There was a time, not so long ago, when exhibition flooring was made of one material, came in one size and was available in two colours – black and a slightly lighter black called grey. These days the choice of flooring is almost unlimited. But choosing an exhibition stand floor is more than just a practical choice.

Despite this, after the walling, lighting and furniture, flooring is very often left until last – a bit of an afterthought. More often than not, companies will choose a budget-friendly hard-wearing carpet in a neutral colour, anything as long as it doesn’t clash with the other stand elements too much. Not many stop to think that the flooring could actually be used to reinforce a brand or stand theme.

Coloured carpet is without doubt the simplest choice. It’s hardwearing and cheap. But don’t just opt for a neutral, non-offensive colour like a grey or dark blue. You can find carpet in just about every colour and pattern, so why not be different and find something that complements your brand of the theme of the stand.

Those who are a bit more creative and don’t mind spending that little bit extra might consider continuing the stand branding on the floor. Almost any graphics can be printed on to almost any floor, creating a strong continuous colour and theme across the stand. If your company has a particularly strong and photogenic logo, why not have it printed on to the flooring.

If you want to move away from carpet or lino tiles, why not think about giving your exhibition flooring some texture and making a feature of it by using a wooden or metal surface? If you have a larger stand, you could use exhibition flooring to indicate separate spaces, say a carpeted meeting space and a wooden floor for display or demonstration areas.

If you’re planning on keeping it, make sure that the exhibition flooring can be easily stored, shipped and installed. However spectacular it is, you don’t want to be hanging around while it’s stuck in a depot somewhere or wasting time twiddling your thumbs because it takes engineers a whole day to install.

Because of this interlocking floors have become increasingly popular in recent years. Easily portable and quick to install, and with a variety of different styles and colours available, the blocks can also be configured to meet the shape and size of your space stand exactly.

There really is no limit when it comes to choosing suitable flooring for your exhibition stand – just the depth of your imagination and the size of your wallet.