Commercial kitchen flooring and wall solutions

In the UK, there are no specific laws against using bleach for cleaning in a commercial kitchen, but considerations do have to be made towards health and safety.

The corrosive nature of bleach and detergents can be harmful to health so getting the right dilution for your cleaning solution is imperative. A lot of businesses and commercial kitchens considerable it unsuitable because of this and so many will avoid using it altogether.

Wall cladding like Altro Whiterock White™ is ideal for commercial kitchen settings because of its proven high performance and easy to maintain hygiene. Easy to spot dirt and grime, it’s wipe clean nature means that the use of bleach is not needed. Grout free and impact resistant, its smooth white surface makes spotting dirt and stains easy so that they can be quickly and efficiently cleaned.

Air conditioning in a commercial kitchen can help maintain a comfortable climate but its positioning and placement is key to good hygiene and maintenance practice. Controlling humidity in a high-heat environment is important to the comfort of kitchen staff and it is a legal requirement for employers toa provide adequate and suitable ventilation in enclosed spaces. When placing the AC in a kitchen, keep it far away from any gas stoves so that odours don’t enter the unit, as well as making sure cool air is circulated evenly.

Getting the right flooring product for your commercial kitchen can also contribute to employee comfort. Altro Stronghold™ 30 has Altro’s highest slip resistance making it ideal areas where water and grease are prevalent. It also provides comfort underfoot with its 3mm thickness to reduce fatigue for staff on their feet all day.

There is no set size for a commercial kitchen, but a good rule of thumb is to have 0.46 square meters (approx. 5 square feet) for every seat in the front of house. This should mean your kitchen is about 30% of your total restaurant space. The average size of a commercial kitchen is usually around 1,000 square feet but varies depending on the space available.

This should provide enough space for equipment and for staff to move around comfortably but there’s still a likelihood of bumps and scuffs on doors and walls. With Altro Whiterock™ products, the impact resistance helps keeping them in top condition for longer. Altro Whiterock hygienic doorsets are encapsulated with PVCu, making them impact deflective and low maintenance.

Costs of commercial kitchens vary depending on needs and space but on average costs may range between £190 and £250 per square foot. This could lead your commercial kitchen to costing between £11,000 and £75,000+ for smaller builds, through to anywhere from £190,000 to £400,000 for larger builds. This can be a prohibitive so making sure you have cost effective wall panels and flooring in place will help with minimising long-term costs overall.

Altro Crete 8mm slip-resistant is designed to be able to handle the heat in the kitchen with heat resistance for increased temperature ranges (-40°C to +120°C). It has slip and impact resistance.

The regularity of deep cleaning for your commercial kitchen will depend on how heavy the usage is. However, food safety laws state that this must be done every six months, but with those that undertake more usage, you may wish to perform this more regularly. This is essential to keep cleanliness levels at the required standard.

Floors should be cleaned once a week as well as having a deep clean once a month, and walls and ceilings, typically, only need to be cleaned once a month. But with a buildup of grease and grime you may want to do this sooner. Altro Whiterock Satins™ provide a versatile and hygienic wall panelling for commercial kitchens that are stain resistant and wipe clean to make maintaining cleanliness standards easier.

When building a commercial kitchen there are some key regulations you need to adhere to in order to make sure it’s fit for purpose: Food Hygiene, Kitchen Ventilation, Waste Disposal, Gas Safety, Fire Safety, Trips and Slips, Refrigeration and Equipment Management.

Making you have suitable facilities and precautions in place to meet all of these requirements is vital. Slip resistant flooring like Altro Grip 4.5mm can help minimise the likelihood of slips and falls, and easy-to-clean and maintain wall panels, such as Whiterock Vantage, makes maintain a hygienic environment easier.

Maintaining hygiene in an area where food is prepared is of the utmost importance, but flooring has the added risk of slips and falls. This is especially true of places where grease can build up so making sure you clean your commercial kitchen’s flooring properly is vital to a safe work environment.

