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Exhibition and event flooring: carpet, vinyl or raised floor
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Quick answer
The main exhibition flooring options are printed carpet, printed carpet tiles, printed floor vinyl and a raised floor. Choose a raised floor when you need to hide power and data cables or want a hard, defined edge, and it can be hired or bought. Choose printed carpet, tiles or vinyl for a branded floor over a short run where cables aren't an issue. Whatever you pick, venue rules apply: ICC Sydney, for example, expects thin flooring edges secured and low raised floors fitted with a ramped edge.
Exhibition stand flooring options compared
The floor is one of the biggest surfaces a visitor sees.
| Option | Look and feel | Price guide (ex GST) | Install | Reuse | Hides cables | Production lead time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised exhibition flooring | Hard, clean surface, 32mm high, satin white melamine as standard | From $1,929 to buy (3m × 3m, before ramp edges). Hire available | Professional installation | Built for repeat use, 1-year warranty on non-graphic parts | Yes, 16mm cavity | 1.5 weeks |
| Printed carpet | Soft, warm underfoot, full colour | $340 per m², falling to $195 per m² at 37m² or more | Unroll and tape; self-install | Short term, about 15 days on a busy stand | No | 1.5 weeks |
| Printed carpet tiles | Carpet in 500 × 500mm tiles, one image or a pattern | Same per m² pricing as printed carpet | Lay by hand; self-install | Short term, about 15 days on a busy stand | No | 2.5 weeks |
| Printed floor vinyl | Slightly textured, like lino. Wood grain, stone, concrete or your artwork | Quoted per job | Roll out; installation help available | Vinyl grade chosen for short or longer-term use | No | 2.5 weeks |
Prices and lead times are from our product pages. Lead times run from order and print-ready artwork; delivery is extra.
Raised flooring: when you need it
A raised floor earns its cost in three situations:
- Power and data run to the middle of the stand. Our standard raised floor is 32mm high, including a 16mm space underneath for cables. Screens, counters and demo stations can sit anywhere without leads crossing the walkway.
- You want a crisp, defined footprint that sets the stand apart from the aisle carpet.
- The stand returns to several shows a year. The floor is made for repeat use, and the surface can change between events. Melamine finishes cover solid colours, wood grains, granite, marble and stone looks, and you can also put floor vinyl or carpet tiles on top.
For a branded look, the surface of a raised floor can be printed with colour, a pattern, a logo or wayfinding, and is quoted per job. Each printed surface is customised, so its lead time depends on the job. Optional LED perimeter lighting can run along one to four sides.
As a guide to purchase prices (ex GST, satin white, 32mm):
| Size | No ramp edge | Ramp edge on 1 side | Ramp edge on 2 sides |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3m × 3m | $1,929 | $2,466 | $3,003 |
| 4m × 3m | $2,502 | $3,218 | $3,755 |
| 6m × 3m | $3,648 | $4,722 | $5,259 |
| 6m × 6m | $7,086 | $8,160 | $9,234 |
Venues expect a ramped edge on a low raised floor (see venue rules below), so budget for the open sides of your stand. Freight is calculated on the order and is not included.
Printed carpet, tiles and vinyl: branding the floor
Printed carpet comes on a roll, up to 1.55m wide and 4m long, 4mm thick, with a grey slip-resistant rubber backing. It is printed by dye sublimation, so colour sits in the fibres and stays vivid. It is supplied with a removable carpet tape that holds it in place and lifts without residue. A 3m deep stand needs two widths joined (2 × 1.55m = 3.1m), so place the join where it won't cut through a logo.
Printed carpet tiles use the same carpet, cut into 500 × 500mm tiles as standard. Other sizes and shapes, such as hexagons, can be made. Tiles pack flat, and a 3m × 3m stand takes 36 standard tiles at about 8.1kg in total.
Printed floor vinyl comes in 2m, 2.5m or 3.2m widths and lengths from 1m to 30m. Where your chosen finish comes in the 3.2m width, one roll covers a 3m deep stand without a join.
For artwork on carpet and tiles, keep text at least 25mm high and avoid fine detail, because the textured surface prints at a lower resolution than smooth materials.
Carpet and tiles are made for short runs: expect roughly 15 show days on a moderately to heavily trafficked stand before they start to look worn. If the same floor has to last a season of shows, a raised floor with a replaceable surface is usually better value.
Venue rules: edges, ramps and accessibility
Each venue sets its own rules in the exhibitor manual, so get the current one from your organiser. ICC Sydney's event safety guidelines show what to expect:
- Thin flooring. Carpet, vinyl, matting, wood or similar must have the edges taped down or firmly secured so they don't create a trip hazard.
- Raised floors under 130mm. These must have a clearly distinguishable ramped edge. A gradient of no less than 1:3 is generally accepted for standard 32mm floors. At 1:3, a 32mm floor needs a ramp at least 96mm deep. For floors between 32mm and 130mm, ICC Sydney recommends a gentler 1:8 edge.
- Ramps sit inside your space. All ramped edges must be contained within the contracted space, so allow for them on the stand plan.
- Contrast and grip. Raised floor sections need a minimum 30% contrast with the surrounding floor (AS 1428.1), and ramped edges should be non-slip.
- Access. Stands should provide access for people with disabilities, and a 1:3 ramped edge is not an access ramp. Options are a ramped edge compliant with AS 1428.1, staff on hand to help, or a dedicated ramp. A dedicated ramp follows the National Construction Code, including a gradient of no less than 1:8 for a rise of 190mm or less.
- Cables. In The Cutaway at ICC Sydney, gaffer tape over cables is not permitted; cables must run in cable trays.
A ramp edge is required in Australia, so we fit one to the sides your stand design needs, priced per side. For tape types or adhesives on the hall floor, check the venue manual or ask your organiser.
Outdoor event flooring
Our adhesive floor vinyl comes in indoor and outdoor grades, all with non-slip coatings, for graphics on smooth hard surfaces, including sports courts. Adhesive vinyl needs a smooth surface and printed vinyl a clean, flat, smooth one, so neither is a fix for grass or rough ground. For an outdoor floor finish, we also supply artificial grass.
Hire or buy
- Hire a raised floor for a one-off show, or when you don't want to store it. Ask us for hire rates.
- Buy one if the stand goes out several times a year, and refresh it with new vinyl or tiles.
- Printed carpet, tiles and vinyl are printed to order for each campaign. On a 3m × 3m stand, printed carpet works out at about $1,989 ex GST (9m² at the $221 per m² rate that applies from 7m²). A white raised floor of the same size with a ramp edge on one side is $2,466, but it hides cables and is built for repeat use.
Ordering: measurements and lead times
- Measure the net area and add an allowance for cuts, joins, columns and spare tiles.
- Mark power and data points on the stand plan before choosing between a raised and a flat floor.
- Line up floor artwork with the stand layout, so logos face the main aisle rather than sitting under counters.
- Check the venue manual for edge, ramp, tape and access rules.
- Count back from bump-in using the lead times in the table, then add freight time.
- Book installation for raised floors, which need expert fitting. Our installers can schedule it around your bump-in.
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Next step: Send us your stand plan with dimensions, power points and show dates for a flooring quote, or see the full event and exhibition flooring range.