Slip-resistant and hygienic, seamless resin flooring achieves HSE compliance
The Moses Montefiore Retirement Village is a prestigious modern retirement destination in the upmkarket district of John St Randwick, Sydney. Working in conjunction with the architects, particular attention was given by the developer and owner to the final finishes throughout the complex. In the large commercial kitchen and laundry areas, a superior alternative to ceramic tiles was required in order to avoid problems with tile joints eroding and posing a potential health risk.
The tough criteria of the flooring specification called for a system that would deliver the correct slip resistance to meet building code AS/NZS 4586, as well as being hardwearing and easy to clean. The floor also needed to be heat resistant to 90 degrees C to withstand hot water cleaning and hot spills, a factor which ruled out epoxy, polyester and MMA flooring systems.
Following evaluation of a number of systems, the project architects settled on Flowfresh SR, a seamless polyurethane system from specialist flooring firm Flowcrete. AQIS and HACCP compliant, Flowfresh is the only system available in the market that delivers proactive microbial control. A unique anti-microbial additive, which harnesses the natural power of silver, is locked into the resin matrix, delivering round-the-clock protection against a range of bacteria including including E.Coli, MRSA, Salmonella Typhi, Staphylococcus Aureus and SARS. It also inhibits the growth of mould and fungi and protects against the propagation of superbugs, MRSA, and SARS.
For commercial kitchens that produce over 100 meals per day, building code AS/NZS 4586 stipulates specific slip resistance requirements. As Flowcrete Australia’s Country Manager Tony Di Girolamo explains, “Given that the Moses Montefiore kitchens would be preparing over 700 meals per day, it was critical that the correct slip resistance was achieved. A special blend of aggregate and polyurethane sealer was used to deliver the right combination of slip resistance and cleanability.”
In addition to high heat resistance, Flowfresh will withstand temperatures as low as -40 Deg C making it suitable for user in chillers/freezer rooms. Superior resistance to the high levels of acidity found in many food substances such as milk, sugar, cola and juices is a further characteristic.
A hygienic floor finish was also required in the Commercial Laundry areas where a smooth matt finish formulation of the Flowfresh system was installed. Continuous seamless resin coving was installed at wall/floor junctions in both the laundry and kitchen areas, providing a monolithic surface for proper cleaning of corners.
The 1,000sq metre installation was completed within four weeks. The system also meets the owner’s criteria for sustainability with its long-term durability which is covered by a ten-year warranty from Flowcrete.
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