A Gulf F&B operator has three audits to pass: Dubai Municipality (or MOPH Qatar), the brand's own QA, and the head chef's eyeball. The floor needs to pass all three.
What inspectors actually look for
- Integral 100 mm radius coving — no 90° corner where dirt collects.
- R11–R13 slip rating — wet-floor injuries kill audit scores.
- Stainless-trim drains with cove fillet — drain edges are bacterial harbours.
- 1500 mm hygienic wall coating — splash-zone hygiene.
- No visible joint cracking or seal failure — anywhere.
System spec for each kitchen zone
| Zone | System | Special detail |
|---|---|---|
| Hot kitchen / fryer | 9 mm PU mortar | 120°C heat-shock, R12 slip |
| Prep / cold kitchen | 6 mm PU mortar | R11, antibacterial additive |
| Cold room (-18 to +5°C) | 4 mm PMMA fast-cure | 4-hr return, freeze-thaw rated |
| Walk-in chiller | 6 mm PU mortar | Coved, sealed to evaporator drain |
| Bakery (hot ovens) | 9 mm PU mortar | Heat-shock, sugar-resistant |
| Wash-up / dishwash | 6 mm PU mortar | R13, sloped to drain |
| Storage / dry goods | 3 mm self-level epoxy | Cove only at perimeter |
The cold-room gotchas
Standard epoxy fails inside a cold room within 18 months. The freeze-thaw cycle, the moisture below the slab, the constant condensation at the door threshold — all attack ordinary resin. Spec PMMA or PU mortar from day one.
Door thresholds are the failure point. We always run an isolation cove fillet at the threshold, sloped slightly to the warm side so condensation drains away.
The Dubai Municipality / MOPH Qatar audit checklist
Pin this to your project file:
- Floor seamless, no visible joints in food-handling areas
- Coving radius minimum 25 mm at wall-floor junction
- Slip rating R11 minimum (R13 in wet zones)
- Wall coating to 1500 mm in splash zones
- Drain trim flush, sealed with cove fillet
- No visible cracks, blisters, delamination
- Test report for floor-finish material on request
Need a kitchen, cold room or full F&B floor in Qatar or UAE? Tell us the layout — we'll come for a free survey this week.