Nonetheless, the idea of covering up concrete basement floors is still quite common, but it is not recommended. Covering your concrete basement floor with a different material can be detrimental to its longevity and condition. This is because the concrete needs exposure to air in order for it to breathe properly.
If you are pouring concrete floors in any type of warehouse or heavy commercial setting, leaving them bare is asking for trouble. Vehicle traffic, chemicals, temperature changes, and other common industrial impacts can quickly damage bare concrete floors. If appearances are a concern, bare concrete is the wrong choice.
The health problems associated with working or living on concrete flooring are well-documented. According to experts, concrete floor systems can cause everything from bunions and ingrown toenails to shin splints, lumbar strain, and achilles tendonitis.
Even if the concrete foundation is enough to keep water away from the building, water vapor can easily rise to the surface and damage a building's foundation, subfloor, and main floor. A vapor barrier is crucial to protect a building from the many negative effects of water vapor on building materials.
Cons of Concrete Floors
Hardness: There's no denying that concrete is hard underfoot, a quality that some find uncomfortable. It's also unforgiving — a dropped glass definitely won't survive — and it may be a concern if there are small children or elderly folks in the household. Area rugs can help alleviate concerns.
For large scale projects like buildings, concrete should last up to 100 years if it's properly cared for. Concrete projects that experience more wear-and-tear like sidewalks and driveways have an expected lifespan of about half that—50 years.
In fact, the best answer is that polished concrete will last as long as you take proper care of it. But to give you a time frame, polished concrete floors generally last upwards of 20 years. If you are not performing maintenance or regular cleaning, your floors may not last the full 20 years.
Apply a concrete waterproofing sealer over the entire surface of the floor in an even layer and allow it to dry completely. Apply a second layer of concrete sealer to ensure maximum protection. Allow the sealer to dry for at least 24 hours before walking on or placing the furniture back onto the surface.
For solid concrete floors, make sure that if they need to be replaced, your builder puts in insulation – you have to insulate a floor when it is replaced in order to comply with building regulations. Solid floors are insulated using rigid insulation foam, which can be fitted either above or below the concrete.
Sealer prevents moisture and other elements from seeping below the surface and negatively affecting your concrete surface.
Yes, they usually are low-maintenance floors, but low maintenance does not mean no maintenance. Let's clear up this and other myths about concrete floors. The more cleaning contractors know about these floors, the better they can clean and maintain them.
Cement dust from cutting, sanding or emptying bags and exposed body sweat can form a caustic solution cause burns. Dust contains trace amounts of crystalline silica. Short term inhalation exposure can cause irritation to the nose and throat, choking, and difficulty breathing.
Concrete Coating and Home Value
By upgrading to premium quality materials and finishes in your home, you will enhance your everyday life along with increasing your home value as well. Your garage floor or basements could be a lot more than a parking or storage space.
A pH-neutral cleaner is always a good option for a final cleanse or to routinely mop with. No matter what is used to clean, it's crucial to allow the unsealed concrete to fully dry.
Plain concrete slabs have served as the flooring material for basements, garages, patios, and utility areas for many years, but concrete is now also a viable material in home interiors, where it can be polished, etched, or stained to serve as the finished flooring surface.
Unlike other surfaces, concrete has no give. This inflexibility affects the body. Standing or walking on concrete flooring every day can result in backaches, knee pain, swollen legs and sore feet. Left untreated, you may experience injuries and chronic pain.
Rubber Flooring
Fitness flooring, made of a rubber-like composite material, is an excellent option for covering a concrete slab in a garage or basement. These rubber floors are an incredibly cost-effective solution for colder climates and can come in very handy.
It is best to place vapor barriers on foundation walls in basements before installing posts and doing primary insulation. Installing a moisture barrier will help keep moisture in the basement and prevent it from seeping into the walls and floors, leaving no room for mold.
For Climate zones 1 to 3, installing rigid foam insulation under a concrete slab is optional, but it's best to have one to improve energy efficiency. If you're installing heated slabs in zones 1 to 3, the rigid foam insulation to a depth of the footing or 2 feet.
While mold only feeds on organic materials, it can grow on any surface, especially concrete. While concrete may not supply an abundance of organic material, it provides just enough mold to spread to other areas of a building.
How Moisture Affects Concrete Strength. Increased space between cement grains: Higher water-to-cement ratios result in greater spacing between the aggregates in cement, which affects compaction. Similarly, increased moisture levels reduce the concrete's compressive strength and durability.
Excess water at the surface can also weaken the concrete and cause dusting to occur when it dries. Mold – Wet conditions are a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. This can erode concrete and damage the integrity of the floor. Mold will stain and tarnish concrete if not thoroughly cleaned.
Concrete should be cleaned at least once per year in the spring, ideally in May to remove any dirt, salt and grime build up. This is the optimal time to reseal the concrete as well. Reseal your concrete every 1 – 2 years depending on its wear.
Sealing your concrete isn't really a labor-intensive, nor costly, job. By sealing your concrete every 2-5 years, as recommended by experts, you should keep your floor in good shape, preventing cracks, pitting, and additional damage.
As stated previously, concrete takes approximately 26-30 days to reach its full strength. If the concrete is professionally poured and floated, the curing process should be sound and ensure proper hardening of the concrete base.