Recently there has been a debate in the library in my neighborhood as to whether to replace the carpet with tile. Which is better for a library. Please note that a lot of school kids use this library.
What does the City building department recommend?(hope there is some experience) High humidity,sandy,high traffic area.Cement floor,wood flooring..upper level lower level.
I think carpet because it absorbs sounds. Tile sounds will bounce off of and make it noisier. I would have tile in the entrance way, bathrooms and staff eating area and carpet through the rest of the library.
Tile is cold and shoes make noise when people walk across the room. Not only that, tile does not absorb sound and the library will have all that floor surface for noise to bounce off of. There are commercial grade carpets that would be ideal for this application. I would not worry so much about stains because there should be a NO FOOD OR DRINK rule in the library that should be strictly followed. Besides carpeting is better on the legs and feet for the employees and all those children who sit on the floor for story time will certainly appreciate the carpet under their tushes.
Industrial office carpeting is stain-resistant, very short knap, and is designed to hold up in high-traffic areas. It is exceptionally easy to maintain. You can find it through independent distributors, as well as at Lowe's or Home Depot (shop around for the best pricing).
