Commercial Kitchen Flooring Requirements

Commercial kitchens have not only their own flooring requirements, but, they must also support safety and sanitation regulations administered by agencies like the USDA, FDA, OSHA, and others. When installing a new floor or replacing an existing floor, it is important to ensure the floor and base meet the following requirements:

1. High Durability.
   Commercial kitchens expose floors to salts, alkaline compounds, and ingredients that contain acids that can eat away at flooring. Additionally, some food processing chemicals, harsh cleaners, and disinfectants contain industrial solvents. They also take physical punishment from heavily loaded, steel-wheeled carts, foot traffic and more. Ultimately, these floors must be capable of surviving some of the most extreme conditions.
2. Thermal Shock-Resistant.
   Commercial kitchen floors are often subjected to extreme temperature ranges from ovens, freezers, and other appliances, as well as during cleaning. It’s essential to find a flooring solution that can withstand these changes and won’t delaminate under the stress.
3. Sanitary.
   Wherever food is prepared and/or manufactured, cleanliness is a top priority. Commercial kitchen flooring must be easy to clean. That means finding flooring materials that can stand up to strong cleaners that might be acidic or alkaline. It’s also important to use a flooring design that doesn’t have seams or joints that could harbor bacteria. The FDA, for example, requires food establishments to have floor and wall junctures that are coved.
4. Slip-Resistant.
   It’s not unusual for oils, grease, and other potentially slippery substances to end up on commercial kitchen floors. To prevent employee falls and injuries, it’s essential to find flooring options that are textured and slip-resistant. The appropriate degree of textures will be determined by the operating conditions, as well as cleaning and maintenance practices.
5. Quick Installation.
   In most cases, it’s not practical to close commercial kitchens for long periods of time for renovations. Flooring options exist that can be installed quickly. If a commercial kitchen has quarry tile, it’s possible to install coatings over the existing surface.