Polished Concrete Floors Have Unlimited Possibilities
A polished concrete
floor can be a great flooring solution for residential and commercial
uses. An old gray concrete floor can be turned into a work of art by
just polishing the surface. If there is old adhesive residue, other
stains or discoloration, it will be removed during the grinding process.
Sometimes the aggregates or stones in the concrete will be exposed
leaving a very nicely textured look. There are lots of great advantages
to having polished concrete floors such as saving money on maintenance,
increasing light reflectivity and long lasting durability. It is also
considered “green” and qualifies for LEED points. It can be used in kitchens, basements, restaurants, bars, retail stores, etc.
Polishing a concrete floor is the process of grinding off the old stained surface, then adding a chemical that seals and hardens the surface. This make the concrete more resistant to stains and spills. Each time the grinder makes a complete pass over the floor a finer grit diamond is used. Like sanding when you refinish a wood surface. This makes the surface smoother and shinier with each passing set of stones. The floor is completely ground at least 6 times and sometimes 8 to finish with a show room shine.
Colored stain can be added to the concrete surface to change the color of the concrete during the polishing process. If it is a new pour, objects can be added to the concrete surface such as colored glass, metal objects, machine shop turnings, etc to give even more creative interest. The objects get ground down even with the surrounding concrete when the grinder makes a pass.
There is a difference between polished concrete and concrete grinding. Polished concrete is much smoother and has a higher shine...think of polished Marble. Grinding is designed to leave various tool mark patterns in the surface making it more slip resistant.
Polishing a concrete floor is the process of grinding off the old stained surface, then adding a chemical that seals and hardens the surface. This make the concrete more resistant to stains and spills. Each time the grinder makes a complete pass over the floor a finer grit diamond is used. Like sanding when you refinish a wood surface. This makes the surface smoother and shinier with each passing set of stones. The floor is completely ground at least 6 times and sometimes 8 to finish with a show room shine.
Colored stain can be added to the concrete surface to change the color of the concrete during the polishing process. If it is a new pour, objects can be added to the concrete surface such as colored glass, metal objects, machine shop turnings, etc to give even more creative interest. The objects get ground down even with the surrounding concrete when the grinder makes a pass.
There is a difference between polished concrete and concrete grinding. Polished concrete is much smoother and has a higher shine...think of polished Marble. Grinding is designed to leave various tool mark patterns in the surface making it more slip resistant.
One of the best things about having a polished concrete floor is that it is easy to clean. No stripping or waxing. Just vacuum, damp mop, “Swiffer” type mop, or steam mop. Other benefits are that it will not stain if something is spilled on it, and no grout lines to keep clean. It does no have to be pulled up and replaced.
If you are looking for something different and easy to keep clean, give CRS a call and we will refinish your old concrete floor.
Posted by Sharon Gordon at 10/3/2011 8:00 AM 
Categories: Green Building, Decorative Concrete, Restorations, Polished Concrete Floors, Interior Floors
Tags: restore refinish decorative concrete finishes commercial floors ECOfriendly grinding concrete floors interior flooring
Categories: Green Building, Decorative Concrete, Restorations, Polished Concrete Floors, Interior Floors
Tags: restore refinish decorative concrete finishes commercial floors ECOfriendly grinding concrete floors interior flooring
I agree that simply polishing a concrete floor can greatly improve its appearance. Additionally, as you noted, the addition of a chemical sealer/hardener makes the concrete more stain and spill resistant. I especially like the use of colored stains as it is extremely practical to "include" the color of the concrete floor as part of the overall color scheme of a business such as a hair salon.
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While most homeowners would opt to have wood or tile flooring, others would resolve for concrete flooring. There are really many ways to make this type elegant such as polishing or painting it. The maintenance is also easy plus you can also help in the protection of the environment as it is considered as one of the green materials.
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Polished concrete is practically maintenance free and never needs to be replaced. It even protects against marks caused by truck, forklift and heavy equipment. We can even keep our floor options open by adding creative and colorful floor designs or place our company logo anywhere in the floor that we choose.
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I feel like you could probably teach a class on how to make a great blog. This is fantastic! I have to say, what really got me was your design. You certainly know how to make your blog more than just a rant about an issue. You have made it possible for people to connect. Good for you, because not that many people know what they're doing.
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The photos above really look promising and environmental, making concrete floor polishing really a good candidate for the LEED. Though the quality is not sacrificed, I bet a lot would still look for a more customized flooring plan since this option has only limited applications compared to the ones capable of being customized.
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