When preparing to clean your commercial kitchen floor, you’ll need the correct tools and cleaning supplies: Degreaser that’s appropriate for cleaning animal fats and grease, mop and bucket, floor squeegee, broom, wet-dry vacuum, deck brush, and wet floor sign.

• Step 1: Remove any debris from the area by sweeping and cleaning away any larger pieces of debris.
• Step 2: Prepare your degreaser solution. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper use.
• Step 3: Apply the degreaser solution liberally to the floor using a clean, wet mop. Overlap strokes to make sure you’ve not missed any areas and cover the whole floor. Leave to sit for the directed dwell time.
• Step 4: Scrub the floor with a stiff bristle deck brush making sure all of the grease is lifted away. You may have to repeat this process several times for heavily soiled areas.
• Step 5: Squeegee the dirty solution into drains if your kitchen has them. If not, use a mop and bucket or a wet-dry vacuum to clear the solution. Make sure these are clean so as not to further spread dirt.
• Step 6: Set up the wet floor sign and allow ample time for the floor to air dry before anyone can reuse the area again. This is best performed in off hours to minimise downtime.
• Step 7: Clean the used equipment properly so dirt doesn’t linger and to make sure they are ready for use again.

Altro have a range of safety flooring cleaning products including AltroClean 44 which is an alkaline floor cleaner. You can find all our products at AltroDirect.

Removing grease is important in a kitchen and if there is a build up anywhere it can be poor for hygiene and make surfaces slippery and unmanageable. Allowing it to dry can also make it harder to remove and leave stains so remove any excess grease layers using disposable paper towels. Once you’ve removed as much as possible, apply an industrial degreaser and leave to sit for the directed amount of time according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Be careful not to mix the solution with bleach or other cleaning chemicals Once the solution has had time wo work, remove the remaining residue with a disposable cloth or mop. Then dry thoroughly to make sure it isn’t slippery.

Altro Whiterock™ White allows you to easily spot build ups of dirt and grease on walls but is stain resistant, holding its flawless white looked once cleaned thoroughly.

Designing a commercial kitchen has no set parameters as it depends on your kitchen needs, restaurant setup and space. However, there are several key things to consider when designing a commercial kitchen.

Measure your space: This may seem obvious but being aware of your square footage allows you to plan for placement of equipment and walkways for staff. Make sure to check and double check these measurements as even the slightest error can have an impact on the organisation and efficiency of a kitchen.

Determine kitchen layout: Your kitchen layout really affects how you work. Different layouts can lend themselves to differing restaurants, for example, an assembly line structure may better suit a pizza or fast-food restaurant whilst smaller restaurants may benefit from a galley layout. Determine your needs and find a structure that works for you.

Choose Your Kitchen Equipment: Making the most of your kitchen space means getting the right equipment for your restaurant and not wasting space on unnecessary additions. For example, if your restaurant specialised in serving salad bowls, you’re unlikely to rely upon space consuming fryers.

Allocate Sections for Your Kitchen: Divide your kitchen into areas for storage, food preparation, cooking, service etc. so you can easily see how your system will work and where you’ll be putting items. This will help determine the flow of your kitchen and where you will put everything.

Altro Whiterock Satins™ come in a range of colourful finishes so you can bring an exciting and bright aesthetic, coupled with the practicality of hygienic, durable and easy to clean and maintain wall panels, to your kitchen.

Installing a commercial kitchen backsplash will require you to inspect the wall area before hand, making sure it’s level and free of dust, grease or other contamination. Pay particular attention to the corners. Make sure the wall surface is dry and free from any dramatic bumps or divots.

Lay the splashback on a flat work surface and make sure it’s in good condition. Leave the protective film in place and take measurements from the area the sheet is to be installed too, ensuring a 2-3mm gap is incorporated into the fitting to allow for any expansion. Once all measurements have been taken from the wall, they can then be transferred on to the sheet, and the sheet cut using the correct cutting tools.

