It's not a surprise that most of the talk about commercial floors is on, or rather about, the surface. It's what's right in front of the stakeholders, after all.

So, it's what most information from contractors and suppliers is about. Design, however, has to be about what's unseen when the building opens.

As Contributing Editor C.C. Sullivan writes, "Savvy Building Teams are careful not to fall into this trap. The finish material for a commercial or institutional floor system interacts in important ways with a number of other building systems."

That's why, Sullivan says, "The effective selection and specification of materials, adhesives, underlayments, leveling treatments, electrical systems, cable management, and raised floors must take into account a complete picture of both building design and intended use."