4 things to consider when installing commercial cold room flooring

Commercial and industrial facilities use cold room flooring in walk-in coolers and other spaces for food and beverage storage. It’s critical to select flooring that can withstand a harsh environment while supporting food safety.

We can help ease the burden of the selection and installation process. Just consider the following questions:

Will the room have organic materials?

Food and beverages can leak corrosive materials such as fats and natural acids onto the floor. These substances can break down epoxy flooring. If your cold room will contain organic materials, you will need something stronger and antimicrobial, such as Flow Resin Flowfresh Technology.

How will the cold room flooring be cleaned?

If you plan to clean the walk-in cooler with a mop, you might be okay with epoxy flooring (if your answer to the first question was no). However, if your cold room will need hot water washdowns, you’ll want to consider flooring that can withstand thermal shock, like Ucrete UD 200 “SR” Slip Resistant Urethane Concrete Technology. 

Ucrete and Flow Resin has the added benefit of resisting physical abuse, moisture, a wide range of aggressive chemicals, and bacterial growth.

What kind of substrate will the cold room flooring have?

Smaller walk-ins often have a metal substrate, which can bend due to weight or temperature changes. Determine the type of substrate ahead of time to ensure a flexible bond and avoid cracks!

Is the entire facility temperature-regulated?

Though your main focus should be on which floors will best meet the needs of the cold room, you also need to consider the temperature you’ll be working in when installing the floors.

Talk with a flooring specialist to determine which flooring systems can be properly installed in your cold room. Some flooring applications like polyurethane and epoxy require specific temperatures during the installation process.

If you’re looking for a specialist you can depend on, look no further than Surface Solutions, Inc. We have the expertise to properly install cold room flooring for food and beverage facilities. Our industry-specific experts will guide you in the selection process for the unique needs of your environment. Check out these projects Surface Solutions has handled:

Case Study: Bluegrass Dairy & Food

The epoxy floor in the hallway and production room at Bluegrass Dairy & Food was failing due to routine impact and the thermal cycling of hot water wash downs. Surface Solutions removed the epoxy and installed Ucrete UD200 to the 4,900-square-foot surface and used Ucrete RG for 290 linear feet of three-inch cant cove base. 

The result was a seamless floor coating designed to outperform traditional epoxy surfaces in both impact resistance from heavy traffic and the ability to withstand thermal shock. The downtime was just three days.

Case Study: Indiana Meat Processing Facility

Even more recently, Surface Solutions installed Ucrete IF in an Indiana meat processing facility. In four days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, a time when the facility is already shut down during the holidays, Surface Solutions prepared 3,500 square feet of existing bare concrete for another Ucrete installation, including 900 square feet of delaminated epoxy mortar at a ¼-inch thickness that required an extensive prefill of Ucrete UD200. 

The team also applied Ucrete RG to 150 L’ of bare concrete curbing and created a 2-inch cant cove, where the curb meets the floor. The final application is Ucrete IF at ½-inch thickness, the system standard intended for the heavy load and abrasion resistance of steel-wheeled traffic.

It is evident that Surface Solutions has extensive experience in flooring and wall systems for the food and beverage industry. From bakeries and breweries to meat and fish processing facilities, Surface Solutions knows what specific flooring needs each facility requires. We can help you pick a floor that adheres to strict health and safety guidelines mandated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

For more information about installing the appropriate cold room flooring in your facility, connect with Surface Solutions, Inc. We’ve been a Ucrete Master Contractor since 2012 and are a leading provider of top-quality flooring for the food and beverage industry. From testing to consultation and complete installation services, Surface Solutions is a premier source for non-toxic, safe, and environmentally friendly flooring systems, offering turnkey installations using only in-house personnel. Contact Surface Solutions today to learn more about how we can help provide the highest quality industrial flooring solutions for your business.

Originally published December 24, 2020; updated September 2, 2021

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