Commercial Kitchen Flooring
Commercial kitchen flooring doesn't have to be as limiting as just using linoleum or vinyl. With the proper sealant, you can use most any kind of flooring, as long as health code allows it. Commercial kitchen floors can include cement, ceramic or porcelain tile, wood, and rubber. Rubber kitchen flooring for restaurants has long been used to keep workers from fatiguing as much, but they are also great for reducing the chance of slipping. Restaurant kitchen flooring can have many different designs from utilitarian, to modern, and best of all -- retro kitchen flooring.
Commercial kitchen flooring is a huge business. There are so many different kinds of flooring that can be used for commercial kitchen floors. Although many people automatically think of linoleum when they think about restaurant kitchen flooring, or commercial kitchen flooring, there are many more options available. From hardwood to linoleum to vinyl flooring, there are options for any kind of business.
Most people gravitate to the linoleum or vinyl flooring for application in commercial kitchen floors. Although linoleum may seem like a boring option, so many beautiful linoleum choices are available these days. If you mix and match different colors and create patterns, you can really create a floor that creates excitement and interest while still maintaining the benefits of durability and ease of maintenance. Vinyl flooring is also a great choice for commercial kitchen use. The myriad colors and patterns available are sure to please any discriminating decorating palette. Vinyl flooring is durable as well, although linoleum will probably last much longer.
Hardwood flooring is also another commercial kitchen flooring option although it may not be as durable as the linoleum or tile would be. There are commercial grade hardwood options available that will work great in the kitchen area and that will make the kitchen look great as well! These commercial grade hardwoods are moisture resistant and able to withstand the wear and tear of most commercial uses.
Although linoleum and vinyl tile are great for kitchens, they can get slippery when liquids are spilled or grease is splattered. The way to overcome this is to lay down rubber kitchen flooring for restaurants to keep you from slipping and the flooring will make it much easier to stand for long periods of time. Rubber mats are used commercially to prevent back fatigue and leg pain when you stand up for hours at a time. They are also slip resistant. That is why the mats are used so commonly in restaurants and retail settings.
The colors and patterns that are available in commercial kitchen flooring will allow you to set the mood for many different kinds of restaurants. Retro kitchen flooring would look great in a 50's style restaurant. The checkerboard effect of vinyl or linoleum tiles will help to reinforce the retro look. Use your imagination and creativity to create a commercial kitchen floor that fits the feel and flow of your restaurant.
Commercial kitchen flooring should be durable and easy to clean. The high traffic that a commercial kitchen sees demands flooring that is easy to clean and maintain. That is why it is so important to make sure that any flooring that you purchase is commercial grade so that you will get the most for your money. Research all of your options to make sure that the flooring that you choose meets your needs and desires and you are sure to choose commercial kitchen flooring that will last for years and years.
Do you happen to know if there is any way to glue rubber tiles (with a Green Guard or environmentally safe adhesive) on to an old stuck linoleum floor?
Thanks!
Alicia at November 20, 2007 6:36 PMI don't know of a Green Guard product. And sadly, at this time, there is no glue that's totally environmentally safe. But the best I've found is Bostik's Best flexible urethane adhesive. They have various products so be sure to find the one that works with rubber and linoleum.
The Flooring Lady at November 21, 2007 8:12 AMHi and thank you for your time in dealing with this e-mail. We own and operate a small organic farm in Canada. We purchased a used Atco portable building - Dimensions are: 30' x 40'. It is being converted into a food prep area (preparing frozen dinners, cutting meat, making sausage,etc.).
Sherry at January 13, 2008 12:10 PMFlooring in the building is floor tiles. We need to cover this flooring with a product that will give us the following end results:
- easy to clean (finish needs to pass approval of health inspectors)
- non-slippery
- be able to be applied over existing tiles
- something we can do ourselves - for both financial and distance from installers reasons
Questions: Do you have any recommendations to meet these requirements? We looked at products at building supply outlets and sales person suggested a paint-on deck finish. However, he was unsure if it was safe to use indoors (fumes) and also thought it might not adhere to the tiles. The majority of the time, the floor would have only light foot traffic on it as will be used only about one week per month. However, on those days, we would be moving trolleys, carts, etc. around and want something durable and non-flaking.
I realize this is probably a very small application to deal with but would greatly appreciate any info you may be able to provide. Thank you very much and so glad I happened upon your website after much searching for flooring answers.
Sherry
In my experience your health department has a list of specific flooring materials they will allow. And each health department has different rules/guidelines to follow. This article reviews some options I've seen for commercial floors.
The flooring option that will be easy to clean, non-impermeable, soft underfoot but durable to rolling carts is linoleum (vinyl could work too but has environmental ramifications) with a matte finish that's also non-impermeable to grease and germs. But that may not be allowed by your health department, so ask.
Concrete could be good, except you should plan to put rubber mats where workers will be standing. The mats can be taken out and washed and dried as part of the floor cleaning.
Let us know what you decide to do and what the health department allows.
The Flooring Lady at January 13, 2008 12:56 PMMy building has 3/4'' Bruce hard wood flooring (tounge and groove). Is this an adequate flooring for a small bakery kitchen, or do I need to cover it with something food safe? Is there a sealant or protectant I can use to keep it safe and in good shape?
Magpie at August 10, 2008 3:08 PMHi Magpie,
I would think that it'd be best to call the manufacturer. Bruce has a section on Care & Maintenance at their website. You can read up on what they recommend for their floors.
The Flooring Lady at August 10, 2008 8:44 PMWhat is the best application to replace an epoxy floor in a commercial kitchen. The epoxy has decomposed in spots from exposure to oven cleaners and grease. The area affecte is approximately 2,000 sq ft and the work would need to be done after hours to avoid disruption of the business.
