Concrete Flooring for Restaurants

While it can be tempting for restaurant owners to choose attractive (maybe even expensive) flooring, there are also health and safety measures to take into consideration. OSHA, the FDA, and even the USDA all have regulations about the type of flooring that’s acceptable for restaurants and commercial kitchens.

Because slip-and-fall accidents are especially prevalent in the restaurant industry, floors need to be chosen based on the ability to keep them clean and dry. Surfaces like vinyl and wood are aesthetically pleasing, but they’re difficult to maintain. Concrete flooring, on the other hand, can be a viable option for restaurants and commercial kitchens.

Regardless of the type of flooring that’s currently installed in a restaurant or commercial kitchen, there’s already an existing concrete surface underneath. Stripping down to that surface without re-installing new flooring cuts some serious costs, and choosing concrete during new construction can save on the building budget. 

Concrete can be made with recycled material and even be recycled after removal. Concrete optimizes heat transfer, making a building’s HVAC system’s work much easier, and this in turn helps reduce environmental footprints. The installation process also doesn’t release toxic elements into the air, making concrete flooring a great eco-friendly option — especially if you’re looking for LEED certification for your building.

Kitchen and restaurant floors are exposed daily to chemicals, salt, oil, and other liquids, which would take a toll on traditional vinyl flooring over time. Polished concrete and withstand these factors and hold up to vigorous cleaning, high volumes of foot traffic, and the weight and pressure of tables, chairs, and kitchen equipment.

Polished and sealed concrete floors are non-porous and food-grade, which means they’re sanitary and up to sanitary standards as set by local health departments. Polished concrete won’t soak in spills and breed bacteria that could spread and cause foodborne illnesses for customers.

Kitchen and restaurant appliances operate at high temperatures over long periods of time, and the flooring needs to stand up to this type of abuse. Among all of the popular flooring types available, polished and sealed concrete offers the highest level of thermal shock resistance. 

Commercial kitchen and restaurant cleaning chemicals can be harsh and strip flooring like real wood or vinyl. Polished concrete won’t break down, even after vigorous, constant cleaning using those chemicals, leading to better overall lifetime value — concrete won’t need to be replaced due to chemical wear.

Polished concrete doesn’t need to be waxed or coated regularly with messy chemicals to keep its look or maintain its integrity. This means you’re not paying for the labor or materials for upkeep. Concrete also resists marks left behind from moving tables, chairs, or equipment across the floor.

OSHA regulations require surfaces in commercial and restaurant kitchens to be slip-resistant. Polished concrete offers this resistance, even when there are spills from oil, water, or dropped food items. Slip-resistance reduces accidents for employees, patrons, and vendors, and provides an overall safer environment.

Don’t think that you’re stuck with grey as a color palette for your polished concrete flooring. These surfaces (when installed by professionals) can be dyed to match any palette you’d like. It can become an integral design element for the floors in your restaurant’s front-of-house.

If your restaurant or commercial kitchen is part of a mixed-use building, concrete flooring can be used throughout. Polished concrete is also a great choice for warehouses, office buildings, and retail stores. Installing concrete throughout the whole space can give branding uniformity and tie the design together.

Whether you’re renovating a restaurant or commercial kitchen, or building from the ground up, consider polished concrete as an option. Our services include floor staining, coating, and polishing for commercial, industrial, and high-end residential projects, along with these options:

Our team treats every project with professionalism and dedication to premium work at a competitive price. Our work is high-quality and long-lasting, and we work around your schedule! We can come in at night and on weekends if it’s needed to help keep your team on task and productive. Get in touch to upgrade your flooring ASAP!