The process of heat welding presses the molten weld rod (usually made out of plastic) into the grooves of the material fusing the material together. Altro Whiterock White is made from a high-quality, food-safe PVCu polymer that can handle temperatures up to 60C, and meets all current EU Directives on health and hygiene. So when you have a clean kitchen, you have a safe and hygienic kitchen. To create an impervious environment, we recommend you cove the flooring to join with the wall covering and heat weld the transition between the two. Impacts that would leave ceramic faces vulnerable to water ingress barely leave a scratch on this tough surface. Also, its important to note each state has different commercial kitchen regulations for high traffic kitchen areas. Designed and developed by industry professionals for industry professionals. Also, aches and pains can occur when standing for long periods, so anti-fatigue mats make all the difference in transferring body weight effectively. When & How to Select Anti-Static Flooring. They also chip and crack more easily, allowing dirt and bacteria to collect and hide from cleaners. Email us on info@floortech.com, call +353 (0)21 435 1560 or request a Its not an environmentally-friendly option either, with Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) used in its production and worn out materials often ending up in landfills. In winter, ceramic tiles will get cold and will not hold heat well, which causes discomfort for the user. We hope our advice has given you the confidence to cook up a storm with flooring that supports your needs! With safety in mind, we have a selection of surface coatings that are low-odor and solvent-free. Saltillo tile, epoxy, and rubber can all take the heat of high-traffic environments. Stains can generally be removed with heavy duty cleaners. However, a slow curing process ensures a heavy-duty surface that wont chip easily with everyday kitchen use. By creating a seamless, watertight environment from the floor to the ceiling, you can help minimise the areas in which bacteria will grow and where moisture can get trapped and cause damage to the substrate. It also generally means they need to be installed using specialist tiling contractors, who can increase the price of installation by up to 50%, making the solution much less competitive. Anywhere you want extra slip-resistance, like around washing stations and sinks, mats are a great addition. Ceramic tiles do not contain heat well. Because it is handmade, every tile is full of character, and eventual chips and scratches add to that effect. You cant see it, smell it or even taste it on food. Commercial kitchens demand flooring that can offer optimum performance in terms of hygiene, safety, durability and longevity. Walls and surfaces must be kept clean and hygienic to ensure the safety of your customers and workers. According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, slips, trips and falls are the most common cause of accidents in the hospitality sector, especially in the kitchen [1] [2]. Vinyl flooring is the cheapest option but will need replacing the soonest, as it cannot be repaired. Compared to other floor options, epoxy can take several days to harden and cure. Altro Stronghold 30 Stains can often be removed with approved vinyl floor cleaners but many vinyl flooring options will discolour after cleaning. If youd like to receive communications from Altro about our products and services please fill in your details. In addition, its easy to clean with a broom or mop when youre ready. In so doing, you can minimise trip hazards in a busy kitchen environment and allow the easy removal and opening of hatches without damaging the floor. Commercial grade-flooring is made with the toughest materials on the market. So we decided to put our flooring to a real world test: using a variety of different contaminants found in a commercial kitchen. With a filled-in, level subfloor, you can achieve a perfectly glossy surface that keeps bacteria from seeping in. She hopes to educate and help buyers find optimal flooring solutions for all their commercial and residential needs. Generally, vinyl floors will not stand up to heavy foot traffic and the tiniest tear will lead to significant floor failure over a short time period. A hygienic wall or floor on its own is not enough; the transition between the two must also be sanitary to create a hygienic envelope from floor to ceiling. Resin flooring is widely-used in many sectors everything from food production to automotive factories. JetRocks epoxy resin floors are a better alternative to ceramic tiles. Reduced shipping rates on non free shipping products. Altros integrated floor and hygienic wall cladding system makes cleaning easier too. The hard surface of ceramic tiles doesnt tend to attract dust, dirt or other allergens, and can be easily cleaned with a mop or a sponge. Tiles and grouting are porous, making them more susceptible to harbouring bacteria. Like tiles, vinyl flooring cannot have its anti-skid renewed and will require complete removal and replacement. Compared to non-waterproof flooring, commercial kitchen flooring wont succumb to water spills and moisture. Tests prove different contaminants pose different challenges. The system offers the best possible protection against bacteria, bugs and vermin. Once a tile loses anti-skid properties unlike PMMA resin it cannot be renewed and will require removal and replacement. Saltillo doesnt give much, and some may find discomfort after standing on it for long periods. The quality of the vinyl material and the way it was manufactured will play a part in how long a vinyl floor lasts. In the past, there have been concerns that epoxy flooring emits toxic fumes. Installing a ceramic tile floor requires many heavy tools, grout and mortar. ArmorUltra Commercial Epoxy Kit w/ Topcoat, Armorpoxy II Commercial Epoxy Kit w/ Topcoat. Contaminants (water, oil, flour) create a film between the floor and your shoe or foot. "Altro products are one of the few worldwide flooring and walling products to have achieved HACCP International certification for non-food services and supplies, which means that they have been assessed by a third