Offices need to be functional to meet the needs of modern corporate spaces. These environments may require areas that can be reconfigured between teams, adaptable private spaces and open plan rooms.
Room divider walls are one of the most effective ways to separate an office into functional sections, but which will work best for your specific premises and budget?
Throughout this article, our experts explore your partition options, helping you to make an informed decision on the perfect solution to separate your office space.
Why commercial spaces need flexible partition systems
Commercial room dividers are semi-permanent, stable walls that enable you to adjust your workspace layout, provide privacy and transform your office into a multifunctional environment.
In offices, divider walls provide flexibility to create distinctive department areas, boardrooms and open-plan spaces for hands-on collaborative meetings and training days.
This makes them a more appealing option than just traditional walls, which are permanent, rigid and cannot be opened to form different spaces.
4 commercial room-dividing systems
If you’re looking for effective ways to separate office space, there are several options available to you and your budget, which you can explore below:
1. Movable walls
Stylish, efficient, and modern, movable partitions are a premium and versatile solution for space separation and room layout flexibility. These high-specification partition systems are operable and extend across a wall opening to create a temporary wall or retract to open the room.
This wall type is made up of several dynamic panels made from a composite material that are individually top-hung from a ceiling track – the track is typically concealed for a streamlined finish. As each panel moves independently from the next, the stacking options are almost endless, meaning you can close, open, or split your space freely in various ways. For example, you can create a divide between two teams to make managing each easier, but leave a doorway by keeping one of the panels stacked away.
Available in a choice of sleek finishes and colours, like white, black or mock timber, these walls offer a clean-lined, minimal appearance that’s ideally suited to suit 21st-century office aesthetics.
Pros of movable walls
- Provide complete privacy when each panel is combined
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Offer impressive acoustic ratings, sometimes up to 59Db
- Can be fully automated for effortless manoeuvrability
- Flexible dividing options to meet a range of needs
- Come in numerous sizes to accommodate various room heights and widths
Cons of movable walls
- They require professional installation by an engineer
- They’re expensive due to their high specifications, especially the fully automated operating walls
- They should be serviced and maintained, although this can be very cost-effective based on your provider
2. Glass panels
Ultra sleek and stylish, glass partition walls are a sophisticated room-diving solution with several high-spec features. Each panel may be full safety glass, or glass housed between a slimline and robust aluminium frame that is available in a variety of styles and colours.
Glass partitions offer the same level of flexibility as movable styles do and are manually operated or semi-automated. But thanks to the integrated glass panels, these walls are designed to permit natural light to pass through your space and brighten it.
Advantages of movable glass walls
- They brighten spaces, which boosts focus and motivation in workspaces, as well as reducing artificial light energy costs
- Glass is easy to clean, so you can keep the system looking pristine
- They help to create collaborative environments thanks to the open-plan feel they offer
- Available in different sizes
Cons of glass walls
- As they’re one of the most premium divider walls, they’re expensive
- The glass may need to be cleaned often
- May not offer as much privacy as some desire
3. Sliding foldable walls
A mid-range product that looks the part in most commercial spaces, sliding foldable systems offer easy space separation and style.
Unlike glass and movable walls, folding wall panels are floor-supported using a floor track, and don’t move individually. Instead, the system is hinged, folding and extending as one unit, allowing for elegant and seamless opening and closing of working areas.
Sliding designs are operated manually – the panels are unlocked using a handle or latch, and are then pushed or pulled depending on how you want to arrange the room.
Advantages of sliding foldable walls
- A more affordable, mid-range option
- There are many high-end finishes to choose from, including sleek white
Disadvantages of sliding foldable systems
- Poorer acoustic performance compared to glass and movable styles
- The panels can’t be dynamically stacked, meaning fewer partition arrangement options
4. Concertina partitions
If you’re looking for a durable, practical and low-budget option that still offers adequate levels of sound reduction, you should consider a concertina wall.
Concertina walls are hardwearing structures for high-traffic informal commercial areas that manually fold across a wall opening using a handle and don’t depend on a mechanical system like movable walls.
The vinyl is effortless to clean and wipe, making it a worthy choice for office canteens where scuffs and spillages are to be expected.
Benefits of concertina walls
- Affordable price in comparison to the higher spec designs
- Durable and easy to clean
- Available in a selection of colours, meaning there’s an option that matches your decor
Disadvantages of concertina partitions
- They aren’t as aesthetically pleasing and sleek as movable and glass walls
- They can look bulky
- They’re operated manually, which isn’t convenient for everyone
Speak with us today
Here at Avant, we’re the experts in movable wall solutions you can purchase to transform your space into a flexible, open and functional area.
To find out more about the best sellers we stock and install, don’t hesitate to call us on 0151 318 3356 today or email us at sales@avantmovablewalls.co.uk, and we’ll be in touch.