What Is Polished Concrete?
Polished concrete is an excellent choice for any commercial space. Business owners will love the advantages of polished concrete, and their place of business will have a spectacular floor at an affordable price.
A technician will grind the existing concrete floor slab. Concrete grinding is performed by using a concrete grinder – which is a machine that uses diamond discs to grind off the very top layer of concrete. The result is a finished concrete floor that is honed to your desired level of smoothness and shine.
Floor experts can polish almost any concrete floor to create a stunning new look. Prior to the concrete polishing process, the floor will need to go through concrete surface preparation. Surface prep involves getting rid of any imperfections in a damaged concrete floor. The degree of preparation will vary from project to project. As an example, your concrete flooring expert will fill each significant concrete crack in the concrete, resolve any concrete stains, and perform concrete leveling on the concrete slab if necessary.
Concrete polishing is a process that involves several steps. Customers can choose the level of shine they want on their floors and select other design options, such as dyes and stains.
How Long Do Polished Concrete Floors Last?
A properly installed concrete floor, sealed and maintained, can last a century. Polished concrete durability is truly amazing. The life span of polished concrete floors is much longer than just about any other flooring option.
What Maintenance Is Required?
The appeal of a polished concrete floor is that it requires very little maintenance. However, you must perform the care regularly.
Clean any spills immediately. Spills and debris can cause stains on your concrete floors.
Polished Concrete is Extremely Durable and Easy to Maintain
You should clean your polished concrete flooring every day with a dust mop. A clean microfibre cloth pad works best; dirt and debris on your floors can scratch the surface.
It is best to wash your concrete flooring with a mop and water. You can consult with concrete floor experts to determine the correct type of floor cleaner.
When daily cleaning is not bringing back your floor’s original shine, it may be time to hire a professional concrete flooring specialist. They will determine what they can do to restore your floor, especially when you have stained concrete.
Is Polished Concrete Durable?
Polished concrete is durable and strong and can withstand the heavy foot traffic typical in any commercial space. It is resistant to scratches and dents.
Considering these floors can last up to a hundred years, their durability is phenomenal. Add to that the affordability of polished concrete, and you are looking at an investment that will pay you dividends for many years.
Polished Concrete Floors Lasting a Very Long Time – Which Lowers Your Total Cost of Ownership
The price of concrete polishing will vary per square foot depending on the area, the preparation needed, and the requirements of your flooring project. A flooring expert can provide a quote that will detail the work.
How Often Do You Need To Polish Concrete?
Clients often wonder how often they will have to redo their polished concrete floors. A polished floor will need professional maintenance every two to three years, and the amount of care will depend on the foot traffic and the upkeep.
A professional concrete flooring specialist will address stains and restore the original glossy finish by stripping the concrete floor. This process will not take as long as the initial installation. They will recommend products that will help prevent stains and signs of wear.
Does Polishing Concrete Seal it?
No, the polishing process does not result in sealed concrete. A concrete coating can be used to protect the underlying concrete slab. A concrete sealer is a separate floor coating that you must apply to ensure the longevity of your polished concrete.
Sealing your polished floor will bring out the color and shine. A sealer will also help protect your floors from stains and damage, so it is crucial to choose the proper sealant. You can select a sealant that forms a protective layer over your floors while others penetrate the floor.
Epoxy coating is also sometimes used to protect concrete floors. Commercial spaces do well with a polyurethane or epoxy floor coating, which protects the polished floor from heavy foot traffic. An epoxy floor sealant requires minimal maintenance.
You can choose to apply the sealant yourself, or you can hire epoxy flooring experts.
It might be wise to hire a professional to maintain polished concrete floors in a commercial space. Most spaces have a great deal of foot traffic, so you want to ensure that your floors are properly maintained. They will be able to determine the best products to apply to the busiest areas, and they will also be able to recommend the best cleaning products.
How Often Does Polished Concrete Need To Be Sealed?
The need to reseal your polished concrete will depend on the foot traffic, the exposure, and the upkeep done to the floors. At the very minimum, your floors should be resealed every two years.
Sealing your polished concrete floors is another layer of protection. It is a wise investment to ensure that your floors will look great for years to come.
Can You Damage Polished Concrete?
Polished concrete is one of the most durable materials, and it is tough to scratch or damage the surface of a polished concrete floor that has been correctly installed and maintained.
Damage generally happens when people do not address spills immediately, and this can result in staining that will require a professional concrete polishing expert to resolve.
There are a few other things that can cause damage to polished concrete which may require a professional’s attention. Tape adhesive can damage polished concrete, especially if left on the floor for an extended period.
Spilled paint and drywall mix can also mar the surface of your polished concrete. You should complete any renovations very carefully.
Grease and oil can also cause result in a concrete stain if not cleaned immediately.
It is essential to clean any materials off your polished concrete floor immediately to avoid staining. There are specific cleaning products and chemicals that you can use to help with certain stains.
Does Polished Concrete Fade?
The shiny look of a polished concrete floor makes your commercial space appealing to customers, and they look clean and bright. One of the many advantages of polished concrete floors is that the shiny look will never fade. You must maintain your daily cleaning to keep the glossy finish.
Polished Concrete Will Not Fade with Proper Maintenance
Having your floors repolished and resealed every two to three years would be best. You should consult with a professional concrete polishing company for more advice for maintaining your polished concrete floors, and they will help keep your floors looking great.
Need Help with Your Concrete Flooring? Contact Us
As a Denver based concrete contractor, we have been providing high quality polished concrete flooring solutions for our satisfied clients for well over a decade. We can perform concrete repair services on existing concrete slabs then go through the concrete polishing process to give you a beautiful, low maintenance flooring solution.
Get Started by Calling Us (303) 495-5692 – or filling out our form here.