How Concrete Can Still Be An Attractive Flooring Option
Concrete is a cheap and very sturdy flooring option that has many applications across the country. Not only can it be used as a foundational slab, but this slab is often left open and uncovered in warehouses, industrial areas and manufacturing sites. The benefits are clear, but there is one thing holding concrete back from being more popular in the wider market: its aesthetic appeal. Concrete has a dull, muted tone that can also feel a little rough underfoot, which is not something most businesses or homeowners are looking for in their flooring. However, there is a way to make your concrete just as stunning as any new flooring out there.
Concrete Polishing
Concrete, on its own, has a very brutalist look which means that most buildings looking for a softer, more welcoming flooring type will avoid it. However, with the use of certain techniques and chemicals, concrete can be transformed into a mirror-like surface that takes the best characteristics of concrete and combines them with an artistic flair that is hard to ignore. Many people don't even recognise polished concrete floors as concrete and assume they must be some kind of tile or special material, but the process itself is quite simple when you understand it.
How It Works
Concrete polishing services usually work in two parts and is different to concrete grinding, although they share similar elements. First of all, you use much finer grits when sanding down the floor than with a traditional grinder. You will also go over the same floor multiple times, with each run using a different, finer grit. Then comes the main difference between the two services because instead of just sealing this newly ground concrete, you use what is called a densifier to block all the tiny pores in the surface of the concrete. This then means that when the sealant is finally applied, polished concrete looks far sleeker than anything you will find from a simple grind-to-seal process.
Artistic Touches
Before you seal up your floor, you may want to add in a few touches of your own. Many concrete polishing services will allow you to add slight decorative additions, such as patterns with paint or tiny aggregates that break up the more monotonous pattern of the concrete. This should be discussed well in advance so the concrete polishing service knows how to incorporate it into their highly refined process. That will conclude your service, and you will be left with flooring that will last even longer than a regular concrete slab while being much more attractive.
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