Designers and architects have over the years gone all out to find durable and cost effective flooring alternatives. From vitrified tiles to imported granites, flooring options have become wider but also pricier. The search for a cheaper alternative ended with the good old concrete floor, albeit polished.
Apart from these advantages, polished concrete floors also offer high gloss finish that is comparable to granite or other high end flooring alternatives. The cost advantage of concrete flooring also makes it much sought after both residential and commercial applications.
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| Polished Concrete Floor |
Polished concrete floors have a drawback of being unable to mask the imperfections on the existing concrete surface. These flaws easily catch ones attention making the whole attempt futile as a decorative option. To overcome the lacunae, engineers have come up with polished overlays that successfully mask these imperfections. In fact, appropriately chosen colored aggregates and decorative saw cuts transform the concrete flooring into appealing and aesthetically ultra-modern flooring. The thick coat of the polished overlay masks the imperfections on the concrete floor and added with the glossy finish competes in its looks with that of granite stone flooring. While installing concrete overlays, the use of colored aggregates can convert the concrete flooring into a seamless terrazzo-style surface.
The main advantage that home owners or business owners see is the option to value added to the existing concrete floor, without having to demolish and reconstruct the whole flooring with alternate flooring options like granite, etc, thus saving a lot of time and money. The color and design of polished overlays can be so chosen to blend with the theme of the room at lower rates than other conventional high-end alternatives.
Important Aspect of Polished Concrete Flooring
They say, there are crucial matters that one must keep in mind to make polished concrete flooring a success. Though polishing of the floor plays a crucial role in the durability of the concrete floor and this is what that decides on the finishing and the adequate profiling of the floor to prepare it for the overlay. Profiling of the floor can be done by shot blasting, grinding, or acid etching. This helps the overlay to get a good grip over the concrete surface.
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| Polished Floor |
Different colors and designs can be added to the flooring by applying dyes and the densifiers. The floor is polished using a planetary grinder that can be attached with a variety of polishing stones or diamond tooling systems. When dyes and densifiers create a solid and opaque effect to the surface, chemical staining permeates into the concrete. These stains can be luminous or translucent. A professional concrete decoration contractor can stain or dye the floor to look like either marble, or natural stone, or even wood. You can also create geometric and floral motifs, etc., depending on the skill and expertise of the flooring professional.
Stains for concrete are either acid-based chemical stains or water-based acrylics. Chemical stains are preferred for outdoor applications like walkways or patios, as the stain tends to permeate and is not easily affected by the elements. One more advantage of polished concrete is that it can be applied to countertops, patios, driveways, and vertical surfaces like walls, etc.
There are unlimited designs and ideas available on the internet for polished concrete floor and one can select the color combinations or designs of their choice and get it installed by their contractor. It is always a wise decision to search online for designs, colors, and textures as it widens your idea and helps you get the final picture of product you are willing to buy.
June 12, 2017
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