Once you’ve confirmed the splashback fits you can apply the adhesive, carefully adhering to health and safety directions and applications as directed by manufacturer. After applying the adhesive, lift the splashback and install, ensuring that the splashback is in the correct position. Once fitted to the substrate, apply pressure to the whole of the splashback face to ensure the adhesive has been transferred and will be fully bonded to the substrate (this is normally done with a hand roller or block of timber covered with a material to prevent the surface being damaged).

For a full, and more in-depth, installation guide on how to install Altro Whiterock Splashbacks, click here.

Commercial kitchens produce a lot of heat, steam, grease, and grime so protecting the walls of these spaces is important. As such, wall panels or cladding are recommended to keep your kitchen space in good condition and Altro have as range of high-quality wall panels and splashbacks for these settings.

Altro Whiterock provides hygienic, high-performance alternative to tiles with no grout making it easy to clean and maintain. Impact resistant to deal with the fast-paced environment of a busy commercial kitchen, it’s pre white finish makes it easy to spot dirt buildups. Made from food safe PVCu polymer, it can handle temperatures up to 60C and meets all current European Union (EU) Directives on health and hygiene.

Commercial kitchens must adhere to several regulations to protect staff and consumers alike. There are several key areas that need to be always considered, that cover a multitude of aspects to keeping a commercial kitchen fit for purpose.

Food hygiene: The Food Safety Act requires food areas to be cleaned and disinfected regularly and the likelihood of cross contamination is minimised. Making sure foods are properly chilled and, subsequently, cooking food properly to make sure there’s no risk of harmful bacteria is also vital.

Easy to clean surfaces like Altro Whiterock can go a long way to helping with maintaining good hygiene standards as its pure white finish helps identify dirt, it has no grout for bacteria to moulder in, and it meets all current European Union (EU) Directives on health and hygiene.

Kitchen ventilation: Every commercial kitchen needs to have suitable ventilation to disperse heat and fumes that are created within the environment. Whether it’s from a canopy or other ventilation system, it needs to provide comfort and remove fumes at source and needs to be easy to clean as well.

Waste disposal: Waste needs to be removed quickly and efficiently from commercial kitchens, and placed in containers that can be closed so germs can’t fester and spread. Disposing of grease with an Environmental Agency licensed carrier is also a must.

Slips and trips: Slips and falls are the most common cause of workplace injury and in environments with water, food spillages and grease this can be especially prevalent. Proper precautions should be made to avoid leaks and water settling, whilst spills should be cleaned as quickly as possible. Make sure obstacles aren’t left lying around and be vigilant where you can.

Altro Stronghold™ 30 has Altro’s highest slip resistance making it ideal areas where water and grease are prevalent. This minimises the risk of slips and falls for the lifetime of the product even in areas where greases, oils and fats may build up.

Gas safety: All gas appliances need to be CE marked to prove that they are safe for use. These must be Gas Safe registered, properly maintained and registered for use with the relevant certificates to prove so.

Fire safety: Commercial kitchens have a lot of potential fire risks with gas cookers, open flames, grease etc., so having a stringent fire safety regime in place is a must. Appropriate equipment for firefighting should be available and easy to access and cookers should be fixed in place.

Personal hygiene: High levels of personal hygiene need to be maintained to keep food safe. Clothing of employees should be clean and appropriate for the job and hair should be tied back and out of the way and covered by a hair net or other suitable covering. There should be a separate sink for employee handwashing where employees should wash their handles regularly, especially before and after handling food.

Refrigeration: Making sure your refrigeration units are up to code and aren’t leaking environmentally damaging gasses is up to business owners as they have to check their equipment is regularly tested and maintained.

Equipment maintenance: Catering equipment needs to be maintained and in good working order to make sure its fit for purpose. All safety-critical repairs need to be carried out by a qualified service engineer.

