Putting the Spotlight on Foodservice Flooring

Q&A with Kevin Bourassa, Market Segment Manager – Hospitality, Altro

What are the primary factors that restaurant owners and designers should consider when selecting flooring materials for commercial kitchens, particularly in terms of durability and longevity?
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Kevin Bourassa: Whether it’s a commercial kitchen or a workplace cafeteria, a five-star hotel or a chain of restaurants and cafes, there are four pillars to consider when selecting flooring materials: safety, hygiene, cleanability and durability. Safety flooring helps mitigate risks of ownership of slip-and-fall accidents. It also adds comfort underfoot for employees. Hygiene plays a huge role in commercial kitchens and cross-contamination. Ease of cleaning saves time and labor, keeping kitchens clean and efficient. Durable flooring reduces maintenance costs and minimizes operational disruptions.

Prioritizing these factors ensures a safer, cleaner, and more efficient kitchen environment.

How do you measure the durability of flooring?
KB:
One way is through residual indentation testing, also known as PSI or static load limit testing. This method of testing measures if flooring will recover from indents under pressure. The industry standard tests up to 250 pounds per square inch. Products with high values in this testing are less affected by heavy point loads as must have for commercial kitchens with heavy equipment. For example, safety vinyl flooring can withstand high PSI levels, ensuring it remains resistant to heavy foot traffic and kitchen equipment movement.

Altro 51340007487 a1ef8c388d cHow do health and safety regulations influence the choice of flooring in a commercial kitchen?
KB:
It’s all about preventing contamination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that floors and walls must be durable and easily cleanable for areas where food establishment operations are conducted and non-absorbent for areas subject to moisture such as food preparation areas.

It is crucial to select a safety flooring and wall protection that comply with these standards and are designed to meet the rigorous demands of modern commercial kitchens. Having non-porous materials in these areas is critical to maintaining a healthy kitchen environment.

What types of flooring materials have proven to be most resilient to the rigorous demands of commercial kitchen environments and why?
KB:
Busy commercial kitchens, with constant contaminants and spillages, have a high slip risk. These types of environments require safety flooring with a slip risk of one-in-a-million. Vinyl safety flooring that meets R12 or R11 levels of slip resistance is recommended because high-grade vinyl ensures a durable, slip-resistant surface for the life of the floor.

Beyond durability, what other key factors should stakeholders prioritize when choosing flooring solutions for commercial kitchens?
KB:
Beyond durability, stakeholders should prioritize aesthetics, ease of maintenance, safety features, cleanability and comfort. Aesthetics create an appealing environment, especially with front-facing kitchens. Ease of maintenance keeps flooring in top condition with minimal effort. Safety features, like slip resistance, prevent accidents. Cleanability maintains hygiene standards, and comfort underfoot reduces staff fatigue, improving productivity and well-being.

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