If you’re opening your very first restaurant or are in the process of remodeling your well-loved eatery, there are many design decisions to consider — not the least of which is choosing the right flooring material.
Learn which flooring options will keep up with the needs of your restaurant and withstand the harsh treatment a high volume of customers brings.
A restaurant floor has strict standards to meet. Your flooring should be designed to compliment the look and feel of your restaurant.
Other non-negotiable standards include…
With all these factors in mind, take a look at the most popular restaurant flooring materials today.
Concrete is the first choice for many commercial flooring projects, but it has a particularly special place in the restaurant industry.
Concrete flooring meets all the necessary restaurant flooring standards. Best of all, it’s easy on the budget and fits seamlessly with most interior designs.
Let’s take a closer look at why this material tops the charts in popularity among restaurant owners.
Concrete flooring is incredibly tough and resilient. Concrete can withstand pressure from almost anything a modern restaurant throws at it:
Restaurant owners with concrete flooring will tell you that even dragging a chair across the floor or dropping a tray full of plates won’t make a dent in this durable surface.
No special cleaning or maintenance is required for this flooring material.
This flooring material works for any room in your restaurant. Many of our clients opt for concrete throughout their space — from kitchen and dining rooms to the waiting area or even bathrooms!
Concrete floors can be stained and refinished to fit the design of your restaurant. There are nearly endless options to ensure you get the final look that fits with your design and decor aesthetic. Some of the most popular options include:
Laminate flooring is another popular restaurant flooring option. One of the big draws to laminate flooring is its fade resistance. Laminate is also a strong and smooth surface, making it ideal for dining areas, kitchens, and bathrooms.
Laminate is smooth and level, resistant to stains, scratches, and wear. This makes it easy to maintain and keep clean. Even stains that sit for 2 days can be easily removed. In an environment that will routinely experience spills and heavy traffic, it makes sense why laminate is a top choice.
Many modern-day restaurants are designed with lots of natural light in mind. Large windows provide an open, airy, and cheery environment for patrons. It also puts your floors and other materials at risk of fading from too much direct sunlight. Laminate eliminates this risk, as it’s nearly impervious to fading. Your floors will look bright and new for years to come.
Laminate has the benefit of blending seamlessly with the look and vibe of your restaurant. With so many types of laminate styles to choose from, you’ll surely find a color, texture, and overall look that fits with your design (and budget). For example, laminate wood flooring looks like wood, but without the downsides like cost and maintenance.
You’ve likely seen tile in a large number of eateries. It’s a common material that looks great and is pretty good for your budget, too. There are a few different types of tile to choose from, all with their own pros and cons:
Ceramic tile offers durability, longevity, and easy upkeep. It also comes in nearly endless styles and colors. However, ceramic tile can be susceptible to cracks — particularly if a heavy item hits it.
This eco-friendly tile has the benefits of a natural stone — long lasting, stylish, and resistant to blemishes. It’s also fairly easy to repair, if necessary. This type of tile is best when you want a neutral look, as it only comes in shades like white, tan, brown, cream, and gold.
This is a type of tile that does great with spills, heavy foot traffic, and abrasions. It can even be designed to mimic other types of flooring (and at a lower cost). Another reason many restaurants choose LVT is its layer of felt underneath, making it a bit more comfortable on the feet than some other materials.
Selecting your restaurant floor material is only part of the equation. You also need to ensure it’s properly installed. Specialty flooring like those listed above typically require unique installations — not only to ensure the best, most long-lasting results, but also to meet the warranty specifications.
For example, your installer must pair flooring with the correct, manufacturer-recommended sub-base and underlayment materials. A good installer will also ensure there’s no moisture issues, which could end up damaging your floor and voiding its warranty.
At Rock Solid, we offer the best concrete flooring solutions to restaurants and commercial businesses in Portland and throughout Oregon. We’re known for taking our time to prepare every surface to specific, exacting standards. Our goal is to get the best, long-lasting results the first time.
If you’re interested in installing concrete floors in your restaurant or want to improve your current concrete floors with a professional concrete staining, let us know!
We’ll help you choose the right concrete stain and design to enhance your restaurant aesthetics and ensure your floors resist the brutal wear and tear a daily, high volume of customers bring.
Contact us today for a free estimate.
