Polished Concrete Options
What is polished concrete?
A regular concrete slab is abraded with a large grinding machine which uses diamond abrasives to refine the surface. This is done with sequential grits, one after the other to the point where a mechanical shine is achieved on the floor surface. The level of refinement depends on the desired look.
There are options available such as level of shine and aggregate exposure.
Aggregate exposure
Depending on the depth of grinding done on the concrete, the aggregate is more or less exposed. Generally speaking the flatter the concrete floor, the more consistent the aggregate exposure can look.
Cream Polish
Salt N Pepper
Full Aggregate
Sheen level
Concrete can be refined with diamond abrasives to any level of sheen. In the industry, we usually refer to 3 typical levels of sheen.
Matte
Medium
High
Polished Concrete Benefits
Polished concrete is beautiful and has a certain kind of charm that can’t easily be achieved with other types of flooring. But the question remains, what are the benefits outside of its aesthetic appeal?
Durability
A concrete floor that has been refined with diamond abrasives and chemically treated will cost less per year than almost any other flooring option. This is one reason why it has gained so much popularity in the last 30 years.
Cost-effective
Polished concrete is typically an economical choice because it uses the concrete that was already placed during the construction of the building.
Slip Resistance
Many people assume polished concrete is slippery. This is not the case as a properly polished concrete surface has the static coefficient of .50 which meets the required OSHA standard.
Low Maintenance
Concrete floors can be easily maintained by using simple PH neutral cleaners. This alleviates the waxing and stripping cycles that are so prevalent in facilities today.
Ambient light reflection
High gloss polished concrete will increase light reflectivity, reducing the amount of lighting required, in return reducing the building operating costs.
Design possibilities
There are endless options for concrete floors that can be achieved through the amount of aggregate exposure, adding color and adjusting the level of sheen.
Are all Concrete floors equal?
Absolutely not. The reason we say this is because the concrete polishing industry has grown leaps and bounds within the last 20 years. Many new systems have come to the market. There are two main divisions of polished concrete floors, one is achieved with the application of chemicals, and the other is a mechanical shine. The difference is substantial.
Chemical shine looks great for as long as the chemical retains its luster, usually 1 – 3 years. Typically the traffic areas look dull far more quickly than the perimeter areas.
Mechanical shine is accomplished by mechanically refining a floor with multiple grit levels of diamond abrasives to the point where the concrete actually becomes the shine. This type of floor will last anywhere from 10-40 years depending on the application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Polished concrete is used in a very wide range of spaces. Because of its durability and ease of maintenance it is used widely in but not limited to:
- Detached homes
- Multi-residential buildings
- Office spaces
- Commercial spaces
- Schools
- Sports complexes
- Box stores
The short answer is usually Yes! It does not matter if the concrete is old or new, most concrete out there can be polished. There are however limitations with some floors. If the floor is extremely beat up or full of oil stains this is usually a sign that it is not a good candidate for polishing. Outside of extreme circumstances like these we can usually make a quality floor from existing old or new concrete.
Grinding and polishing concrete creates silica dust which when not
contained can be harmful to breath. That is why we use powerful Hepa vacuum systems to capture
99.5% of the dust from our grinding machines.Grinding and polishing concrete creates silica dust which when not
contained can be harmful to breath. That is why we use powerful Hepa vacuum systems to capture
Yes it can be! The machinery used in the grinding and
polishing process is noisy. The process creates a heavy scouring sound and neighbours should be made
aware that they may hear some noise during the process.Yes it can be! The machinery used in the grinding and
polishing process is noisy. The process creates a heavy scouring sound and neighbours should be made
Yes, they are! The maintenance of polished concrete floors is usually best done with just a microfiber mop and PH neutral soap. Because it is a seamless styler of floor there are no grout lines or areas that collect grime or dirt.
Polished concrete will last anywhere from 10-40 years depending on the application. For example, in an industrial shop with very little cleaning it may last 10 years. On the other hand, in a cleaner environment such as a home or commercial setting it can last much longer.
Chemical shine is a concrete slab with a chemical coating. It looks great for as long as the chemical coating retains its luster, usually 1 – 3 years. These types of floors get dull in the traffic areas far more quickly than the perimeter areas.
For this reason, this type of concrete floor is not recommended.
Polished concrete floors are achieved by mechanically refining a floor with multiple grit levels of diamond abrasives to the point where the concrete becomes the shine.
Yes, it is! Polished concrete is probably the most pet friendly option available. The reason for this is it has good scratch resistance as well as ease of cleaning. It is recommended that any messes especially urine be cleaned as quickly as possible to reduce the chance of smell and staining.
