Serving up a flooring solution for hospitality

Over the past few years there has been a hospitality boom across Australia with a rising number of cafes, bars and restaurants opening up for business to cater for the growing demand for good food, good coffee and a good time.

While this boom has been concentrated in capital cities around Australia, modern bars and restaurants are also popping up in regional areas. However, no matter where they are in Australia they are all subject to strict food and safety requirements.

Keeping ahead of the trend is floor coating specialist, Hychem, which can provide flooring solutions that not only meet industry standards but also meet the needs of the client.

According to Chris Bauer, Head of Flooring at Hychem, it’s important to ensure the floor used in commercial kitchens and bars is seamless, serviceable, and resistant to slips, heat, chemicals and bacteria.

“In the kitchen and behind the bar you need to install an appropriate flooring product as some products will wear, delaminate and erode under the tough conditions found in the hospitality industry, while others don’t provide a seamless finish.

“These can cause problems as they can cause slip, trip and health hazards.

“We developed our Hycrete PU technology to meet Australia’s strict standards and to withstand the toughest environments while also giving clients the freedom the tailor the finished product to suit their specific design requirements.”

Meeting industry standards

When choosing a flooring solution for the hospitality industry it is important to be aware of health and safety standards.

Mr Bauer said an important issue to keep in mind is that hospitality floors are subject to harsh conditions and these can affect the integrity of the floor over time.

“Hospitality flooring needs to be extra resistant and durable. Flooring is subject to heavy foot traffic which can cause substantial wear and tear; hot oils, fats and sharp objects can be dropped; and harsh cleaning chemicals and high volumes of water are frequently used to clean it.

“An inappropriate flooring solution will lead to corrosion and delamination, which puts staff at risk of trips and falls, and creates an unhygienic environment as water penetrates the surface leading to the growth of bacteria.”

Mr Bauer said Hycrete PU is highly resistant and durable allowing it to withstand these harsh conditions.

“Hycrete PU has exceptional resistance to high temperatures and extreme thermal shock conditions, as well as having excellent chemical resistance from cleaning products, oils and fats.

“It is also 100 per cent seamless so it’s completely impervious to liquids and contains an additional additive called UltraFresh™ which helps keep floors bacteria free.

“This ensures the integrity of the flooring is not compromised and will continue to comply with Food Standards Australia’s OH/S Food Premises and Equipment 3.2.3 Standard, Slip Resistance Standard, and HACCP Standard.”

To your specifications

Another benefit of the Hycrete PU system is that it is customisable and able to meet the design specifications of the client.

“Our Hycrete PU range is able to suit various structural elements and can be tailored to conform to export requirements and other industry standards,” Mr Bauer said.

“Clients can choose from a range of thicknesses, resistance levels and finishes to suit their needs. We also offer a range of colours making it a truly versatile system that can cater to all the needs of bars and restaurants.”

For more information on Hycrete PU, please contact Hychem on (02) 4646 1660.