The operation of a commercial restaurant kitchen is a difficult business. Not only do you have to worry about preparing the proper foods for customers, but the kitchen needs to be a safe place to work as well. Every detail in the kitchen matters, including the flooring. Choosing the right flooring for restaurant kitchens is not an easy task because there are many good choices available. Restaurant kitchen flooring can have diverse needs, and, at a minimum, it should have the following features.
1. Easy to Install
If you are running a restaurant, you preferably do not want it closed for days while the flooring is being installed. Perhaps the installers can work at night and have the flooring installed within 1-3 days. This would mean your restaurant would only be closed for a minimum timeframe. Flooring for restaurant kitchens need to explore a variety of concerns.
2. Antimicrobial Features
The kitchen is a magnet for the growth of bacteria and mold because spillage of food and all types of liquids is very common. Combine this with the hot temperatures and humidity and, within no time, you can have a problem.
Hence, you want flooring for restaurant kitchens that is both heat- and moisture-resistant and will not easily accumulate dirt and debris. The flooring should have minimal seams so that there are limited areas where water and food can enter the subflooring. You also want flooring that is resistant to cracks to prevent liquids from seeping through.
3. Slip and Fall Resistant
Universal to all kitchens is fluid and food spills and this can also increase the risk of slips and falls. It goes without saying that you want restaurant kitchen flooring that is anti-slip so that your employees can work without having to worry about falling and hurting themselves.
4. Durability
No matter what flooring you install in the kitchen, it must be able to withstand the daily heavy traffic, food spills, heat, boiling water, and other liquids that it will naturally fall prey to. Furthermore, the flooring needs to be moisture- and stain-resistant. Replacing the flooring in a kitchen is a time-consuming endeavor and you do not want to do it every few years; preferably you want flooring that will last several decades.
5. Easy to Clean and Maintain
Kitchen flooring must be easy to clean and sanitize. In addition, you should be able to clean the flooring with normal products, such as hot water, detergent, and a degreaser. Finally, the flooring must be able to withstand regular cleaning and scrubbing.
6. Easy on the Feet
Some flooring materials are very hard and cause discomfort when standing on them for long periods of time. Because you have employees in the kitchen who work long hours, you want flooring that is easy on the feet and be as comfortable as possible to stand and work on.
WHAT ARE YOUR CHOICES FOR FLOORING IN THE KITCHEN?
Porcelain Flooring
One of the best and most durable floorings for kitchens is porcelain flooring. It is elegant, durable, and has incredible longevity compared to some of the other options. It is pretty effortless to maintain and is extremely hygienic given how resistant it is to household cleaners, meaning it can be completely cleaned and sanitized without getting damaged. Porcelain is a material that doesn’t fade in sunlight and is extremely moisture resistant.
Epoxy Flooring
One of the best synthetic flooring for restaurant kitchens materials is epoxy. While epoxy is not new to the world of flooring, the latest materials are durable, available in many styles and patterns, and can be aesthetically appealing.
Epoxy flooring hardens into a seamless surface and is slip-resistant. It can be installed overnight, minimizing downtime and labor. When installed properly, epoxy flooring is super hygienic. Finally, epoxy material can withstand extremes of temperature and is resistant to staining from a wide number of chemicals. If well looked after, epoxy flooring will easily last several decades.
Concrete Flooring
Another popular option for flooring for restaurant kitchens is concrete. It has the advantage of being durable, easy to clean, has a seamless surface, and can withstand significant high-volume traffic.
Concrete is one of the most durable flooring materials available and is not easily damaged by heat or impacts from foot or roller traffic or furniture. The best part is concrete can be designed to have an elegant aesthetic appeal and, if well-maintained, it can last a long time. The one downside to concrete is that it is extremely hard and can feel uncomfortable standing on for a long period.
To ease the impacts on feet, you may want to use rubber mats. Concrete can also be slippery when wet and does not have good sound muffling abilities. To ensure that concrete is moisture resistant, you need to have it painted with epoxy resin.
Vinyl Flooring
Luxury vinyl is another option but it’s not the first choice for the restaurant kitchen flooring. Vinyl has good aesthetics and is easy to clean, but it can get slippery when wet. To avoid this, you need to have a surface anti-slip coating.
Vinyl can also be installed over existing flooring, making it a comfortable surface to walk on. Overall, vinyl should not be the first choice for the kitchen as it is not very heat- and moisture-resistant. It is a little too delicate to withstand the heavy foot traffic of a kitchen.
Natural Stone Tiles
A relatively new option for kitchen flooring is natural stone tiles, which have many great features, including durability, excellent aesthetics, and being easy to clean. Natural stone tile can make the kitchen look elegant and pristine after each cleaning, but it also has a few negatives.
Natural stone tiles are expensive to install and the installation itself can take several days or even weeks. The material is heavy and there is a need for special equipment to cut the slabs. In addition, natural stone tiles need to be well maintained. They can crack if heavy objects fall on them, which means frequent repairs or replacement.
Also, natural stone tiles are not stain-resistant and can easily be discolored by certain foods and liquids. Finally, natural stone tiles can be very slippery when wet.
Rubber Flooring
A relative newcomer to kitchen flooring is rubber and perhaps it is the best flooring. Rubber is extremely durable, heat- and moisture-resistant, easy to clean, muffles sound, is comfortable on the feet, and can last a long time.
The downsides are that rubber is expensive compared to most other floorings and it is available in only a limited number of designs and patterns. But if aesthetics is not a primary concern, you will never go wrong with rubber flooring in a commercial restaurant kitchen.
CONCLUSION
The best way to know which flooring for restaurant kitchens to select for your kitchen is to consult with a flooring expert. Consult with an East Coast Flooring & Interiors representative to learn more about flooring alternatives for your kitchen.
There is no one ideal flooring; in the end, it is all a matter of selecting what features you desire the most in flooring and what will work best in your commercial kitchen. Call East Coast Flooring & Interiors today at 1-954-773-9575 to discuss the possibilities!