Polished concrete flooring is relatively easy to maintain. You just have to dust mop or broom sweep daily to prevent dirt accumulation.
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.
Generally speaking, the disadvantages of polished concrete floors are very few. They involve things like discoloration, stains that are deeply embedded in the concrete, or imprints made when the concrete slab was initially poured.
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.
Mechanically polished concrete can last up to 10-12 years without any major maintenance if it is appropriately installed and maintained during that time.
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.
Fortunately, by far the majority of slabs have moisture barriers installed under the slab making the amount of moisture migrating out of the slab not an issue for polished concrete. Are polished concrete floors prone to CRACKING? Yes, they are.
Polished concrete does not support mold growth and reduces dust and dust mites, reducing allergen issues overall. Because a polished concrete floor system is more durable, it's also much easier to keep clean.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Most professional flooring experts require a three phase polished concrete floor maintenance approach in order to restore a polished concrete floor to its previous glory. Generally, every 2-3 years, a polished concrete floor with regular foot traffic and weathering will require professional maintenance.
Polished concrete flooring is dominating design trends for new and renovated homes, and the reasons why are endless. From concrete's high durability and low maintenance to its aesthetic appeal, today we look at 10 reasons to love polished concrete flooring.
In many cases, this is because of efflorescence. Efflorescence is that white powdery substance on the surface of your concrete that can appear over time. It can occur on anything containing portland cement and is commonly seen on concrete floors.