Best Commercial Kitchen Flooring Options
Commercial kitchen flooring should have several attributes. One, non-slip for a greasy, wet environment. Two, very durable for heavy carts, equipment, dropped pots and pans. Three, thermal and chemical resistance to withstand extreme heat from frying oil and heavy-duty cleaners.
There are primarily two flooring options that meet this criteria. The one you most commonly see is quarry tile. It does the job, and it’s the most cost effective. For those who can invest a little more and want the best, you will find a coated resinous floor.
Comparing the flooring options
Resinous is the descriptive term for all types of floor coatings. I would use the term epoxy, but technically that is not the coating chemistry that is used in a commercial kitchen. For this environment, a cement urethane is the coating of choice. Another good fit for a light duty kitchen is a polyaspartic coating.
So what are the pros and cons between quarry tile and a floor coating? Quarry tile: the main pro is the cost. If funds are an issue, it is the default. The cons are broken tiles, grease and bacteria trapped in the grout, and lower thermal shock.
The pro to a coating is that it is seamless, so it is exceptionally sanitary. It will not absorb bacteria, oil, or other organic items. It does not break, and it has a higher thermal shock tolerance.
Quarry tile itself can handle very high heat. The thermal shock issue is caused by the grout joints and the setting bed which can allow tiles to loosen. A cement urethane coating is bonded to the concrete and will expand and contract at the same rate, which is ideal for extreme temperatures. The con to the coating is that it will cost more to install.
Which coating option is best for your kitchen
For a light duty kitchen (think a deli that serves soup and sandwiches) a good fit is a decorative chip polyaspartic floor coating. The polyaspartic can handle extreme temperatures on the surface, like boiling water, but it is more rigid than the cement urethane. The reason I might recommend this floor coating over a cement urethane is because it is more attractive and easier to clean.
A cement urethane only comes in solid color. It is a plain, nondescript floor, but it is a workhorse. A cement urethane would be overkill for a light duty kitchen.
We saw that firsthand at Maple City Chapel, where a previous owner installed a cement urethane. It’s a heavy duty, grippy floor. There is an eighth inch cement urethane, a broadcast of sand, and then the solid color cement urethane over top. The sand provides the grip, but it requires a different cleaning technique. It shouldn’t be mopped with a standard string mop. Instead, it should be hosed down and brushed with a deck brush.
The kitchen at Maple City Chapel looks very commercial because of the large appliances, but they don’t use it like a commercial duty kitchen. They’re not frying food in there! In all reality, it is a light duty kitchen. A decorative polyaspartic floor would have been a better fit because volunteers reach for the string mop to clean!
When a cheaper coating may cause regret
Cost may be a reason someone ends up with a floor coating that isn’t working for them. The one day two coat garage floor type of coating does not have the same properties as a cement urethane.
A competitor of ours bid a low-cost coating for the Elkhart County Jail kitchen and got the job. Due to poor prep and the incorrect type of coating, it started delaminating within a year after install.
We came in and redid it. It was a huge project and ended up costing the county the cost of the first install as well as the second. This is where choosing a reputable installer is important.
When quarry tile is not a good choice
Quarry tile is the lower cost option. It can be a good fit, but not always. I have seen where an area had tile, but it was failing in the fryer area. This is the space where the floor gets the most thermal shock. If you expect to do lots of frying, a cement urethane coating is the better choice.
At Martin Supermarkets, we have gone in and replaced the area around multiple fryers. Tiles were breaking and coming up because they could not handle the extreme heat. We removed the quarry tile and installed a cement urethane coating. Instead of replacing the entire floor, Martin’s opted to only do the area around the fryers. They chose a color that coordinated with the existing tile.
It is pretty interesting what you find under the tiles during demo. The grease soaks through the grout and accumulates underneath. Removal can be rather gross and disgusting!
Health code requirements
The general requirements for a food-safe floor are to be non-absorbent, washable, and in good condition. That means no cracks or bare areas that could harbor bacteria. That’s what the health department is looking for.
Carpet, regular linoleum, or bare concrete are not approved for a commercial kitchen. If you have any questions about what is approved, it is always wise to check with your local health department before moving ahead. Quarry tile and floor coatings are two universally accepted options.
What drives the price
Cement urethane is currently around $14 per square foot. A four coat decorative chip with polyaspartic top coats will be closer to $17 per square foot.
If you have an area that is less than 400 square feet, it makes the price per square foot go up as it becomes more of a project price versus a square foot price.
Integrated cove base is often requested for a commercial kitchen, and that will add to the cost. That’s when we form the cove base up along the wall, so it seals off any water from getting under the edges. It is usually anywhere between four to six inches high. It is a hand troweled trim that connects seamlessly with the coated floor. It is priced by lineal foot.
Choosing the right company
No matter who you are, you should always ask a coating company how long they have been in business. There is a reason so many coating companies come and go! You want to find someone with at least five years of experience, preferably ten.
You also want to ask how they prep, as this is the most critical part of the install. Shot blasting is best. The final question would be, what type of coating chemistry they recommend and why.
Our coating options are far more robust than a one-day garage floor. A one-day garage floor has a light grind for prep and two thin coats with some flakes in between. Our typical install for a kitchen floor includes shot blasting for prep, followed up with an eighth-inch thick cement urethane or a four-coat decorative polyaspartic.
When comparing quotes, it’s best to compare apples to apples. What is being done for prep? How many coats will be applied? How thick is each coat, and what type of coating chemistry is it? Comparing these items enables you to make an educated decision.
Getting started
I would tell any restaurant with a heavy-duty use kitchen to highly consider a coated floor. Between the quarry tile and the coating, flooring options are limited. The advantages of the coating make it worth the slightly higher cost.
If you want to discuss your kitchen flooring project, you can call or text the office at 574-358-0182. You can also email sales@idealcoatings.com, or use the submission form on our website.