WHAT IS AN OFFICE FIT OUT?

The term 'commercial office fit out' is a common industry term, but do you know what it means or what the difference is between the various fit outs? Here, Lewis Cooper, our Marketing Manager for Offices at Forbo, gives you the lowdown.

What is an office fit out?

An office fit out is the transformation of an interior space as a suitable working environment for businesses. This includes all fixtures and fittings required for companies to successfully run their business day-to-day.

While the developer of the building handles the construction of the building and the landlord handles the layout, the finishing touches of the interior design are typically handled by the occupant.

Why are office fit outs important?

There is overwhelming evidence showing that the design of an office can influence an employee’s concentration, cooperation, privacy and creativity, all of which directly affects health, wellbeing and cognitive performance.

As such, creating a workspace that will positively affect the productivity and satisfaction of employees is vital – and this is where an office fit out comes into play!

Types of office refurbishment

There are three types of office refurbishment for businesses that can be completed.

Shell and core fit out
A shell and core fit out is the transformation of an empty space, which is often in its raw, ‘construction site’ form, within a building. This fit out will generally include the construction of basic structures such as cladding, electrics, mechanics, lobbies, lifts and stairwells – the building necessities!

Category A fit out
A Category A office fit out is a basic operational fit out, which provides customers with a blank canvas to personalise. It covers all the essentials needed for an office space to function, such as the installation of power sockets, air conditioning and raised access flooring. No furniture or technology is installed at this point – nor is it decorated to customer requirements.

Category B fit out
A Category B fit out is the process of tailoring the space to meet the needs and interior design demands of the tenant. This includes the installation of workstations, breakout areas, meeting rooms and kitchens, as well as furniture and flooring.

Office fit out and flooring

Whilst there are many factors to consider when completing a commercial fit out, the type of flooring specified in an office can influence employees. In fact, with the right specification, flooring can remedy most office issues, such as light, noise and comfort, to name just a few. Also flooring can distinguish 'zones' within a space, such as quiet areas or social spaces.

As well as considering the practical benefits of floor coverings, the design is equally important. For example, using a vibrant design can help to get the creative juices flowing in collaborative working spaces. Whereas a more natural design can provide an attractive backdrop for a peaceful and productive working area.

Office flooring from Forbo
At Forbo, we understand that a holistic approach to commercial office design is important if it is to have a positive effect on employees. That’s why we have developed a comprehensive portfolio of textile and resilient modular office flooring solutions, which can help you to create high-quality and fully functional spaces.

Entrance Flooring Systems: Nuway & Coral

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that slips and trips account for around a third of major injuries at work. As such, it is vital to install an entrance flooring system to both improve safety and reduce cleaning costs. There are a range of solutions available on the market, from rigid systems, such as our Nuway range, and textile options, like our market leading Coral collection – both of which can prevent dirt and moisture from entering a building. This is all whilst being available in a wide variety of designs to support a company’s brand identity.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles: Allura

Combining the aesthetics of natural wood and stone floors with the benefits of strong, comfortable vinyl tiles, our Allura Flex LVT collection is the perfect solution for offices that require a durable flooring solution, which also oozes sophistication. Thanks to its proven wear layer, our LVT range is easy to clean and maintain. It can also be installed alongside our Tessera carpet tiles without the need for transition strips, enabling the creation of integrated floor schemes to meet the varying performance requirements of workplace environments with ease.

Flocked flooring: Flotex

Our Flotex flocked flooring is the only solution available on the market that provides the warmth, comfort and acoustic properties of a textile, combined with the durability and easy-to-clean benefits of a resilient flooring.

In addition to its unique construction, the Flotex collection is also available in a modular format. Our Flotex Planks and Tile ranges enable the creation of striking floorplans, whilst providing the versatility required for the ever changing workplace design.

Carpet tiles: Tessera

Carpet tiles are synonymous with office buildings as their modular format provides greater flexibility for design, installation (suitable for raised access floors) and even replacement. Not only do they provide comfort underfoot, but they can also reduce impact sound and improve acoustics within the space, making them ideal for meeting spaces and quiet working zones.

Whether you’re looking for contemporary or classic styles, patterns or plains, a feeling of luxury or perhaps a minimalist and timeless feel, our Tessera carpet tiles tick all the boxes!

In fact, our Tessera carpet tiles can even be installed adhesive free, using IOBAC’s MagTabs™, which reduce the cost of waste and installation. Utilising a dry tack on one side and magnetism on the other, MagTabs™ provide a two-dimensional grip, locking the flooring in place. By using this method, Tessera carpet tiles can be simply laid onto a metal raised access floor and then magnetically attached to the subfloor. This makes for a much faster installation process than using adhesives and has many benefits for both contractors and building owners.

At Forbo, we are continually expanding our carpet tile range to meet all application and design needs, with our Tessera Union Collection being one of the latest innovations. The Union Collection address the needs within workspace design to deliver flexible, practical, and adaptable solutions in a series of complementing ranges, which promote well-being and productivity within the workplace or learning environment.

Made and stocked in the UK, the Union Collection encompasses three patterned ranges: the organic patterning of Infused, the natural intersecting striated design of Accord and the soft hues of harmony, all of which complement Forbo’s Tessera plain ranges of Layout and Chroma.

For more inspiration on your commercial flooring needs, get in touch with the experts at Forbo Flooring Systems today.

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