Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

What costs should be considered for flooring?

  • By Bob Bethel
  • 12/01/16

A floor covering, especially for today’s active learning environments, must be durable, maintain its appearance and support the desired instructional-intended design of that space. When considering these factors — and knowing a flooring surface is typically the largest of any surface in a space — specifying the right flooring product is important to get the most for long-term use.

When budgets are tight, it can be tempting to select low-cost or inexpensive flooring. This approach might save money upfront for material and installation cost, but it can have consequences on the back end. Lower-cost flooring may require more maintenance over time, or it might need replacing sooner than expected, costing more money in the long run.

When selecting flooring for an educational environment, facility experts should consider not only the upfront costs, but also the expected total “lifecycle cost of ownership” for that product.

Calculating this cost does not need to be time-consuming. Some industry associations and manufacturers offer tools to help facility executives with this important task, including online calculators that enable users to compare lifecycle costs across various flooring types, including hard surfaces, soft surfaces and textile composite floorings. This allows facility professionals to make informed decisions about product choices and associated costs. Going through the process can ensure that facility professionals maximize the dollars spent on their purchase.

When it comes to flooring, it’s important to know the costs beyond the initial material and installation — including maintenance time, tools and replacement considerations.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Bob Bethel is the director of Business Development, Education, for J+J Flooring Group. J+J offers an online calculator, floorlifecost.com. Bob can be reached at [email protected] or 800/241-4586.

Featured

  • TCU Marks Campus Expansion Milestone

    Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a topping-out ceremony to mark progress on a major campus expansion effort including four new residential facilities and a five-story parking garage, according to a news release.

  • Rethinking K-12 Schools as a Continuous Learning Experience

    Most students move through three or more separate facilities during their K-12 journey, yet the built environments they encounter at each stage have traditionally been designed in isolation, with little continuity in spatial language, learning philosophy, or physical resources. Each new school is a reset with different layouts, learning models, expectations, and ways of moving through a building. The next generation of school design is making the case that the first day of kindergarten and the last day of high school can and should feel connected through common support systems and infrastructure in the physical environment.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.