flow and safety when designing flooring for fitness areas within a church complex. Free weights require rubberized surfaces, lobbies are often carpeted, and showers are tiled and include rubber walk-off mats.
Sports flooring benefits:
- Long lasting
- Shock absorption
- Wears well
- Appropriate friction for sports competition
- Multipurpose
- Injury prevention
Stage/Platform Flooring
Hardwood flooring, or the less expensive version—laminate flooring, a common platform floor option—gives the stage a sparkling finish.
It is multipurpose in its function and accommodates the moving of music and stage equipment. It is especially beneficial when holiday productions are scheduled and sets need to be changed between scenes.
High-grade carpet provides a budget-friendly option for stage flooring. The easy maintenance, sound-dampening factor, and affordability make carpet a viable option for the stage.
Stained concrete works well with new church construction projects. It’s durable, easy to clean, and beautiful visually.
Unlike carpet, concrete doesn’t dampen the sound of the choir’s footsteps as they file off the stage, but the durability and contemporary look add great value to the church design.
Student Ministries Flooring
If you reach a child, you reach a family, so it is critical to provide well for children and youth. Children’s spaces require durable, low-maintenance flooring.
Carpet, a popular option, can not only be purchased in wide rolls, but also as “carpet tile,” which is replaceable, colorful, and often a fabulous choice for children’s spaces.
Let’s face it—young children spend a lot of time on the floor, so the floor’s safety and cleanliness features are paramount.
Vinyl flooring is often used for part of the children’s spaces, including the snack and craft area. Its easy cleanup, durable nature, and budget-friendly features make it a wise choice for children’s spaces.
This information is courtesy of Churches by Daniels, which has been building churches since 1980, www.churchesbydaniels.com. Over the years, they have served pastors and commercial developers from coast to coast with an unwavering focus on quality craftsmanship and commitment to their clients.