party and found to be satisfactory and hygienic for use in a food environment. The worry of bacteria growing in the kitchen is understandable. FASTER Systems provides Court Accounting, Estate Tax and Gift Tax Software and Preparation Services to help todays trust and estate professional meet their compliance requirements. The shape of the aggregate in Altro Stronghold 30 protrudes through the surface of the floor, creating a grip on the sole of the shoe and preventing an accident. You can reduce hazard risk and keep inspections to a minimum by selecting Altro floors for kitchens and hygienic environments and hygienic wall cladding, which are all approved by HACCP International. Although rubber mats can take a significant amount of weight and impact, they can deteriorate over time. For all catering environments, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work suggests conducting a risk assessment. With the hustle and bustle of cultivating the best cuisine comes the regular mishaps that occur with daily kitchen use. As already mentioned, even a small grain of dirt or uneven section of the floor can cause the soft vinyl to wear down faster and rip or tear. The Altro Whiterock wall cladding system has an extremely high impact resistance according to BS EN438-2-1991 Steel Ball Test (see image). Altro the UK flooring manufacturer and inventor of hygienic wall systems. It offers excellent hygiene and anti-skid properties, is easy to clean and can handle considerable wear and tear. Whilst the risk from vegetable oil may come as no surprise, the other most significant danger comes from greasy water and what kitchen can avoid that? Notably, kitchen mats are the most portable solutions to add to your commercial kitchen. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The main issue with ceramic flooring is that they struggle to balance hygiene and anti-slip requirements. Installation of ceramic tile flooring requires the use of a variety of mortars, grouts and other tools, which can be a difficult and time-consuming process. . Thats why all of our content is vetted by flooring experts with more than 13 years of combined experience in the field. Injuries can occur in fast-paced environments. Our selection of commercial flooring can help keep things sanitary and prevent mold and mildew from spreading throughout the workspace. Also, both are protective coatings that, in many cases, are slip and chemical resistant and work well in high traffic environments. Keep your kitchen air quality healthy and safe. Many of our options are either highly water-resistant or 100% waterproof, which helps extend your floors lifespan. Below are two durable vinyl flooring options that will perform well in walk-in coolers. With the hustle and bustle of cultivating the best cuisine comes the regular mishaps that occur with daily kitchen use. Also, both are protective coatings that, in many cases, are slip and chemical resistant and work well in high traffic environments. In addition, with a certified installer, the installation is extremely quick: the restaurant kitchen at Issy les Moulineaux was completed in one week. FloorTech 2022 | Tiles can look great but there is more to hygiene than meets the eye. There are three main types of resin flooring; PMMA, polyurethane (PU) and epoxy. every food business operation must ensure food safety is never compromised. Altro Stronghold 30 achieves Altros highest rating for slip resistance (PTV55 / R12) and tests prove it minimises risk in wet and greasy conditions. Surfaces are watertight and fully sealed around fixtures and fittings, with the sort of detailing that bacteria and micro-organisms just hate: helping maintain the strictest levels of hygiene. Theyre lightweight and easy to roll up and store when no longer needed. Laying epoxy is a fast application that results in minimal work interruption. Altro integrated solutions: nowhere for bacteria to hide. Using clamping style drains allows water and spills to feed directly into drains without puddling, improving hygiene and making cleaning quicker and more sanitary. FASTER Accounting Services provides court accounting preparation services and estate tax preparation services to law firms, accounting firms, trust companies and banks on a fee for service basis. chemical, physical or allergenic risks, caused by ingredients, handling, equipment or fittings, including floors and walls. Within these cracks, bacteria can also breed. ", "Altro's products have helped create a welcoming environment in the kitchen areas which has been well received by staff and students. Therefore, its essential to have weekly maintenance to remove any lingering substances. This graph shows test results carried out on Altro Stronghold 30 with common kitchen contaminants, including: The World Health Organization states that up to 30% of industrial nations populations suffer food poisoning every year, and research shows kitchens to be the chief culprit, while contamination of surfaces is in the top five causes of food poisoning. Small spills like milk or flour could cause a very real slip hazard. From the time a kitchen assistant walks through the goods in with the food delivery, until they leave at the end of their shift, they are walking throughout the kitchen and coming into contact with contaminants and slip hazards. Repairs are impossible, as vinyl cannot be refinished, so entire floors have to be replaced when any section becomes too worn or is damaged. PMMA resin is the only resin that can be repaired, the others all needing to be completely replaced when damage occurs. Resin flooring options outperform the other options across all these areas, with PMMA resin emerging as the clear leader of the pack. Epoxy and polyaspartic floor coatings are trendy options that can customize the concrete flooring in a commercial kitchen. All surfaces should be maintained in a sound condition, and therefore be easy to clean and disinfect. ", Catering Manager Trinity College, University of Cambridge, "Altro Stronghold 30 is beyond comparison; on one hand it offers slip resistance for our workers, helping keep them safe, and on the other, it allows us to clean and maintain the flooring in our installations perfectly.