Focusing on the floor work for a new café
3 min read
Floors that are in a business will need to deal with huge amounts of wear and tear. It doesn’t matter the type of business you are running the flooring will be one of the most used and abused items in your business. Given how important the flooring is in the day to day operations of the business and industrial or commercial flooring has a range of health and safety requirements. the particular requirements are mandated by law and you will face penalties if you are found to be breaching the laws.
Café kitchen flooring
For businesses to safeguard against the breaches of the safety and health requirements and to maintain an orderly and safe workplace there are a few tips on the different floor types that are suited for a café. The flooring needs to be hygienic along with efficient for both the employees and customers. Most importantly, the kitchen flooring must be free from nasty pests like spiders and mice. Before opening your new cafe with the best start, it is important to organise a pest control and treatment service to eradicate any pests from your cafe. The last thing you want is for your customers to see a mouse while eating their lunch.
It is best to seek advice from a professional in order to ensure that the workplace is meeting the right health and safety requirements.
Anti-slip flooring
This type of flooring is a must. In cafes, there is plenty of business and lots of hustle and bustle. People are rushing around with plates, sharp objects and hot liquids. When working in this environment it is important to have your flooring with a non-slip surface to avoid any accidents from occurring such as natural stone tiles which allow sufficient amounts of friction to prevent any slips or harm to people.
Adequate drainage is essential
All cafes need to have proper drainage in their kitchen. The floors will need to be graded to stop water from pooling and have the right drainage points put in. A drainage point should be installed in the centre of the room and designed correctly so it doesn’t become a tripping hazard. If the water is pooling along with food that has dropped from the kitchen bench, then you will have a problem with pests too. Install a proper draining system and get in contact with pest controllers to prevent any pests from residing in your cafe.
Install a highly resistant floor
The Australian standards show that the floors in a commercial kitchen need to be impervious to wet substances. Your flooring should not be absorbing spills, liquids or any leaks. Your flooring surface needs to be anti-bacterial and joins or intersections need to be covered in order to prevent leakage. A good example of this would be the use of terrazzo benchtop which is ideal to be used for café counters.
Polyurethane to protect flooring
Polyurethane flooring is a great choice for cafes. It has antibacterial resistance and comes in different anti-slip options. It is the best material for a busy café in the kitchen as well. The floors can be easily sterilised and cleaned, and they are non-tainting.
If you aren’t sure which type of flooring, you should choose for your café you can seek advice from professional flooring companies who can give you guidance on what would best suit your budget and circumstances. The professional will also be able to advise as to whether the flooring options you like meet all the health and safety requirements as if they don’t and you go ahead with the flooring you can face having to be told to rip it all up and start again wasting time and money along with the business.
There are so many options out there that are suited for different tastes, themes and budgets so you will be able to find something that suits your café flooring just ensure you do your research first to ensure you know how to maintain it and the do’s and don’ts to ensure you are prolonging the life of your flooring.
