Some form of concrete has seen use in construction for a large part of human civilization, but it was almost always drab. Recently, we’ve discovered how to beautify concrete flooring with concrete polishing to create an affordable floor that looks on par with more expensive options. Polished or ground concrete floors add an exquisite look that can compete with any other flooring.
Contrary to what many believe, polished concrete can be quite diverse. There are a variety of finishes and grinding methods that can create entirely unique results. This is to say, if you have a flooring design in mind, there’s a good chance you can do it with concrete polishing.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at some of the options available for concrete floor polishing and help you come to a decision on why polished concrete flooring is a quality choice for your home.
What Is a Polished Concrete Floor?
A polished concrete floor is a floor that’s been ground and polished with specialized equipment. Depending on the grinding depth and the polish, it can have differing levels of glossiness.
This process adds a sheen to your concrete surfaces that make them look much different than their former appearance. Combined with a variety of finishes, polished concrete can look strikingly unique and aesthetically pleasing.
Why Should I Get a Polished Concrete Floor?
Before you decide on a specific kind of polished concrete floor, you’ll want to know why you should consider one for your home.
Here are some of the benefits of concrete polishing:
Cost-Effective
Concrete flooring is the most affordable flooring option. However, it’s particularly boring without additional treatment. With a concrete polishing service and a new finish, you can create a beautiful new floor at a fraction of the cost of other flooring materials.
Low Maintenance
While concrete isn’t a “no maintenance” flooring as some think, it still requires much less maintenance than other flooring options. Comparing it to tile, carpet, or wood, maintaining concrete is much less involved.
With a little bit of effort, it’s easy to keep a polished concrete floor as beautiful as the day it was installed for many years.
So Many Options
If you have a flooring and texture pattern in mind, there’s a good chance you can get that look with polished concrete. With the right polishing method and finish, you can emulate nearly any look with polished concrete.
You can include a topcoat service to add an extra layer of quality and protection to your newly polished floor. Let’s explore some of these choices to help you determine which polished flooring coating options are right for your home.
Polysiloxane Coatings
While not ideal for commercial environments due to a lack of flexibility and corrosion resistance, polysiloxane coatings are ideal for other applications. By combining polysiloxane and epoxies, you can get the best of both worlds like UV, scratch, and weather resistance.
Some of the benefits of a polysiloxane coating include:
- High scratch and weather resistance
- Strong resistance to UV light
- Works normally in a high-heat environment
- Retains color and gloss very well
The most significant downside of polysiloxane coating is its higher cost than some other treatments.
Epoxy Coatings
Epoxy is one of the most popular concrete coating materials. It works great in a variety of circumstances and is quite durable against chemicals, high temperatures, and scrapes or cuts.
Epoxy is a popular choice due to its reliable properties including:
- Improved slip resistance
- Increasing the strength of bare concrete by a factor of three
- Waterproofing and increased longevity
- Improving indoor lighting due to its reflective nature
To avoid epoxy chalking in the sun, we apply epoxy in three layers, including a primer, the epoxy, and an epoxy binder.
Polyurethane Coatings
Polyurethane is an excellent choice for high-impact commercial environments, and this is why many industrial locations opt to use it for a final topcoat.
There are two primary kinds of polyurethane coatings–aromatic and aliphatic
Aromatic Polyurethane
Aromatic polyurethane works best as flooring that stays out of the sunlight. Because of this, it’s best for basements and garages that don’t see much sunlight.
Aliphatic Polyurethane
Aliphatic polyurethane is a great choice for flooring that sees regular exposure to sunlight; or flooring that you want to maintain the color of.
Polyurethane coating is especially resistant to scratches and has many benefits that translate well to an industrial environment.
Professional Services for Your Polished Concrete Flooring
Polished concrete flooring is one of the most versatile, affordable, and beautiful flooring options available. As good as polished concrete floors can be, it’s not an easy job. Because your polished concrete floor could last a lifetime, you want to work with a team that specializes in polishing concrete floors.
Here at Southeast Floor Maintenance, we offer comprehensive floor services, including concrete polishing in Charlotte. As the most reliable flooring contractor in the area, we go above and beyond to ensure excellent services.
While it’s a cost-effective flooring, we know that installing polished flooring can still be a significant expense to consider, which is why we offer a lifetime warranty on residential garage floors and a ten year warranty for commercial products. You know you can trust our quality.
If you’re ready to beautify the concrete flooring in your basement, garage, or wherever else–we’re here to help. Call our team at Southeast Floor Maintenance at (704) 741-9912 today for concrete polishing in Charlotte, NC.
