Are you looking for a low-cost solution to upgrade the concrete floors in your industrial building, patient lobby, or retail space? You might think about giving them a high-gloss shine. Concrete polishing can actually increase the durability and sturdiness of your floors in addition to adding beauty to your living area.
What is polished concrete, exactly?
The meaning of talking about polishing concrete is a little unclear. Not just slapping a polish on a surface or covering will do.
It resembles polishing stone or marble. The stone is then carefully processed using specialised machinery (often using diamond grit and a material comparable to sandpaper). The resultant sheen is more than just a glossy liquid covering; it also represents the concrete’s actual physical characteristics.
The procedure not only gives the concrete a uniform surface (which, depending on the level of polishing, can range from a dull lustre to an extremely shiny finish), but also makes it harder to hold the molecules of concrete, ensuring that the polished concrete is in the most dense, hardest state it can be as per Wichita commercial concrete floor polishing.
The advantages of polished concrete
Concrete floors have a number of advantages over untreated concrete floors because of the physical changes that polished concrete goes through:
The attractiveness
Want to come across as impressive? Concrete can be polished to the point where it reflects light like glass. Colourants can be applied to the polishing process to change the colour from grey to something that matches your decor or makes a statement with bright hues.
In a hospital lobby, auto dealership, grocery shop or any other commercial location, polished concrete is a terrific method to make an impact on guests. The gleaming, spotless surface will help improve employee morale in a manufacturing facility or warehouse.
Durability
The strength of the concrete atoms are increased by polishing, which might almost quadruple the surface hardness of your floor. On the Mohs scale, polished concrete typically reaches a hardness of 7. This makes it significantly more difficult to scratch or damage it, even when you frequently use heavy machinery.
Economy
A practical flooring choice that is also inexpensive to maintain is concrete polishing. It allows you to reuse the existing concrete slab, saving you the expense of buying new flooring. Simple maintenance is required: The smooth finish makes it simple to sweep and clean, and unlike conventional concrete, it doesn’t release dust (see “Cleanliness” below). Depending on the amount of traffic, the look of the concrete can deteriorate over time; nevertheless, it is simple to restore by using a cheap touch-up polishing.
True concrete polishing is preferable than quick-fix methods.
There are several concrete polishing techniques (including “wet” and “dry” approaches), but it’s crucial to recognise that there are ten steps to a job well done.
There are numerous businesses that provide “concrete polishing” services, but they only adhere to a few of these procedures. To give the floor a shiny appearance quickly, one can use a clear sealer, although this solution isn’t long-lasting.
Make sure your contractor isn’t cutting corners if you want to get the most out of concrete polishing, which includes longer-lasting resilience and lifespan.