Hardwood > Carpet

November 15, 2006 12:23 AM

FloorFilter: Is the idea of "temporary" or easily removable hardwood flooring or some derivative thereof completely out of the realm of possibility for an office space?

It's pretty ridiculous, I realize, but I'd love hardwood floors in my tiny (320 sq. ft., 22' x 15') new office space. It's completely empty (actually it's a building shell, being built into, but the landlord wouldn't be too keen on hardwood-flooring just our office, methinks) so I was wondering if any sort of "temporary" or lay-down flooring options exist that reproduce the hardwood floor look and feel while resting on low-traffic office carpet?

I know it's pretty ridiculous, and there'd be a bit of a step into the office, naturally, but is there anything that wouldn't have to be "installed" outright?

posted by disillusioned to Home & Garden (7 answers total)

In a big, monolithic, corporate Firm I worked for the partners got to choose their office layout. Most chose "hardwood" but due to frequent office suffling (due to political struggles) the flooring was modular and removable. It seems to me that there was always carpet underneath and that it went down/came up in a matter of a weekend.

It was still extremely nice though, so I say go for it. Sorry I don't have a brand or link, but I can at least give you hope that there is a product out there.
posted by Pollomacho at 12:34 AM on November 15, 2006

Sure. Dance competitions usually have a large floating dance floor of hardwood that is easily installed on site. This can be set up and removed on carpet, linoleum, etc to provide a quality dance surface anywhere. A similar concept could be done for your needs. Searhc for "Floating Hardwood Floor".
posted by JJ86 at 5:54 AM on November 15, 2006

Best answer: Ikea sells DIY-install snap-together hardwood flooring that's designed to go over existing industrial carpet, linoleum, etc. -- anything except plush wall-to-wall.
posted by mendel at 7:34 AM on November 15, 2006

I've seen something similar to the Ikea flooring at Costco, too.
posted by Sprout the Vulgarian at 8:14 AM on November 15, 2006

Best answer: Pergo flooring may be what you're looking for.
posted by andrewraff at 9:07 AM on November 15, 2006

Response by poster: You know, with as much time as I've spent around Ikea's site, you'd think I would have looked there. In fact, I thought of them, and decided *against* even trying to find something like this there, not thinking they sold flooring.

Brilliant.

Thanks—that's perfect. Pergo might work well, too, though it seems to be sold in packs of planks... Might be a more professional look, but might also require a lot more product & work to complete.
posted by disillusioned at 9:42 AM on November 15, 2006

I can verify that the Ikea stuff works ok. I put it over carpeting on concrete and it stood up nicely to rolling around on it. Snapping it together isn't too hard.
posted by jeribus at 2:22 PM on November 15, 2006