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What is polished concrete?

What is polished concrete?

Polished concrete continues to grow in popularity as the flooring of choice, whether in large supermarkets, restaurants, warehouses, offices or homes.

Not only does it offer a more efficient solution in terms of time and money, it is also incredibly practical, extremely durable and it looks sleek and stylish to boot.

But what is polished concrete?

Polished concrete is concrete that has been treated with a chemical densifier before being ground with progressively finer grinding tools and varying grits of graded diamonds and diamond polishing pads.

Concrete is not usually considered polished before 400 grit has been applied, and it is typically finished to either an 800, 1500 or 3000 grit level.

The process is similar to refinishing wood with a floor sander, with grinders being used to gradually grind down the concrete surface using a combination of metal bond diamond abrasives, followed by resin bond diamonds, to achieve the desired shine and smoothness.

Recent advances in technology mean old and new floor surfaces can be ground to a high-gloss finish that needs minimum maintenance but lasts a lifetime.

Types of polished concrete

The possibilities are endless when it comes to the design options for polished concrete

The light reflection on the surface area can also be controlled by applying different levels of a concrete floor polishing.

There are three main types of polished concrete floors:

Fine diamond polished concrete – These produce excellent floor surface finishes. The procedure involves four phases of polishing, working with different levels of diamond tool to create a floor that is high gloss, slip-proof, hard-wearing, stain resistant and extremely easy to clean. The exposure of sands and small particles creates a pepperpot-style surface.

Refined diamond polished concrete – Of all the polished concrete processes and finishes we provide, this requires the least amount of grinding. The procedure involves three phases of polishing the existing concrete. Each phase uses different grades of diamond machine to create a glossy, slip-resistant, long-lasting, stain resistant floor. The overall effect is a refined diamond polished concrete floor with a smooth finish of exceptional quality.

Exposed polished concrete – This is achieved through six stages of polishing, with each step implementing varying grades of grinding tools to create the glossy, hard-wearing, slip and stain resistant surface. The focus is on the exposure of large quantities of aggregates, usually 10mm in size, to create a terrazzo-style finished effect. Exposed concrete is a modern technique, which results in a unique and eye-catching finish for any environment.

Where can polished concrete be used?

Because polished concrete is so versatile in terms of colour and design, as well as being incredibly low maintenance and long-lasting, it is the most suitable solution for almost any environment requiring a hassle-free floor that also looks great.

Maintaining polished concrete floors requires little more than mopping with regular use of a polished floor maintenance product.

Some of the typical uses of polished concrete floors include:

  • Large storage warehouses
  • Retail outlets
  • Supermarkets
  • Restaurants and hotels
  • Motor vehicle showrooms
  • Office buildings
  • Privately-owned residences
  • Patio areas landscapes

Polished concrete experts

Although polished concrete floors are easy to maintain and incredibly long-lasting, the process isn’t easy and requires specific skills and experience. Therefore, it is recommended that you call in the experts to ensure the job is done right the first time.

Quality is king at Midland Polished Concrete and every product we use is put through our robust testing procedures to make sure you only get the best available.

As one of the UK’s best flooring contractors, our products are sourced worldwide to ensure we bring you the latest and the best there is.

 

Our knowledgeable and expert team members are happy to provide more information about the cost of polished concrete flooring on request.

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