Office flooring: the Kytom material library
Weighted carpet tile: the tertiary benchmark at 28 dB of absorption
On our sites since 2006, several cases of early replacement share a single cause: a floor under-rated on UPEC, chosen on aesthetic criteria instead of NF P 62-203. The right covering is not the best-looking showroom: it is the one that lasts 12 to 15 years on a workstation under load, with 8 hours of daily foot traffic. The Kytom material library brings together several hundred samples tested in real-world conditions, with five dominant families: weighted carpet tile (28 dB of impact noise absorption per NF EN ISO 717-2), acoustic LVT (ΔLw 17-19 dB), U4P3 sheet vinyl, 3.2 mm engineered oak parquet, and 2-4 mm epoxy resin.
The 50×50 cm weighted carpet tile is the solution most frequently chosen on our open space projects, notably for its acoustic performance and the ease of replacing a single tile after staining or localised wear, without removing the whole floor.
Common technical specifications:
- Pile weight: 700 to 900 g/m² for intensive tertiary use
- UPEC class: U3P3 minimum, U4P3 for high-traffic zones (NF P 62-203)
- Impact noise absorption ΔLw: 25 to 30 dB per NF EN ISO 717-2
- Bitumen or PVC weighted backing (5 to 7 kg/m²)
- Installation budget observed across our recent portfolio: 40 to 65 EUR/m²
Criterion Entry-level tile High-density tile Pile 500 g/m² 900 g/m² ΔLw 22 dB 30 dB Service life 7 years 12 years Installation budget 28 EUR/m² 65 EUR/m² Source: supplier technical data sheets cross-referenced with Kytom operational feedback.
For the Asset Manager: the trade-off is not tile vs sheet, it is initial CAPEX vs replacement OPEX. A 500 g/m² tile at 28 EUR/m² costs 37 EUR/m² less to purchase than a 900 g/m² tile. But at 7 years it is replaced, meaning an additional 28 EUR/m² plus 12 EUR/m² for removal and reinstallation and 15 days of operational disruption. The ratio tips from the 6th financial year: on a 1,200 m² floor plate, the asset value gap at 10 years reaches 31,200 EUR in favour of the high-density option, excluding rent avoided during the works phase.
When carpet tile is not the right answer. Below 80 m² of continuous surface, the acoustic gap with an IXPE acoustic LVT becomes marginal relative to the extra cost of a bulk purchase: prefer LVT planks for an executive project of less than 100 m². Likewise, in a tea point, coffee area, or circulation subject to daily liquid splashes, carpet tile loses its appeal: the premature replacement rate there is significantly higher than in dry zones; in that case, prefer welded U4P3 sheet vinyl.
0.55 mm acoustic LVT: wood aesthetics and ΔLw of 17 to 19 dB
Acoustic LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) meets the growing demand for hybrid tertiary spaces, blending a residential visual code with office-grade technical performance. The 0.55 mm wear layer remains the benchmark for 12 to 15 years of intensive use.
Configurations delivered by Kytom:
The wear layer is measured in mm: 0.30 mm suits low-traffic executive spaces, 0.55 mm covers the open space, 0.70 mm is required in circulation and reception halls. The plank format imitates parquet (1200×180 mm) or stone tile (610×305 mm).
Contrarian Kytom position: bonded 0.55 mm LVT without IXPE has no place in an open space, despite its massive uptake in the trade. The supplier doctrine presents this product as versatile. Our reading differs: with a limited ΔLw index, this product amplifies caster noise instead of dampening it, a behaviour we regularly observe in open spaces after delivery. The IXPE acoustic version closes that gap for an additional 8 EUR/m², an immediate return on acoustic comfort. On an 800 m² floor plate, the extra cost of 6,400 EUR represents 0.4% of the annual rent of a Parisian open space: the trade-off is trivial for a CFO, and yet the default specification remains the standard bonded LVT.
Limits of acoustic LVT. Acoustic IXPE LVT becomes counterproductive on raised access floors with 600×600 mm panels: the 1.5 mm IXPE backing creates differential compressibility at the panel joints, causing clicking after a few months of use, a defect we have observed in real-world conditions on this type of substrate. On a raised access floor, prefer weighted click LVT or carpet tile. Likewise, in zones subject to heavy rolling loads (trolleys > 80 kg, mobile archives), LVT indents: switch to compact sheet vinyl or epoxy resin.
U4P3 sheet vinyl and engineered parquet: performance and representation
Two families complete the tertiary palette for specific uses: welded sheet vinyl for wet or hygienic zones, engineered parquet for executive floors and boardrooms.
Welded sheet vinyl (homogeneous or compact PVC):
3.2 mm engineered oak parquet:
Oiled parquet requires annual maintenance (refreshing oil, around 4 to 6 EUR/m²) that Kytom includes in the operating contract. This family is justified in representation spaces, never in an open-plan office.
For the Architect / IRB: engineered parquet is a signature material, not an operational floor. On a 200 m² executive floor with fewer than 100 footfalls/day, 3.2 mm oak lasts 20 years and carries unmatched image value. In a reception hall with 400 footfalls/day, the same product wears out in 4 years. The architectural trade-off consists of delimiting the representation zone according to flows: private entrance, boardroom, executive office. Beyond that, switching to a 0.70 mm oak-look LVT plank, openly assumed, preserves visual coherence without the operational risk.
When these families are not suitable. Engineered oak parquet loses its relevance beyond 150 footfalls/day: wear of the oiled layer becomes visible in less than 4 years, far from the 12 to 15 years claimed by manufacturers, a gap we have observed on delivered reception halls. In these zones, switch to a 0.70 mm oak-look LVT plank. Welded sheet vinyl, for its part, becomes unjustifiable outside wet zones or scrubber-drier cleaning: in a dry open space, its ΔLw below 8 dB degrades acoustic comfort and its visual rendering remains industrial.
Method
- Map the usage zones
Divide your floor plates into 4 to 6 zones according to traffic and use: reception, circulation, open space, meeting rooms, coffee areas, washrooms. Each zone is assigned its target UPEC class. This step determines 80% of the relevance of the final choice. - Define the priority technical criteria
Rank your requirements: acoustics, durability, aesthetics, CSR, budget. At a head office, acoustics and appearance take priority; on a logistics site, durability and maintenance dominate. Validate your criteria with your OPC and your HR contacts. - Visit our material library
By appointment, handle the 200+ samples classified by type. Our consultants steer you towards 3 to 5 references matching your specifications. Leave with the technical data sheets, EPDs, and real supply lead times. - Test in real-world conditions
Lay 2 to 3 m² of each finalist on site for 15 days. Have them walked over, stain them deliberately, measure the acoustics before/after. This 200 EUR step avoids 50,000 EUR worth of regrets.
Frequently asked questions
Which UPEC class should I choose for a tertiary open space?
U3P3 minimum per NF P 62-203 for a standard open space with 8 hours of daily foot traffic. U4P3 is required in circulation, reception halls, and zones with more than 200 people/day. Under-rating a floor at U2P2 on an aesthetic recommendation remains the number 1 cause of early replacements we observe on our sites since 2006.
