Location & Purpose
This commercial kitchen floor repair took place behind one of a restaurant’s outdoor bars. The space primarily serves to house ice machines used by employees throughout the day to fill ice buckets. Originally, the flooring consisted of quarry tile installed over a concrete substrate.
The Problem: Sinking Concrete & Cracked Tile
Over time, the concrete substrate beneath the quarry tile began to sink, causing widespread cracking in the tile. However, the floor’s outer perimeter remained intact, presenting an opportunity to save on repair costs.
Cost-Effective Floor Rehab Strategy
To minimize replacement costs, the center section of the damaged flooring was removed and replaced with thick marine-grade plywood instead of pouring new concrete. This plywood subfloor was strategically installed to butt up to the still-intact quarry tile at the perimeter.
Seamless Flooring Solution with Urethane Cement
The resurfaced plywood required a coating that could withstand heavy-duty wear and the thermal shock of constant ice drop for up to 13 hours daily. The ideal solution: MORTARTHANE™ HF, a trowel-applied cementitious urethane mortar, chosen for its:
- Superior bond strength
- Thermal shock and impact resistance
- Traction enhancement
To complete the system, MORTARTHANE™ TC, a urethane cement topcoat, was applied to enhance aesthetics and increase slip resistance.
Why Urethane Cement Over Epoxy?
Traditional epoxy flooring fails in high-temperature, high-moisture environments—it cracks and delaminates. Urethane cement mortar, however, remains stable, durable, and sanitary under extreme conditions, making it the superior choice for commercial kitchens.
Outdated Flooring Options
- Linoleum and rubber flooring are outdated due to poor durability and lack of slip resistance.
- Anti-fatigue mats offer comfort but harbor bacteria and are difficult to sanitize.
For modern commercial kitchens, urethane cement systems like MORTARTHANE™ HF and MORTARTHANE™ TC provide unmatched performance.