Since the elevator is a necessity in the operation of a building, the elevator floors will see far more foot-traffic than almost any other space in the building. Therefore, elevator flooring must be durable, easy to clean, easy to replace, and still fit the aesthetics of the facility it occupies. In the past, elevator floor covering had been primarily made from metal, due to its durability. But the demand for comfort and aesthetic appeal have made metal elevator flooring a thing of the past.

Elevators are designed to transport people, equipment, and things up and down buildings that have multiple floors. An elevator must be made large enough to deal with the normal daily traffic that a building receives, and be able to move the necessary objects within the building. An elevator cannot be made too small, since this space is traversed by large amounts of foot-traffic and machinery. And an elevator cannot be too large due to cost factors. Since the space is generally small, the wear-and-tear on the equipment is disproportionate to the size of the space.

The first elevators didn't sell well because they were expensive but found some initial success as luxury items in hotels in New York, London and Paris. They often were called "ascending rooms." These ascending rooms had plush elevator flooring and “they were beautifully designed rooms with upholstered seats and mirrors on the walls, sometimes even a small chandelier hanging down from the center of the car.”

The world's tallest building, the Burj Kalifa in Dubai, has just 57 elevators (16 fewer than the Empire State Building, which is half as tall), but none of them can travel to all 160 floors. Instead, the elevators are designed as express lines that serve different sections of the tower. If an elevator is shut, the increased foot-traffic will be diverted to other elevators, hence increasing the service pressure on the operable units. This will mean increased wear-and-tear on the equipment and of course the elevator floors.

There are many different types of elevators in the modern era. Each of these will transport different materials, peoples and goods. So what type of elevator flooring is recommended for your elevator? What are the possible options?

1. Passenger Elevators – Designed to carry people between building floors and can vary between 5 and 25 people. The elevator floors for passenger movement need to be chic and must blend in the styles and appeal of the space outside of the elevator into the car. Passenger elevator flooring must be comfortable as well as non-slip. Passengers spend a bit of time standing in one spot, therefore they need to be comforted, even if the trip is brief. Elevator flooring must also be durable, so as not to affect the down time of the elevator negatively. We highly suggest vinyl and rubber elevator flooring due to their aesthetic flexibility. The vast number of colors available makes rubber and vinyl ideal elevator floor covering. Rubber and vinyl are also elastic and comfortable, making for great ergonomics. But most importantly rubber elevator floor covering is easy to clean and very easy to install. At Rubber-Cal, we cut our flooring rolls to size, this makes for an easy install and very little fabrication onsite. Best of all rubber elevator floors are ultra-affordable when compared to any other material.

2. Express Elevators – They do not service all floors, but instead only selected parts of the building. These are the cars that take people from the 1st few floors to the highest levels without stopping in the middle levels. Express elevators travel faster and longer distances. This makes for an elevator which is occupied for a longer period. Express elevator flooring must have anti-fatigue properties and be comfortable in addition to the qualities noted about passenger elevators. In express elevators, we suggest a thicker rubber floor or multiple layers of foam or rubber flooring.

3. Urban Transport Elevators – They move passengers between several altitude potions, for example from bottom to the top of the hill. These elevator floors may be in mountainous regions, or in areas where moisture (i.e. rain and snow) are easily tracked into the elevator floors. This type of an elevator may need rubber flooring that has drainage channels or holes, in order to remove snow and ice from boots and secure a dry elevator floor. Urban transport elevator floors will also see more abuse, since the cars are closer to the outdoors and more apt to getting dirt and debris brought in.

4. Freight Elevators – These machines carry up to 10,000 lbs. in weight. Since these machines see heavier weight and more abusive equipment, the elevator floors need to have an abrasion resistant quality. Most of these are floored with metallic floors but are covered with rubber mats so as to extend the life of the very expensive metal elevator floors.

5. Vehicle Elevators – These are like ascending garages. For obvious reasons we suggest vinyl garage flooring to be used on these elevator floors. Vinyl has excellent resistance to oils and greases which will ensure a longer life.

6. Residential Elevators – Used to transfer people inside one house or multistory mansion. Since these elevators are in very unique environments, the elevator flooring is a function of the style, the budget and the needs of the property owner. These types of elevator flooring will have less functional and more style requirements.

The first electric elevator was built by the German inventor Wener Von Siemens in 1880. In 1889, the first commercially successful electric elevator was installed. In 1887, an electric elevator with automatic doors that would close off the elevator shaft was patented. This invention made elevators safer. We think this industry will continue to see technological advancements and who knows, but in 2089 we may be using elevators which take us to the moon!