There are a lot of things to consider when designing and fitting out your restaurant. Floors and surfaces must be durable and able to withstand heavy foot-traffic, easy to clean and maintain, safe and functional to use by both customers and staff, and provide the right look and feel to reflect your business’s brand and complement the style and theme of your restaurant.
Fortunately, concrete ticks all of these boxes. The durable, easy-to-maintain and stylish material could be the perfect option for your restaurant floors. Here’s a few reasons why:
Polished concrete floors are durable and long-lasting
Polished concrete is an extremely strong and durable material. This makes it perfect for use in high-traffic and high-use areas like a commercial kitchen or restaurant. Concrete is very difficult to damage, and with proper maintenance and cleaning, is resistant to chips and scratches, keeping your restaurant looking clean, modern and fresh for years to come.
Because concrete is so durable, if properly installed and maintained, concrete floors can last for hundreds of years. That’s why it’s such a popular choice for industrial and commercial spaces. If well cared for, concrete surfaces will outlast other materials like carpet, timber and vinyl, by decades.
Investing in high-quality installation to achieve a high-quality result means you’ll never need to replace your restaurant floors or surfaces, making polished concrete a cost-effective option in the long run.
Polished concrete floors are sanitary and easy to maintain
Another benefit of polished concrete is that they’re easy to look after and clean. To keep restaurant floors in top condition, they should simply be dry mopped daily to remove dust, dirt and debris, and wet mopped with water or a mild neutral-ph cleaner about once a week to keep them looking vibrant and glossy.
Unlike some other materials, concrete doesn't require professional cleaning, and there’s no need to wax it. Your restaurant staff should be more than capable of cleaning and maintaining your concrete floors.
Concrete surfaces are also highly sanitary. Not only are they easy to wipe down, but when expertly polished and sealed, concrete can resist spills and stains.
Polished concrete floors are slip-resistant with the right surface treatment
While some highly polished concrete floors can be slippery when wet, you can achieve a slip-resistant floor by scaling back the level of polish and applying a surface treatment, like an acid wash or seal finish. This makes concrete surfaces great for use in kitchens and restaurants.
For a commercial kitchen, you might want to consider an epoxy floor over polished concrete. A clear epoxy can achieve a similar look to polished concrete, but is much more resistant to chemicals and is extremely durable. Epoxy can also be coloured to achieve a range of different looks. While grey is a classic option, you can also create a speckled pattern with coloured flakes for a more stylish design. Choose from a smooth or textured marbled finish or a metallic epoxy floor to give your restaurant a real wow factor.
There is minimal downtime when installing polished concrete floors
If you’re a restaurateur designing a new dining room, or you’re simply renovating an existing space, you’re probably itching to open or reopen your doors as soon as possible. After all, everyday your restaurant is closed is costing you customers and money.
Policrete’s professional and expert service means we’re able to deliver high-quality results within a short time-frame, so you and your staff can get to work with minimal downtime.
Depending on the size and complexity of the job, most jobs under 100m2 can be completed within three to four days. For larger sites, it will take an average of two more days per 100m2.
Polished concrete floors look great
Yes, the food is important. So is the service. But as any restaurateur will tell you: the look and ambience of your restaurant plays a huge part in getting customers through the door.
Polished concrete is being used in many of Australia’s top restaurants to create a unique looks that gives the space ambience and reflects the style or theme of the restaurant.
Concrete can be used in so many ways to create a statement look. The strong, clean lines of a high-gloss polished concrete can be used to reflect a sleek and contemporary menu, while raw concrete can look more rustic.
Concrete tabletops, counters or bars can be stripped back for a striking look that’s modern and somewhat masculine. Or polished concrete can be paired with aged woods and reclaimed furniture to create a warmer look and feel.
Polished concrete is also available in a range of colours, aggregates (the exposed stones and sand under the surface) and glosses, so you can design your concrete surfaces to best fit the theme and style of your restaurant.
How to create a standout restaurant with a stylish polished concrete or epoxy floor
If you’re looking for a stylish, yet practical, material for your restaurant floors and surfaces, polished concrete is a great option. Not only is it extremely strong and easy to maintain, but concrete can give your restaurant a unique and on-trend look and feel that will set it apart from other venues.
