Polished concrete flooring is relatively easy to maintain. You just have to dust mop or broom sweep daily to prevent dirt accumulation.
If you're looking for sustainable materials to use in your home, polished concrete is a great option because: Recycled materials can be used to manufacture concrete. It has a long life – meaning you're less likely to need to replace your floor for many years.
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.
Cons of Polished Concrete Floor
It can be hard underfoot and if something was accidently dropped, such as a plate or glass, it's not going to survive. Cracking: No matter how well your flooring is installed and sealed, over time there will appear cracks in polished concrete floors.
Because material costs for polished concrete floors are six to eight times lower than that of high-quality hardwood floors, polished concrete is significantly less expensive than wood in new residential construction. In 2022, a typical white oak floor install can range from $12 to over $22 a square foot.
Getting concrete floor coatings or a decorative concrete overlay is not a luxury – it's an investment that can pay off over time. Not only will the investment improve your enjoyment of the home and reduce your maintenance, but it will also improve the value of your home.
Polished concrete is (generally) NOT slippery when wet.
A flooring safety test using measurement standards provided by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) found that polished concrete has superior slip resistance, even when wet.
Although polished concrete floors are stain-resistant, they can still stain if spills are not cleaned promptly.
Concrete can indeed feel cold. But SENSO's polished concrete floors are capable of retaining heat and radiating it outwards. This creates a wonderfully warm surface on which to walk. Even barefoot.
There's no hard and fast answer, and both flooring solutions offer a range of benefits to home and business owners. That being said, epoxy flooring does trump polished concrete in terms of look, toughness, safety, and versatility – it's definitely worth investigating further.
If cost is the primary driving factor in making your decision, you'll probably choose polished concrete, because this can represent as little as half of the investment when compared to applying an epoxy coating.
Then the best color to choose for concrete floor polishing are blacks, dark blues, or dark browns. This will enhance the much needed darkness that the room or commercial space is meant to provide.
Polished concrete floors are a popular option for commercial and industrial building. However, as a porous substance, it is vulnerable to excessive moisture which can cause difficulties during installation and distort the end result. Contractors should be conscious of the impact moisture has on cementitious floors.
Harsh liquids such as solvents, soft drinks, vinegar or corrosive acid based liquids may eat away at the floor's protective finish. Left untreated, these liquids will continue to damage the floor even after the affected spots feel dry to the touch.
Cleaning your polished concrete floors
You can sweep, vacuum, or wipe with a dry mop – any of these methods will be sufficient to keep the surface of your polished concrete clean.
IS POLISHING CONCRETE MESSY? Surprisingly no! There is a lot of cleaning involved between each step we need to perform as polishers and we take a great deal of care not to make a mess while working.
Polished concrete floors are relatively inexpensive to create, extremely durable and low maintenance. On the downside, some people find them cold and hard underfoot so if you live in a cool climate you may want to install underfloor or inslab heating or think about softening the surface with rugs.
Keeping your floors dust-free is as simple as a nightly sweep with a microfibre mop. If you don't have one of these, a cotton or soft bristled broom will also do the job. Then, once a week, go over the area with a damp mop. This will remove any residual dust and really get your floors shining again.
Additionally, polished concrete can provide a seamless look between inside and out, plus it's also easy to clean and low-maintenance too. A pH-neutral cleaner can be used to give your floors a deep clean or a quick mop twice a week, but concrete should definitely be sealed to give the best performance.
Without adequate reinforcement, however, even small levels of movement can cause cracks to appear in the surface of your concrete flooring. Other factors such as poor drainage, soil movement and improper curing can also lead to cracking in concrete floors.
Polished concrete floors do not require abrasive cleaners or chemicals. In high traffic areas, where additional cleaners are necessary, an automatic floor scrubber that has been equipped with a clean, non-abrasive pad, should be used. Neutralized cleaners are important to clean spills and prevent stains.
Keep in mind that all concrete floors will crack, whether polished, coated, or untreated.
The difference compared to other flooring materials is that polished concrete has the capability to absorb heat and omit the warmth slowly, which is a great property for the winter months.
Polished concrete floors are very durable and with proper maintenance will last you a lifetime. Tiles are also durable but they're a little more fragile in comparison to concrete. If you drop something heavy on a tiled floor, it's likely to crack and chip.