FOUNDED in 1973 by Terry Baker, Baker Flooring has spent more than 50 years establishing itself as a trusted, family-run commercial flooring business in the West Midlands. Paul Baker joined the company straight from school at 18, initially learning the trade onsite. ‘I did about a year on my knees laying floors, which wasn’t really for me. Being the owner’s son made it a bit tricky too,’ he says.
Soon, Paul moved into the office, where his father taught him everything from tendering to running contracts. ‘I became his number two pretty quickly, learning the ropes from someone who’d built the business from scratch. That foundation is what keeps us grounded today.’
Baker Flooring remains a true family business. Paul’s wife, Zoe, oversees hospital contracts, his sister Julie manages accounts, HR and audits and his mother Gloria still helps in the office a few days a week. ‘Everyone involved here has probably been with my dad at some point. That continuity creates a real sense of loyalty and trust, not just in the team, but with our clients too,’ Paul explains.
He’s clear that staying local and maintaining quality is more important than growth for growth’s sake. ‘We’re at a turnover of about £1.3m, which has stayed pretty consistent over the last few years. We don’t want to expand aggressively: we know what we can do and we like keeping it manageable. The main challenge now is finding enough skilled fitters, which seems to be a wider industry problem.’
Operating primarily in a 60-70 mile radius, Baker Flooring delivers a range of commercial flooring solutions, from healthcare and schools to care homes and other institutional projects. Hospitals have emerged as its largest vertical market. ‘It all started when a couple of estates officers walked in and needed a small piece of vinyl. I said, ‘Take it, but remember me next time’,’ Paul recalls. ‘Since then, we’ve been asked to provide ongoing support, from small repairs to full-room installations.
SUBHEAD: The power of word-of-mouth
Wolverhampton Hospital has been a major client for the past four or five years, and we’ve recently extended that to Walsall Hospital. Our team handles everything from minor subfloor repairs to large-scale flooring projects: it’s the variety and trust we’ve built that keeps the work coming.’
The company prides itself on honesty, reliability and craftsmanship. ‘We still rely heavily on word-of-mouth. Most of our projects come from repeat business or referrals, which is why maintaining strong relationships with contractors and main clients is so important,’ says Paul.
The team includes long-standing staff who have been with the business for decades, some even since Paul’s father was at the helm. ‘That experience is invaluable. It’s not just about installing floors, it’s understanding how to manage projects efficiently, handle tricky substrates and deliver quality that lasts.’
Baker Flooring also works closely with major contractors on newbuilds and refurbishments, ensuring its flooring solutions meet strict commercial standards. It combines modern flooring products with traditional service values, offering expertise across vinyl, carpet and specialist commercial finishes.
Paul notes, ‘We handle projects in hospitals, schools, care homes, and other high-traffic environments. Our focus is always on providing a solution that’s practical, durable, and safe while still delivering a visually appealing result.’
Despite the company’s local focus, Baker Flooring remains connected to the broader flooring community. Paul frequently meets with competitors such as Multi-Floor, Sheldon Flooring and Peter Hill Flooring to discuss industry trends and challenges over a few beers or two.
‘We all face the same issues such as finding skilled fitters, sourcing quality products and managing complex projects, so these exchanges are useful. It keeps us informed and ensures we continue to operate at a high standard.’
Paul says the company is committed to keeping its focus on quality over quantity. ‘We don’t want to be the biggest: we want to be the best for our clients.’
SUBHEAD: Expertise and speed across all projects
Baker Flooring has carved a clear niche in the commercial and institutional flooring sector by focusing on what it does best: soft flooring. ‘We don’t do ceramics, quarry tiles, or engineered wood, and laminate never really interested us, even during the boom years,’ explains Paul. ‘We’ll dabble in it for friends or family if the price works, but our core is soft flooring: safety flooring, carpet tiles, vinyl and all the preparation work that comes with it.’
The company briefly experimented with Altro Whiterock cladding, a resilient option suited to high-traffic commercial environments. ‘We tried it for a couple of years,’ Paul says, ‘but our fitters weren’t doing it often enough to get really fast at it, so we eventually stopped and now tend to sub it out when necessary. But that’s not a huge part of what we do.’
By focusing on soft flooring, Baker Flooring ensures its team maintains expertise and speed across all projects.
In recent years, LVT has become an increasingly important part of the company’s portfolio. ‘We do quite a bit of LVT now,’ Paul says, ‘mainly in the housing sector. It’s usually specified for us rather than something we actively sell; about 95% of our work comes from specifications.’
Beyond housing, LVT is popular for larger institutional projects such as fire stations and care homes, especially in reception areas where durability and aesthetics matter. Herringbone designs, in particular, are in demand. ‘People love the look,’ Paul says. ‘Years ago, herringbone parquet would be covered by carpet. Now, with all the modern designs, even herringbone carpet tiles exist. It gives a space a really striking appearance, and it’s made a huge comeback.’
Distribution and supply chain efficiency are crucial to Baker Flooring’s operation. ‘For specified work, we rely heavily on Forbo and Interface. They’re almost a one-stop shop now for carpet tiles, LVT and matting. We also use Burmatex, JHS, and Polyflor for certain projects, but day-to-day, TradeChoice give us the service and reliability we need,’ Paul explains.
TradeChoice, in particular, has been a trusted partner for decades. ‘We can call them at 5pm, and by 7am the next morning, we’ve got the stock we need. That consistency is invaluable.’
