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Earlier, polished concrete flooring was considered the most unrefined flooring option for industrial purposes. But today, they have a vast range of applications in commercial and residential properties. Polished concrete floorings have distinct benefits when used in different settings. Colored and decorative concrete floors are the commonly used concrete finishing for residential purposes. They carry rustic and charming beauty yet classic and dignified appearance. Nowadays installing a polished concrete floor has become the fashion trend for the fact that it is long-lasting and economical to the common man. Consider the following advantages, if you are planning to install polished concrete flooring in your house:
Sustainable and Stain Resistant
If you have an existing concrete floor, using that as a base, the beautiful polished floor can be built up. It enhances the ambiance by giving it an elegant look and this flooring goes well with the living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. When you consider this flooring for the kitchen and bathroom, it is dense enough to stand off oil, water and other stains penetrating the surface of the floor. Though it looks very shiny, polished concrete does not create a slippery floor.
The mechanical grinding and flattening of the floor increase the friction coefficient when compared to an ordinary concrete floor. Hence it is considered highly sustainable. Apart from this, polished concrete flooring can reflect light that can enhance the lighting thereby reducing the energy consumption and electricity bill. This will add on to a magnificent ambiance to your house.
Great Adaptability
Polished concrete floors can be successfully installed for indoor and outdoor spaces. When used outdoor, a silicone-based penetrating sealer can be used to prevent the damages caused by water. The polished concrete floors become a great choice for its unbiased and lasting qualities. This is the perfect choice for indoor and outdoor passages with attractive decorative themes. Polished concrete floors get easily blended with modern furniture, rustic stone walls, or smooth surface, Oriental rugs or fluffy floor carpets. Hence it is highly versatile.
You need not worry about the harmony of your floor with the room ambiance as you tend to change the overall look of the room with upcoming fashion trends. Over time, the ordinary concrete floors can raise problems like delamination, curled cold joints, surface stress, etc when you have used your old concrete slabs for flooring. Mechanical grinding of the floor can withstand this as it removes the topmost layer of the old concrete slab and polishing strengthens it. This feature makes it abrasion-resistant.
Economical
A typical plain grey and lustrous concrete slab per square foot cost much cheaper than other floors. Regardless of the low cost, the floor gets its natural stone-like finish. The feel and the color make it even more attractive. You can also enhance the beauty of the floor by adding colored finishes without spending much. Polished concrete floors resemble limestone by the decorative by-product of grid pattern lines made with high sheen coating. Hence it becomes one of the most cost-effective choices.
Polished concrete also reduces energy consumption by its light-reflecting properties and maintenance cost. Still, at doubt, check out the polished concrete faqs and gather information to install polished concrete flooring for residential purposes. For industrial purpose when polished concrete flooring is installed, it reduces tire wear as polishing levels the joints and makes the surface smooth. Usually, tire wear is caused by the rough and uneven texture of ordinary concrete that leads to abrasion. Also, there is no need for plant shutdown as the mechanical polishing process is very clean and lacks toxic and dangerous chemicals. The polishing can be done while the plant is fully operational or the surface can be used immediately after the polishing is completed. Thus causes no loss to the business.
Low Maintenance cost
A polished concrete floor requires only less effort to maintain it clean and glossy as brand-new when compared to the amount of hard work required to maintain hardwood flooring. Whereas most other common types of flooring like linoleum and tile also require more aggressive scrubbing to keep it neat, clean and lustrous over time. But to keep your polished concrete floor new as before you need not waste money on waxing or scrubbing as polishing makes the surface compact and reduces stain. In unpolished ordinary concrete slab flooring, due to hydrostatic pressure, tiny dust particles start accumulating on the surface resulting in efflorescence hence regular maintenance becomes a high priority. Experts in this field recommend a baseboard on top of the concrete flooring to facilitate cleaning and mopping which is sufficient to keep the surface clean and dust-free, dirt-free and stain free.
Durability
The durability of polished concrete floors is incomparable with any other types of flooring. With regular cleaning routine, one can well maintain the beautiful sheen of the polished concrete floor. This can be an asset to anybody’s house for its longevity. Over time when the floor gets cracked, it gives a remarkable rustic beauty to the ambiance which makes it the symbol of popularity. Even after decades, polished concrete floors become a significant design element due to its eternal elegance.
Once the polishing is completed, it is tested by the experts to check if the predetermined standards like slip resistance, abrasion resistance, luster, surface texture, hardness, water repellency capacity and other qualities are met according to the standards. The quality of the polishing work has been assessed through this test. If the test results meet or exceed the set standards, the work is essentially considered to be of great quality. If the test results drop below the standards, then you may give high priority for the maintenance program. That means frequent cleaning is required to maintain the gloss of the floor. The testing of the floor can be conducted on a regular basis just like when it was new for the quality check. As long as you maintain it well through regular cleaning and mopping your floor should meet the standards for a lifetime.