Commercial Flooring Options for Office Renovations

Flooring is one of the highest-impact finish decisions in an office renovation, visually, functionally, and from a budget perspective. It is also one of the most common areas where allowances in renovation quotes create surprises at the end of a project. This guide compares the main commercial flooring options for office renovations in Ontario and helps you make the decision with full cost visibility before the project starts.

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), The Workhorse of Commercial Office Renovation

LVT has become the dominant flooring choice in commercial office renovations in the GTA over the past decade, and for good reason. It offers the visual character of wood or stone, strong durability, easy maintenance, and a cost range that works for most commercial budgets.

Cost range: $8-$18 per square foot installed, depending on product quality and subfloor condition.

Best for: Open-plan offices, corridors, reception areas, break rooms.

Practical notes:

• LVT tolerates minor subfloor imperfections better than hardwood or tile, but significant levelness issues must still be addressed before installation
• Commercial-grade LVT (0.55mm+ wear layer) is required in high-traffic applications; residential-grade product will not hold up
• Click-lock (floating) LVT installs faster and at lower cost than glue-down; glue-down is more appropriate in areas with rolling loads (office chairs, carts)

Carpet Tile, For Open-Plan Offices With Acoustic Needs

Carpet tile remains popular in open-plan office environments where acoustic performance matters. The tile format (typically 50cm x 50cm squares) allows damaged tiles to be replaced individually and enables creative pattern layouts.

Cost range: $7-$16 per square foot installed, depending on product specification and pattern complexity.

Best for: Open-plan workstations, conference rooms, private offices.

Practical notes:

• Carpet tile absorbs sound and reduces echo, particularly valuable in open offices with hard ceilings
• Requires regular vacuuming and periodic professional extraction cleaning; maintenance cost should factor into the lifetime economics
• Raised access flooring is common in commercial offices for cable management; carpet tile installs easily over raised floor systems

Polished Concrete, The Premium Industrial-Modern Option

Polished concrete uses the existing concrete slab as the finished floor surface, grinding and polishing it to a specified sheen level. The result is a durable, low-maintenance floor with a distinctive industrial-modern aesthetic.

Cost range: $6-$14 per square foot for grinding and polishing, depending on sheen level (cream to high gloss) and the number of passes required. Grinding out significant surface defects or achieving high sheen on a poor-quality slab adds cost.

Best for: Lobbies, reception areas, tech offices, creative/agency spaces, retail-adjacent areas.

Practical notes:

• Polished concrete is not a good choice if the slab has significant cracks, patches, or extensive surface contamination from prior adhesive, remediation can exceed the cost of installing alternative flooring
• It is cold and hard underfoot; in workstation areas, this affects comfort for standing and walking throughout the day
• A densifier and penetrating sealer are required to prevent dust and improve stain resistance; these are included in the polishing process

Porcelain Tile, For High-Durability Wet or High-Traffic Areas

Porcelain tile is appropriate for washrooms, kitchens, server rooms, and entrance vestibules, areas that require durability, moisture resistance, and easy cleaning. It is not typically used throughout an office because of cost and the acoustic hardness of the surface.

Cost range: $12-$25+ per square foot installed, depending on tile size, format, and pattern complexity. Large-format tiles (60x120cm and larger) require more precise subfloor leveling and more skilled installation.

Practical notes:

• Grout maintenance is the long-term consideration; unsanded or epoxy grout in commercial settings reduces maintenance requirements
• Slip resistance (coefficient of friction) must be specified for wet areas; not all tiles that look appropriate are rated for wet floor use

Hardwood, Premium, But Limited in Commercial Applications

Engineered hardwood in commercial applications is typically reserved for high-end private offices, boardrooms, or heritage-style renovations. It provides warmth and a premium aesthetic that resonates in certain contexts.

Cost range: $15-$30+ per square foot installed for commercial-grade engineered hardwood.

Practical notes:

• Hardwood does not perform well under rolling office chair loads without a mat; in workstation areas, chair mats must be specified
• Engineered hardwood tolerates moisture and temperature variation better than solid hardwood, but it is not suitable for wet areas or uncontrolled environments
• Refinishing capability (hardwood can be sanded and refinished at end of life) extends the asset life, but most commercial tenants will not own the space long enough for this to matter

Subfloor Condition, The Variable No One Prices Upfront

The single most common source of flooring cost surprises is subfloor condition. Existing concrete slabs in renovated commercial spaces often have:

• Old adhesive residue from prior carpet, VCT, or LVT installations
• Leveling compound patches that are cracked or delaminated
• Low spots or high spots that exceed flooring manufacturers' tolerance

Proper site assessment before pricing, including a floor levelness check, is the only way to avoid surprises. Any reputable flooring contractor or general contractor should perform this assessment before committing to a price.

VNG includes subfloor assessment in our pre-construction site review and will not quote flooring without knowing what we are installing over.