Polished Concrete; The Shine is Devine!
Updated: Feb 21
Polished Concrete has become an attractive option for many retail, commercial, residential, and industrial buildings over the recent years in part because they are easy to clean and maintain and very durable. Even in multi-million dollar homes, homeowners are opting for the modern industrial chic look of Polished Concrete countertops and Polished Concrete stained floors. In comparison to other flooring and surface options Polished Concrete is also significantly less expensive.
So why go with Polished Concrete and not epoxy coated concrete?
If you are trying to decide on having an epoxy floor versus Polished Concrete, you’ll need to take into consideration what type of use will the floor be getting.
Concrete is inherently porous and will naturally absorb moisture, chemicals, and many other materials. If your surface will be exposed to heavy loads, chemicals, high traffic and possibly vehicles as in forklifts in a warehouse, epoxy coatings maybe your best option. As written in our earlier Blog on Epoxy coatings, epoxy flooring can be customized to meet your space’s unique demands.
At Olson Marble and Stone Care we offer a myriad of epoxy coatings to suit everyone’s palate including coloring, metallic flake, custom designs and borders and textures. Additionally we will apply as many layers necessary to suit the use of your surface.
Now let’s talk about the benefits of Polished Concrete
Whether it’s a home, restaurant or most any type of business, Polished Concrete can be a cost-effective alternative to carpeting, vinyl, wood, natural stone or tile. Polished Concrete is sustainable, easy to clean, and is resistant to mold, mildew, mites, and other common allergens. If you have existing concrete in almost any condition, it can be resurfaced and polished to give your space an incredible upgrade at a fraction of the cost of those previously stated flooring materials.
Once the top layer of your floor is ground down to your desired specifications, you can finish out your project with overlays, stains, dyes, stencils, decorative patterns or just leave a natural gray color with your desired variances of glossy or matte sheens.
The method to Polishing Concrete is quite the same as sanding wood. You start with a high grit paper and finish with light grit. High-end polishing machines are used to grind the concrete surface. Instead of sandpaper, concrete polishing involves multiple grades of disks made of diamonds which achieve varying levels of smoothness and polish.
The versatility of Polished Concrete is quite remarkable as well. The design opportunities are endless with concrete floors. You can combine any combination of stains, dyes, and decorative elements such as flakes or veining for a completely unique look that perfectly suits your desired aesthetic. Rather than a coating on top of your surface like epoxy, concrete staining permeates well below the surface creating a unique appearance. And unlike an epoxy coating that may need to be reapplied after years of wear and tear, stains are permanent. You can choose between acid and water-based stains. Once you stain a floor the color won’t chip, fade or peel away.
More benefits of Polished Concrete;
It’s Cost-Effective. If you’re working with an existing concrete slab you won’t need to pay for additional surfaces such as carpet, wood floors or tiling.
It’s Easy to Maintain. A quick use a dust mop, Swiffer or broom is all you need to keep your Polished Concrete floors dirt free. A damp mop will remove any scuffs, smudges, and watermarks and restore the gloss of your surface.
It’s Long Lasting. Since Polished Concrete is so durable you won’t need to worry about the cleaning, repairing, or replacement expenses that might be associated with other surfaces including needing to have the carpets cleaned, hardwood floors refinished, or chipped tiles replaced. Olson Marble and Stone Care will use only the best sealer to lock in the beauty of your surface and with minimal care your Polished Concrete surface will last decades.
It’s Environmentally Friendly as no hazardous coatings, cleaners, or adhesives are needed to protect and maintain Polished Concrete.
And most important to you is its Beautiful. No matter the finish, Polished Concrete is an attractive alternative to all other surfaces. It is modern, chic and clean.
Olson Marble and Stone Care have been serving San Jose and the Greater Bay Area for over 37 years. We are the San Francisco Bay Area's NUMBER ONE choice for ALL your Interior and Exterior Concrete Solutions!