Designing a small commercial kitchen requires thoughtful planning to maximise efficiency and functionality within limited space. Begin by assessing the area and requirements, then plan layout and workflow to optimise movement and minimise unnecessary steps. Select commercial-grade kitchen equipment wisely, prioritising storage solutions, and ensuring compliance with safety regulations. Adding flooring that is slip-resistant and heat-resistant, for example, is key for intensive and demanding environments like commercial kitchens. The Altro Crete 8mm slip-resistant is a great option for this as it can handle impact and abrasion, and can withstand temperatures of up to 120°C.

Design with hygiene, cleanliness, and ergonomics in mind, and consider seeking professional guidance for optimal results. Note that commercial kitchen designs mostly focus on the efficiency of food preparation and delivery instead of style and aesthetics.

Considering the small space, a set of Altro Whiterock hygienic doorsets may be a great addition to ensure hygiene and ease of movement in and out of the kitchen. With careful planning, you can create a small commercial kitchen design that is efficient, functional and meets the needs of your business.

The best commercial kitchen flooring for you depends on your exact needs but all should be hard wearing, slip resistant and easy to maintain. Flooring like Altro Stronghold™ 30 is designed with such settings in mind with Altro’s highest slip resistance helping to keep staff safe from slips. It’s 3mm thickness also provides noise reduction and comfort underfoot to help reduce fatigue for staff on their feet all day. There’s also an adhesive-free option that minimises downtime and has the same scratch and scuff resistance to keep it working for the lifetime of the product.

There’s also Altro Crete 8mm slip-resistant which has excellent impact and abrasion resistance and is made for an increased temperature range (-40°C to +120°C), making it perfect for intensive, particularly demanding environments, which require steam cleaning.

Discover Altro's full range of products that's suitable for commercial kitchens here.

Yes, commercial kitchens typically need to be fire rated to ensure the safety of occupants and compliance with building codes and regulations. Fire rating refers to the ability of building materials and components to resist the spread of fire and maintain structural integrity in the event of a fire. In a commercial kitchen where cooking appliances, open flames, and high temperatures are common, fire-rated materials and construction techniques are essential to prevent the spread of fire and protect building occupants. Altro's heat-resistant Altro Crete 8mm slip-resistant flooring would be a great option since it can withstand temperatures up to 120°C.

Additionally, fire suppression systems such as fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and hood suppression systems are often required in commercial kitchens to further mitigate fire risk. It is important to consult with local building authorities and fire safety professionals to ensure that all commercial kitchen fire safety requirements are met.

When it comes to keeping your commercial kitchen clean, we recommend developing a regular deep cleaning programme suited to the usage and traffic of the area. Be it daily, weekly, or monthly – stick to the schedule! In between these deep cleans, however, encouraging staff to clean on the go can prevent a build-up of dirt, grease, and food debris. Simply wiping down surfaces and sanitising equipment after use can make a big difference to the overall cleanliness of the kitchen.

For commercial kitchen flooring, we recommend going for our Altro Stronghold 30 option as it provides a slip-resistant, easy-to-clean surface, minimising risk in wet and greasy conditions Altro Stronghold 30 also comes in an adhesive-free option. Selecting the right commercial kitchen cleaning products is also a key element of keeping the space tidy. Use an alkaline cleaner like AltroClean 44 or a similar product and scrub with a deck scrubber, an Altro UniPad cleaning pad attached to a multi mop handle, or a rotary cleaning machine. All our cleaning products are available on AltroDirect.

Rinse the floor with warm clean water, remove the dirty water from the floor with a microfibre mop and allow it to dry. Use a double bucket to ensure that the floor is rinsed well with clean water.

Focus on high-touch areas like countertops, utensils, and handles as they’re more likely to harbour bacteria. Clean these areas regularly, and don’t forget to always follow manufacturer instructions and safety guidelines when using cleaning chemicals.

Consider installing hygienic doorsets like our impact deflective Altro Whiterock range for your commercial kitchen. For areas where people are constantly going in and out, holding plates and food, this doorset is the low-maintenance, hygienic answer to your cleaning problems.

Finally, regularly inspect the commercial kitchen to ensure cleaning standards are always up to scratch.