Why Stainless Steel in Your Commercial Kitchen?
Stainless steel is a highly customizable metal in gauges (thicknesses) that lend themselves to different purposes. Counters take a lot of abuse, so we generally use a thicker gauge metal to stand up to the wear and tear. Wall cladding can be much thinner as it is generally used for a sanitary coverage that can be cleaned easily. Sanitation and durability are the top advantages for stainless steel over competing product alternatives.
Hospital operating rooms and commercial kitchens both rely on stainless steel to ensure both sanitation and to rust resistance. The quality of the stainless steel is partly determined by the ferrous metal content, and you can test this with a magnet. If it is medical grade a magnet will not attract to it.
Stainless steel provides durability, cleanliness, and looks great in a kitchen. Nothing makes a commercial kitchen shine like stainless steel, and this makes for a pleasant work environment while impressing customers with open kitchen concepts. More and more people are learning that if the kitchen looks clean, then the food is likely to follow suit. Alternatively, if the kitchen looks drab or dingy then customer expectations and confidence are lowered. The fine aesthetics of a stainless steel kitchen actually make a difference to customer’s impressions of your overall cleanliness and quality, and this reflects directly in their in their expectations of the food served. If people expect better results, then they are likely to report a better dining experience.
Under the Commercial Kitchen Ventilation Code NFPA96, stainless steel is mandatory for vent hood construction and cook line fire rated wall panels. It is the sanitary component plus the rust resistant nature of the stainless steel that makes it the necessary metal for the job. Years ago it was common to fabricate commercial kitchen exhaust hoods with galvanized aluminum, but those days are gone just like the idea that lots of sun is good for your skin. It is now illegal to use restaurant food service exhaust hoods that are anything other than stainless steel.
One key advantage of stainless steel in your restaurant is the ability to install weld-in sinks. What this does is eliminate seems and gaskets that wear out causing eventual leaking and mold in crevices around drop-in or under-mount sinks. It also creates a very appealing industrial look with rugged durability.
Stainless steel wall shelves provide the same sanitary and durability characteristics, plus are very strong under a weight load. In fact, the major focus when installing stainless steel wall shelves is to ensure they are properly anchored into an appropriate backing (i.e. either plywood installed before the drywall, or wall brackets aligned with wall studs). If anything gives it will be the anchors, so when installing make sure you get it right, or someone could be injured by dislodged shelves and falling contents. Never mount stainless steel wall shelves (or any shelves) without proper backing; even if you have warning signs saying “Styrofoam Only”, because someone will eventually put something heavy on them…it is human nature…and the shelves will tear right out of the wall dumping contents on potential heads. Don’t take a chance and get your shelves installed by professionals like Black Ink Co., and confirm appropriate backing is installed.
Most know of the advantages of stainless steel counter tops; you guessed it…great looks and sanitation with commercial durability. Aside from the scratches from everyday use, your stainless steel counters will last a lifetime, compared to laminants or other counter finishes available. No peeling up at the corners, no chipping or bacteria harboring knife cuts…just superficial scratches. Food easily scrubs free of the stainless steel surface making clean-up a snap, and like your grandma used to say “cleanliness is next to godliness”…and this is especially true in the food and beverage business.