A properly installed, sealed and maintained polished concrete floor can be expected to last a hundred years or more in even the harshest commercial environments. Its life-span will also far surpass that of other floor coverings, such as carpeting, vinyl tile and wood laminates.
Polished Concrete Floor Lifespans
With professional concrete installation, a proactive polished concrete floor maintenance plan, and occasional deep cleaning, a polished concrete flooring system can last 20 years or more with minimal hassle.
They're Durable
Because the wear surface of a polished concrete floor is extremely hard, polished concrete does not show scratches or scuffs. Further, polished concrete never requires the use of wax or sealers, so they are not only durable but also low maintenance.
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 is one of the strongest and most resilient floor types in the market. This makes it highly resistant to scratches and therefore polished concrete floors don't scratch easily. For this reason, polished concrete is commonly used in high traffic areas like industries and corridors.
A polished concrete floor will crack
It is often thought that polished concrete floors eventually crack. Precast concrete floors can indeed crack, but not with SENSO. It is highly unusual for a SENSO polished concrete floor to crack. Because we use highly flexible material.
Resin Living Room Floors
This resin flooring is slightly cushioned, so it's very comfortable to walk on and works well with underfloor heating. Microcement is another excellent flooring material and looks very similar to polished concrete at a more affordable price point with a huge range of colours and finishes.
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.
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.
To prevent surface damage to your concrete flooring, we recommend you dust mop daily with a clean, microfiber cloth pad. The use of dirty pads, or rough surfaces can damage the polished concrete surface of the floor. You don't want anything that will scratch or etch the surface of your floor when you're dusting.
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.
If you have a high amount of foot traffic or perhaps severe weather conditions(for outdoor concrete), you may experience a shorter lifetime. Sealing your polished concrete may also depend on the surfaces condition. Once they start showing patchy areas and are staining easily then you should have them resealed.
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 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.
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.
A polished concrete floor simply looks better, lasts longer than a sealed concrete floor, and costs between $3.5 to $5 per square foot. Below is a very basic overview of the benefits and drawbacks of a polished concrete floor.
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.
Generally, every 2-3 years, a polished concrete floor with regular foot traffic and weathering will require professional maintenance. Keep in mind that this timeframe is an estimate that may be extended, or reduced, based on the amount of traffic and weathering involved along the floor surface.
Some of the things you don't want to use on your polished concrete flooring include: Vinegar. Windex. Swiffer products.
The Verdict. There is no concrete winner in the battle between polishing and coating your concrete floors. Both options will increase the strength, lifespan, and appearance of your concrete floors. Your decision will ultimately come down to your personal preferences, budget, and specific needs.
As long as the concrete is fairly level, damp-free and in good condition it should be possible to polish.
Apart from cracking and staining, polished concrete floors can experience various other problems such as discoloration, chipping, and unevenness. These problems can occur due to poor installation, improper preparation, or wear and tear over time.
Old concrete floors are pretty common and they can all be either sealed or polished. That's right, you can polish old concrete no matter where it is. This building material is so tough, so resilient even if the old floor was ten or twenty years old it can probably be polished or at least sealed with a polish.
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.