Polished Concrete Floors – Things You Need To Consider

One of the most popular floor finishes now on the Gold Coast is Polished Concrete. This is because these floors are so affordable, good looking, durable and they fit in very well with the lifestyle and climatic conditions experienced in all parts of Queensland.

When considering whether or not to have a polished concrete floor installed, you need to take a few things into account:

When to Install

When building a new home or any other type of building the floor can be polished as soon as the frame and roof are installed. The finish is very durable and is best done before any drywall is installed to get the best finish on the floor, especially in small areas. The polishing actually hardens the floor so it is resistant to damage.

If you plan on a grind and seal type finish then this is best done just before the skirting boards and final interior painting is finished, as this type of surface could be damaged from tradies working on it if it finished too early in the job

For mechanical polished concrete finish it normally takes 2 to 4 weeks for the concrete to cure enough to grind, but if the grind, then seal method is going to be used the concrete needs to be allowed to cure for at least 28 days. If done before this time, the sealer is likely to delaminate and turn milky instead of being clear.

Existing Concrete Floors

Many older houses have concrete floors that were never designed to be polished, but most of them can still be polished. Often the result is a very interesting floor filled with character because of the different aggregates used and then exposed.

Some floors will be too brittle or crumbly and these may need a top coat of concrete applied and then ground back and polished.

Yes we can treat existing concrete, as long as the concrete is suitable enough (not too soft or crumbly). If the concrete is not suitable for polishing, it can be treated or, we can install an alternative finishes that will give to you the same look as polished concrete.

What Will My Floor Look Like?

With an existing floor it will depend on what aggregates were used, but when pouring a new floor you can control the types and the colours of the aggregates including the sand to get a colour and look you desire. Your contractor who specialises in Polished Concrete Floors on the Gold Coast will be able to show you examples of the different results and help you decide which will suit your particular application

Can I have a Polished Concrete Floor Anywhere?

Yes anywhere you can have a concrete floor it can be polished. Usually commercial and outside areas that are to be polished are finished in a slip resistant finished for safety so are not as highly polished, but they still retain the beauty and durability of other polished floors.

When building a new home it is the best time to consider your concrete floor as you can have complete control of the end result. You can choose from a huge range of options to get a truly individual and unique floor with a small cost but huge investment.

Hardcore Concrete is a Concrete Polishing Gold Coast based company servicing a wide variety of customers including Architects, Interior designers.