Commercial Kitchen Countertop Recommendations

There is no countertop that is used more or suffers more damage than the countertop in a commercial kitchen.  A commercial kitchen countertop is used day in and day out by an army of chefs armed with knives, mallets, acidic juices, and harsh disinfectants.  Commercial kitchen countertops need to be made with the strength to withstand all of that punishment on a daily basis while still remaining in good enough condition to prepare food on.  There are a few recommendations that business owners should keep in mind when shopping for commercial kitchen countertops.

The first recommendation is to be sure that you are dealing with a company that has a good reputation.  Companies that produce commercial kitchen countertops often use different techniques and materials to create the countertops and some are of a better quality than others.  Talk to your friends in the industry and ask them who they have used to created their commercial kitchen countertops and what they thought of the finished product.  This will give you insight into the reputation of the companies that these individuals have dealt with.

When you find a company that produces commercial kitchen countertops that you are interested in, ask them about their experience in the industry and how many projects they typically complete in a year.  Companies that are just starting or only complete a few projects a year may not know enough about the business to give you quality service.  On the other hand, if the number of projects completed per year seems very high, the company may not be concerned with the quality of the product and just speed through the process to get the job done.

There are several different materials that are commonly used to produce commercial kitchen countertops.  Stainless steel is the most popular option for commercial kitchen countertops in the United States.  There are many reasons why so many business owners prefer stainless steel countertops.  Stainless steel is easy to clean and easy to maintain.  The countertop is resistant to stains and inhibits the growth of fungus, bacteria, or molds.  A stainless steel countertop is waterproof as well as heat resistant.  For most commercial applications, stainless steel is the perfect material for a countertop.

For business owners that want a more artistic, dramatic appearance, some manufacturers create custom commercial kitchen countertops out of copper.  Copper countertops possess many of the same qualities as stainless steel countertops, except they are less heat resistant.  Copper is rarely seen used for commercial kitchen countertops unless it is to better fit in with the rest of the décor.  Many commercial businesses refrain from using copper countertops because they may tarnish and need to be maintained regularly.

After choosing the type of commercial kitchen countertop that is right for your business, it is recommended that the business owner or one of their associates keep a careful eye on the installation procedure for the countertop.  This will help the business owner catch any problems with the design of the countertop or any problems with the workmanship of the countertop quickly while the issues are still easily fixed.  There are some cases where the design of the commercial kitchen countertops do not take into consideration the additional walkways needed by the staff to get to certain areas of the kitchen.  It is a thing that many business owners do not readily think about and something that the professional installer will not know unless someone intimate with the business tells them.  By paying careful attention to the installation process, problems like these can be addressed before they become major issues.

The business owner who keeps these simple recommendations in mind when purchasing commercial kitchen countertops will find that their project will go smoothly and quickly, allowing the business owner to concentrate on other matters.  When the countertop is completed, it will change the way that the company does business.  The formation and installation of a custom commercial kitchen countertop can transform the appearance of the entire area, helping to streamline common processes and allowing your employees to work more efficiently at a faster pace.