How To Choose The Right Finish For Your Polished Concrete Floors

If planning to change your flooring into something appealing, long-lasting, and that requires low maintenance, concrete finishes are the best solution. It will improve the quality and appearance of the floor which is environmentally friendly and totally cost-efficient.
The concrete floor finishes are typically customized according to individual preferences and involve utilizing professional methods to attain the preferred level of shine. These come in different glosses or shine that strike differently but are equally effective.
However, selecting the right finish for the polished concrete can be a bit tricky but not to worry. We are helping through this article with the various kinds of finishes which you can select according to your choices.
Thanks to many Brisbane based concrete suppliers, honed concrete brisbane polished concrete can now be customized by colour and aggregates providing a creative and personalized aspect to your home environment. The concrete honing and sealing refinement in all our installations are carried out by an experienced installer, providing clients with peace of mind and delivering superior finishes.
Different Kinds Of Polished Concrete Finishes
Bronze Polished Concrete Finish
Bronze polished concrete finish is a low-gloss type, which is also called a “cream finish”. It is the most suitable option for industrial places, like offices, warehouses, etc. Its accomplishment simply includes polishing the concrete overlay with diamond grits instead of grinding it. Rather than aggregates, a dusty and frequently uneven finish is exposed during the process.
Moreover, a bronze finish is a perfect choice for residential areas also, if you want an organic or natural appearance of the floorings. In addition, people can improve the look of the floors by adding up different colors.
Keep this into consideration that the concrete surface must be hard, even, and in good condition. If it is uneven, there would be a necessity for grinding to mend and smoothen the floor. Consequently, it can uncover the aggregates which is not a characteristic of bronze finish.
That’s why the bronze concrete finish works flawlessly only on fresh prepared concrete that has no marks or scratches.
Exposed Aggregate Finish
It is one of the most preferred high-gloss concrete grinding Perth floor finishes in restaurants, homes, and retail shops. It gives an amazing decorative appearance to the floorings. This finish includes a heavy grinding process for disclosing the aggregates available in the concrete mixture.
During the procedure, there is the removal of the outer layer which uncovers the large and disorderly aggregates. These materials look like granite blocks and are anti-slip. In addition, after the proper installation, floors resist extreme room temperature and heavy foot traffic.
The different aggregates’ colors can differ from dark brown to pink and red granite. So, according to your preferences, you can pick any decorative ones to create an outstanding look for your flooring. Typically, some people choose natural stones like limestone, quartz, and granite. However, others prefer recycled ones like seashells or glass pieces.
The profitable advantage of this finish is that it is extremely durable and can attain a variety of textures. Usually, the experts blend the aggregates but sometimes, they scatter them on a newly prepared concrete mixture. After that, the material is spread evenly all over the floor surface with a bull float. So, the exposed aggregate finish is the most profitable combination of durability and flexibility.
Salt And Pepper Finish
It is a medium gloss finish with semi-revealed or little revealed aggregate floors. If you like to have a smooth gravel-free look on your polished concrete, prefer the salt and pepper finish which gives a highly reflective surface.
In the process, a concrete slab is ground off using a grinding machine that exposes the small aggregates available in the mixture. As the name indicates, revealing the fine granules creates a dotted or salt and pepper appearance on the surface of floors. Afterward, there is a polishing which increases the level of the shine of the floorings. Moreover, people can customize the different designs of concrete finishes with the various colors they prefer.
The best benefit of a salt and pepper concrete finish is that it’s a perfect choice for commercial and residential areas. It is greatly long-lasting and reflects off the light falling on the floor which makes the space more bright. That’s why it’s a leading preference for many restaurant owners and malls where more lightning work is very essential.
Silver Polished Concrete Finish
It is one of the best matte concrete finishes that include grinding, hardening, polishing, and sealing the flooring. Initially, using a metallic grinding disc, there is a heavy grinding of the concrete surface. Afterward, depending on the preferences, people can introduce the number of stones, sand, and different aggregates to the mixture.
Afterward, there is the removal of spots or marks made by the prior grind utilizing the small diamond grinding disc. After the completion of the whole procedure, it gives a matte or satin finish to the floorings.
Platinum Polished Concrete Finish
This is one of the highly popular finishes in residential areas like living rooms, bedrooms, etc. It provides the perfect exposure to the flooring by clearly revealing all the elements mixed in the concrete. In addition, the grinding steps in this finishing are more than in other types which results in a highly reflective surface.
Moreover, during the polishing procedure, there is an application of sealants to seal all the concrete pores which strengthens the stain-proof quality of the floorings. Platinum finishes not only are durable but also reflect the light off the surface, making the space brighter.
Procedure Of Polishing The Concrete Floor
- The first step is grinding the floor using industrial diamond grit. It clears spots and scratches and reveals raw concrete by removing the old coating.
- The grinding process can be light or heavy which depends on the type of preferred finish.
- The Procedure can vary if you are installing the new concrete flooring.
- Then, add the colors, dyes, or unique aggregates to achieve an aesthetic look.
- Next, densify the concrete surface using RetroPlate that penetrates deep inside and chemically reacts which enhances the density and hardness of the floor.
- The last step is polishing, using fine diamond grit which makes the floorings shiny and glossy.
- Apply a coating of sealants for long-lasting maintenance of the floors.
Conclusion
Whether it is a residential or commercial area, different places require different concrete floor finishes to look aesthetic in their own way. It will be useful to know about these so that it can become easy to choose them in accordance with the interior of the house, offices, shops, malls, etc.
So, if you are looking out to introduce them in any of your places, surely, consider the concrete floor finishes mentioned above. These are not only aesthetic but also durable and flexible.