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What are your thoughts on using a commercial/restaurant floor tile in a cheese room?

Generally the minimum is a month or two after pouring the concrete - longer is better.  The concrete should not be coated with anything else before the epoxy coating as this might interfere with adhesion.  Acid etching is good but most applicators use phosphoric rather than muriatic acid as it does not necessitate the wearing of a chemical respirator.  The disadvantage of phosphoric acid is that it is a bit slower.  Any oil stains must be removed with TSP (trisodium phosphate) or the like prior to etching.  The floor should be rinsed several times and dried for several days following etching before epoxy coating.

If there is any concern about moisture transmission through the concrete then a test should be conducted to gauge the amount:  Take a two-foot square of 4 mil (0.004 inch) polyethylene and duct tape it to the floor with a short can placed in the middle to raise it off the floor.  Leave it for a couple of days to see if any water condenses on the inside of the plastic film.  A slight haze is OK, larger drops and runs indicate that the concrete is passing too much moisture for a non-porous coating to survive.  This test can be done quantitatively by tucking weighed paper towels under the plastic on the floor next to where the duct tape attaches.  The towels will catch any runs off the plastic.  At the same time the plastic and duct tape should be weighed to be able to determine the weight of the water on the plastic film.  After the test everything is weighed again and the difference noted as the amount of water collected in the test.  Then divide this by 4 (2x2 feet) and again by the number of days in the test.  If memory serves the floor is OK to coat if it transmits less than 2 grams per square foot per day.   

Quote from: Bantams on September 06, 2015, 05:49:18 PM
What are your thoughts on using a commercial/restaurant floor tile in a cheese room?

I think that it would be fine.  If you are planning to do this in a commercial creamery than I'd check with the inspectors to see what they would recommend (or require).  Smart cheesemakers ALWAYS get the inspector in the design loop PRIOR to building the facility.  Sailor Con Queso and/or other commercial cheesemakers may be able to offer some comments on this.  All the epoxy comments I've made refer to important application techniques NOT to what might be allowed in various jurisdictions. 

Unfortunately our inspector did not have any insight on flooring options - just needs to be "easily cleanable".
I've been asking licensed cheese makers about their preferences, but of course many only have experience with one type.