Reasons Why and Ways How to Polish Concrete Floors

Today’s $300 billion flooring market is seeing the increasing popularity of highly-polished concrete floors. Are you wondering if polished concrete is what your building needs?

Opting for polished concrete over traditional wood or carpet flooring will save you money. It can also help contribute to greater property value. If you’re wondering why, and how, to polish concrete, read on for your complete polished concrete guide.

Reasons Why You Should Polish Your Concrete Floors

Concrete flooring is becoming an increasingly popular choice for low-maintenance and sustainable living. Many homeowners and businesses are enjoying the durability of having polished concrete floors that both look and feel highly finished.

If you’re looking for the best material to save you money and improve the energy-efficiency of your home, then concrete is the best way to go. Here are five reasons why you should transform your concrete floors with a high-polish finish.

1. Economical

If you’re opting for concrete flooring in your business or home, then you’ll likely be using the already existing concrete slabs. If this is the case, then your flooring choice is helping the environment because it’s not using new materials.

Concrete flooring also offers other environmental benefits. It contributes to improved energy efficiency and can boost the quality of your indoor air. What’s more, improving your home’s efficiency score can save you up to $500 annually.

2. Cost Friendly

US homeowners spend an average of 6,000 US dollars on home improvement projects. If you’re looking for options that won’t break the bank, then concrete polishing may be the perfect solution for you. Costs per square foot run between $2 to $8 depending on your level of finish.

Your polished concrete may even save you money on energy bills. Because of the high shine of concrete polish, it reflects heat and light. Plus, once it’s installed you won’t need to worry about paying for replacements down the road.

3. Lasting Durability

Wood floors suffer from regular use, but concrete polished floors are extremely durable and hard to damage. The resistive materials can withstand staining from spilled water or leaks.

If your floor is polished well and maintained regularly, it can last up to a hundred years. How’s that for durable?

4. Easy to Clean

The best part about having a polished concrete floor is that it’s easy to clean. All it takes is a quick mop to soak up spills, and you won’t have to worry about water damage or staining.

For daily maintenance, you’ll only need to sweep up dust or wipe it down with a damp cloth. Normal soap water is all you need when it’s time to mop, which means you save money on cleaning.

5. Design Potential

Designers today are able to get creative with polishing concrete. You may be surprised, but the finished look of high-polished concrete can fit a wide range of interior design styles.

Concrete floor dying is a popular option for homeowners wanting a unique look to their concrete flooring. There are different colors and application techniques to choose from to achieve various results.

If you want a more natural feel to your concrete, you can even opt for a stone-like finish. A high-gloss seal can be used to give concrete a limestone look, while an acrylic sealer can give a wet look to concrete.

How to Polish Concrete Floors

The Concrete Polishing Council (CPC) has industry-standard specifications for polished floors. If you’re trying DIY concrete polishing, you’ll want to make sure your newly-polished floors meet all standards.

If you’re ready to transform your concrete floors by giving them a polished shine, knowing these DIY steps can help give you the best results.

Step One: Determine Surface Hardness

The first step you’ll need to take is to determine the hardness level of your concrete slabs. Use a MOHS Concrete hardness Tester to measure the hardness of at least three areas of the concrete. Knowing this number will help you choose the correct metal bond diamond abrasive.

Step Two: Prep Your Concrete Surface

If your floor is already coated, then you’ll need to remove all of it. Then you’ll need to prep your concrete floors so that they’re smooth and flat.

You can use metal bond tooling to repair any holes and cracks. Once that’s finished, make sure you remove metal tooling scratches with transitional tooling. Your goal is to give the concrete a flat and clean surface before beginning the polishing process.

Step Three: Densify and Harden

Vacuum away any dust or residue before you begin this step. Once your floor is clean, use a pore and crack filler to densify the concrete.

This will help solidify the material so that it withstands water. But remember: you don’t want the filler to pool on the concrete while you’re applying it, because this will cause permanent staining.

Step Four: Begin Polishing

Now it’s time to polish! For this process, you’ll need to select resin bond tooling at the appropriate level.

Depending on how shiny you want your concrete floor to be, you can choose between 100 to 800 grit. The higher the grit, the more shine you’ll achieve.

Step Five: Seal and Protect

Once you get the level of polishing you wanted, finish up the job by protecting your newly-polished floors. This is an important step if your concrete floor will be exposed to grease, chemicals, or oil.

Apply a commercial stain-guard product in two light coats. Remember to wait thirty minutes between each layer.

Afterwards, you can burnish the floor to give it one last shine and polish. For businesses wanting to upgrade their concrete floors, epoxy flooring can add an extra layer of strength and endurance.

High-Shine, Low-Cost Flooring

Polished concrete is today’s best low-maintenance flooring option. Whether you’re remodeling your home or updating your business, choosing to polish your concrete floor will add value and save you money.

Follow this simple step-by-step guide on how to polish concrete to complete your DIY project. If you’re looking for a professional-grade finish, contact Custom Coatings Inc. by calling 828-326-0953 or sending an email to upgrade your home’s floors today.