Kitchen floors have specific requirements for slip resistance, hygiene, chemical resistance and durability. Tiles provide the most durable kitchen floor solution at the cheapest whole of life cost. Metz have tiles in commercial kitchens still going strong with over 20 years of service. Tiles can be readily maintained and areas extended with minimal visual impact, wheras other finishes can look “patched”.

Tiles for commercial kitchen should be acid resistant tiles that provide low water absorption and will not stain. Metz has a broad range of these products which are available in a variety of textures and surface profiles with open patterns that do not trap dirt and soiling. Tiles are impervious to heat, sharp and heavy objects and are unaffected by even the harshest cleaning compounds containing caustics (dishwasher, oven cleaners), solvents (degreasers, oven cleaners), and acids (de-scalers, rinse aids).

AS4674 states that the use of epoxy grout in a food area is mandatory. This is a hygiene issue because epoxy does not absorb contaminants like cement grouts do even when they are boosted or improved. Local inspectors can instruct that grout be replaced. "Acid resistive" grouts based on portland cement do not comply with AS4674 and should not be used.

Metz are often asked why do I need tiles so thick? Thick tiles are not only physically stronger but provide deeper joints to accept epoxy grout. To achieve correct tile adhesion, all tiles should be worked into the adhesive bedding, forcing it to rise up in the joint. A thin 7mm tile may only allow a couple of mm left for epoxy to be placed the joint; such a thin layer of epoxy is prone to weakness and may soon allow ingress of corrosive liquors potentially leading to lifting/failure of the floor tiles.

The Handbook HB 197 guide to slip resistance makes recommendations for several different types of commercial kitchens