Most distilleries have their own secret recipe for transforming malt or grain into spirits and ageing it to just the right level for optimal flavour. The flooring for a distillery, however, is no secret and should be considered carefully for a successful end product.
For example, if you are going to be making whisky step-by-step, you will need to spread wet barley on the malting room floor, to germinate and then heat it to high temperatures to separate the alcohol from the water. At every step of the way, distilleries use wet, heavy ingredients and heavy-duty machinery, which means that the flooring needs to be sturdy and durable. You should be investing in polyurethane flooring for your distillery or cellar.
If you are still unsure about how to choose the best flooring for your distillery, keep reading below for everything you should consider.
Concrete Alone Will Not Cut It
Concrete is a robust material and is used in the majority of non-residential buildings and factories, however, it is not suitable for a distillery floor. It is often porous and will absorb a certain amount of the materials or liquids that are spilt, which can lead to microbial and bacterial growth.
A polyurethane flooring application for a distillery or cellar will help immensely in eliminating this possible hygiene hazard because it is highly chemically resistant and easy to clean. This type of flooring is also able to handle heavy machinery without buckling or becoming too scratched. Be sure to keep the floors as clean as possible in order to avoid any possible contaminants.
Trip Hazards Need To Be Avoided
Like all workplaces that use machinery and have workers moving around, the distillery flooring needs to be safe and free of holes or other damage. If there are these issues, your workers might trip and fall or your machinery could become damaged.
Crack, holes, and pitting can cause your staff to trip when walking and can also cause a rough surface which can lead to microbial growth. This can lead to the deterioration of your flooring, an expensive and unnecessary cost. The flooring will also become dusty, leading to further health problems and even issues with your product.
Hygiene Standards Must Be Maintained
Producing spirits means that you need to keep the environment clean at all times, which is why polyurethane flooring is so ideal. Not only does it have excellent stain resistance, but it is also highly resistant to chemicals and acids. This means that you can easily wipe down the flooring should anything viscous should spill on it.
A distillery needs to be food grade or food-safe, meaning that microbial growth will not be encouraged on any of the surfaces. By choosing polyurethane, you are ensuring that your floors will remain clean and hygienic no matter what has been spilt on them. If you are distilling whisky, clean floors are even more important, as you will be using them for the germinating process.
Ability To Withstand High Impact
Whatever you are making in your distillery, your floor needs to be durable enough to withstand a high volume of traffic as well as a high impact from machinery such as forklifts, barrels, kegs, and so forth. Concrete might be able to withstand this but it will only last for a certain amount of time.
You should look into floor repair for both concrete and polyurethane flooring, and if there are any damages to the floor before you use any equipment on it, be sure to fix these as quickly as you can. Your flooring should be able to handle the weight and movement of any pieces of equipment that are used, but be sure to look out for any cracks that you can fix before they become a problem.
No Uneven Surfaces
It is a known fact that, when running a distillery, you will be using water in order to make your product. This means that you will need to have floor drains, and will need to avoid having any areas that can cause puddles or pools of water. Polyurethane floors are durable and will not buckle under any equipment that could cause an uneven surface.
If water does pool or there are puddles, then this could cause workers to slip and fall and could also lead to an unhygienic workplace. Having flat and even flooring is vital in any industrial setting, but even more so in any food or drink production business. Having flooring that is easy to clean and that will not bend or buckle will help to ensure optimal drainage for your production hub.
Conclusion
The right flooring for your distillery will help to ensure that the end product is as delicious as possible and that it meets all industry standards. Remember that concrete floors alone are not ideal and that you need to ensure that all tripping hazards are fixed. There should be no uneven surfaces and all hygiene standards must be maintained.
If you would like to improve the flooring in your distillery or cellar, feel free to request a quote from Cape Industrial Flooring today to find out how we can help you.