Steve at August 12, 2008 9:17 AMHi Steve,
The Flooring Lady at August 12, 2008 10:54 PMEpoxy flooring is permanent. New epoxy could be applied, but will need at least 12 hours to cure. You can read more about epoxy flooring choices at Epoxy Flooring and Epoxy Stone Flooring.
Hi,
What material if any is available to place in a walkin refrigerator. The existing floor is galvanized and is rusted. Thanks
joe at November 11, 2008 9:20 AMI haven't a clue. Maybe using a thin coating of concrete followed with epoxy flooring? This site is designed mainly for home flooring, I have absolutely no expertise in this area. Sorry. :~(
The Flooring Lady at November 13, 2008 6:54 AMI am looking for a black, shiny floor for my kitchen that is not expensive. We are going over concrete. Any hints?
bonie at January 11, 2009 1:40 PMThere's lots of possibilities. Vinyl, tile, linoleum, porcelain tile, black stone..........
The Flooring Lady at January 12, 2009 9:11 AMSteve, Your problem of the epoxy "decomposing" and coming off in spots from the hot grease is very common in kitchens. That's because must contractors use the epoxy quartz broadcast system, which cannot absorb the heat and wear. Everlast Epoxy has a floor that is specially formulated to hold up to the abuse of a restraunt kitchen floor. Everlast Floor can be applied in the early evening and be ready for foot traffic in the morning.
Anonymous at January 28, 2009 8:01 PMHi
I have just rented a unit where I will marinate cihcken kebabs etc etc,,the flooring at the moment is concrete and I would like to know what my choices are as I would like to paint the floor?
Georgio at March 3, 2009 12:25 PMBy painting the floor would this pas the health and safety and hygiene ?
Hi Georgio,
State health rules vary from state to state. Painting concrete floors has been covered extensively at the website. I would suggest you read more. Epoxy paint would be a very good choice.
In another thread, a person wrote:
I am in the industrial, commercial, and residential flooring business. For concrete kitchen floors in a restaurant I would recommend a quartz broadcast overlay. This type of flooring is extremely durable, very slip resistant, impervious to stains, and easy to clean. There are many restaurant chains that are using this type of floor. Also a urethane overlay is a good choice for this type of application. both of these types can be power washed, steam cleaned, etc and are resistant to all types of chemicals, cleaners, de-greasers and thermal shock. "
The Flooring Lady at March 5, 2009 12:01 PMHi Flooring Lady! I'm opening up a commercial kitchen in a space that has beautiful factory remilled hardwood floors. The tongue-and-groove floors have been "sealed" with PolySoy (it's a LEED certified Gold building), but there are still cracks between the boards and I'm afraid flour and so forth will get in there. Is there a way to fill in the small spaces between the boards so I can use the existing floor?
If there is no way to properly seal the floor, is there anything I could roll right on top of the wood that wouldn't damage it when I take it off down the road?
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
Brennen at May 16, 2009 12:05 PMCool - a Certified Gold LEED rating! Big, big kudos to you!
I would try using an additional coat or two of the PolySoy and see if that doesn't help first. How wide are the gaps?
Thanks for mentioning the PolySoy, something I need to investigate. ;~)
Most people who have rather large gaps use a colored wood filler, which can then be sealed as well. Good luck and congrats on your Gold LEED certification!
The Flooring Lady at May 17, 2009 10:58 PMI have a split level home and am considering remodeling the main level (kitchen, dining, living room) into one big, usable space. This would include the kitchen, a very large farmhouse type table for meals, homework, etc, and a comfortable sitting area that is stilll a part of the flow of the kitchen. I would like to consider a floor for the whole area that is spill (and pet) resistant, but still attractive, and not cold. Options I thought I should consider, but don't really know a lot about, include linoleum (not vinyl) and maybe stone, slate, or concrete with radiant heat. Can you give me any advice?
Jill at July 17, 2009 8:44 AMHi Jill, I have articles on this website covering all of the flooring types you have mentioned here. I would encourage you to read through those and they should help you to decide which one is right for you.
The Flooring Lady at July 17, 2009 12:41 PMI recently saw a rubber? kitchen floor mat that looked like 40's linoleum, but was about 3/4" thk w/ a finished , beveled edge. I have been unable to locate this item so far...any ideas? Thanks, JK
Joel Kresner at September 13, 2009 4:40 PMI'm bidding a remodel at a chicken place the owner is wanting to put tile in the kitchen area thats slip resistant any suggestions or places that sell this sort of tile. Thanks. Kelly
Kelly jones at September 15, 2009 1:48 PMJoel,
Is the product a commercial product? Is the mat a covering or the flooring itself? If you could let me know where you saw the mat that would be helpful as well.
The Flooring Lady at September 15, 2009 8:28 PMKelly,
Tile when wet usually becomes a slippery surface. Have you thought of using recycled vinyl flooring? I mention it several times in this article and highly recommend it.
The Flooring Lady at September 15, 2009 9:37 PMWe need to replace an 800 sq. ft. commercial kitchen floor for a camp/ retreat center. The present floor is a ceramic tile that was painted and repainted with an epoxy paint. There are grout indentions that would need to be evened, or the old ceramic tile floor would need to be removed. What would you suggest?
Ronald L. Brown
Ronald Brown at November 4, 2009 10:36 PMRonald,
Removing ceramic tile can be very difficult. If it is possible to even the grout indentions, that would the easiest solution.
Another article that may help is Ceramic Tile Flooring.
The Flooring Lady at November 9, 2009 1:49 PM