Being a member of the Homeowners Association (HOA), you’ll be responsible for various aspects of building common areas and working with your property management company to keep the building in good shape.

One important thing to do is to select suitable flooring for the building’s common areas. There are several factors to consider when choosing flooring materials, such as price, practicality, and durability. Here are a few types of flooring recommended for the HOA and the pros and cons of each.

The lobby

The lobby tends to be a high traffic area so you need durable flooring that can handle a lot of foot traffic on it. It should also be resilient to water as the lobby is the entrance to the building and people tend to track dirt and other debris inside. Carpet tends to be an affordable choice, but depending on how much wear and tear you’re seeing, it might get expensive to replace. It will need regular vacuuming and shampooing and won’t last as long as other floorings.

More durable choices for the lobby are ceramic tiling, vinyl, or linoleum. Tiling is easy to lay and if it’s sealed with grout, it can last a long time. Vinyl or linoleum are both also very durable and water-resistant. Vinyl is usually a cheaper option than linoleum, even though they have very similar properties because linoleum is made from natural materials.

Hallways

Hallways also see quite a lot of traffic. It’s up to you if you’d prefer a carpet with an attractive design, or to save money using laminate flooring. Laminate flooring is a more economical choice here for an HOA on a budget.

Stairways

Carpeted stairways are safer because they are non-slip, but carpet is less durable than other materials. It’s easier to carpet the stairs, however than using tiling or laminate flooring. Speak to the property management company about the costs of laying the carpet.

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