When choosing restaurant flooring, many things must be considered. For starters, each area of a restaurant has different flooring requirements. For example, bar area floors require protection against spilled liquids behind the counter, as well as customers spilling or even dropping drinks. Restaurant kitchens have safety standards that protect employees from slipping and falling. Selecting the best flooring for restaurants can improve productivity, minimize accidents, and eliminate mess.
When selecting flooring, there is much to consider beyond simple aesthetics. Safety concerns must play a role when considering installing flooring for restaurants. Along with safety you need to consider durability, acoustics, ease of maintenance, comfort for both the staff and patrons, and ease of moving tables and chairs.
What Are the Best Flooring Materials for Restaurants?
Flooring materials perform various functional roles. Choosing the right materials is very important. Not only should your materials look good, they must be durable and slip resistant, and be able to withstand spills and constant foot traffic.
To satisfy all these variables, restaurant flooring should be chosen based on the needs of each zone. For example, a bar area needs to be protected from spills while the dining area needs to protect patrons from slipping or falling. The kitchen requires durable, waterproof materials that help keep employees from slipping and falling.
Yes, restaurants present a number of flooring challenges – but there are plenty of options when it comes to selecting the best flooring materials:
- Vinyl is a popular choice. Available in a variety of patterns and colors, it’s one of the least expensive flooring coverings. Sheet vinyl is one of the most sanitary and easy-to-clean floor coverings on the market. Available in sheet or tile installations, it has no joints to trap dirt, and spills can be easily mopped up. Staff and customers will appreciate the comfortable, soft feel of these floors, as well as its clean, modern look. Vinyl is resistant to damage, but has a short lifespan, needing replacing anywhere from eight to 15 years.
- Carpet is the flooring of choice for acoustic control. Nylon and nylon-wool blend are practical because they are flame-retardant and stain resistant. Though it has great traction, the durability can be low for high-traffic areas. Keep in mind that carpet requires constant deep cleaning to keep build-up from contaminants at a minimum. A design trend seen in many restaurants is a combination of various flooring finishes, with carpet used in some areas for color and acoustical effect, and complementary wood finishes, tile or concrete used elsewhere.
- Wood floors are often chosen for their warmth and appeal. But with hardwoods, long-term maintenance must be considered. Commercial-grade solid wood flooring should ideally be stripped and resealed with polyurethane once yearly as a basic maintenance practice. That could require a few days’ downtime – not a viable option for most restaurants. Other wood choices, such as bamboo, cork, polyurethane-impregnated wood or engineered wood, may be easier-to-maintain alternatives to natural hardwoods.
- Ceramic and porcelain tile are widely used in restaurants because of their strength and durability. Ceramic tile can withstand heavy foot traffic, as well as scrapes from chairs and tables, and it’s unlikely to chip or crack. Tile that is properly installed is virtually waterproof, making it both sanitary and easy to clean. Because it is made from all-natural clay and sand, tile is also environmentally friendly and does not release harmful fumes or gases into the air. Tile is available in a large variety of styles, colors and textures, allowing restaurant owners to find a style to suit any decor.
- Concrete is often one of the best commercial flooring installation options for restaurants because it’s durable, affordable, and fits a variety of aesthetics.. A sealer is a must to help prevent anything from getting under the floor where you can’t access it. Concrete isn’t fire-and-forget either. You still need to care for it, especially in a restaurant environment. Luckily with concrete, that cleaning will go faster than with most other types of flooring. For slip resistance, you can go one of two directions with concrete: use additives so that the concrete has more ingrained texture, or intentionally texture the concrete in a unique way. Both are simple yet effective ways of giving a concrete floor grip and making it safe for servers and customers alike.You can also give concrete many different looks. Stamped or imprinted concrete can be made to look like tile, a range of stones, or even wood. This is a great way of evoking the moods of other floors while retaining the advantages of concrete. Concrete can be stained, engraved, and polished for a remarkable range of appearances. Adding a stencil or logo is a great way of making a place feel more your own. If it’s one of the first things a customer sees when walking in the door, they’ll automatically associate the brand more closely with the experience they have. Just make sure not to overdo it. One logo at the main entrance is usually enough for a space. The good news is that concrete can be stenciled in intricate, detailed, and bright ways with ease. In other words, flooring for restaurants does not have to be boring!
Flooring for Restaurant Kitchen vs. Dining Room vs. Lobby, etc.
Choosing flooring for restaurants can be a challenge. These surfaces have to stand up to relentless foot traffic, spills, and the wheeling of carts. They have to provide grip so that customers don’t slip. They have to be attractive and appealing. They have to help reflect light so that the eating area isn’t too dark.
When considering which covering to go with, consider all areas of the venue. To help you keep your restaurant running efficiently while complying with safety standards and creating an inviting atmosphere, we have created an infographic on some of the most popular restaurant flooring choices. The infographic below outlines common flooring options for various parts of a restaurant, and the reasons for choosing each.
For the lobby of a restaurant, there are many flooring options that will work. A nice, bright broadloom and axminster carpet installation is sure to catch a customer’s eye, but laminate, vinyl, porcelain tile, or natural stone floors, particularly slate or granite, are also ideal choices.
In the dining room of a restaurant, it’s important that the floor can withstand heavy foot traffic and is slip resistant. We recommend carpet, porcelain tile, carpet tiles, laminate, vinyl or natural stone in this area.
A restaurant’s restroom and bar flooring requirements are similar to those of the dining room, but the flooring in these areas must also be water resistant. For these areas we recommend laminate, porcelain tile, or vinyl.
For the kitchen of a restaurant, we recommend the following: vinyl flooring, as it’s durable, water resistant, and comfortable to stand on for long periods, or porcelain tile, which is stain resistant and easy to maintain.
Do you have any questions about restaurant or flooring installations? Feel free to contact East Coast Flooring & Interiors! We have installed hundreds of commercial floors across South Florida, and would be happy to help.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.