Polished concrete has become a new flooring option for commercial locations and has become an option for some homes. Some have considered it for basement flooring instead of tile or luxury vinyl. If you have a concrete sub-floor, it can be polished. In commercial spaces, it has become a cheaper option than using a floor covering that wears out over time or requires a lot of maintenance. It is important to take into some considerations when making this the flooring of your choice.
To make polished concrete flooring, there are multiple steps you have to take if you have it done right. It requires you to grind the surface with special equipment that removes the roughness of the surface. You change the type of grit level to finer grits and it creates a smoother surface. There are products that you use to help seal the concrete as well and help with making it shine more. Once you get the shine that you like, you may apply a clear coat to help protect the surface.
The benefit is that you don't have flooring products that can get damaged and worn down. If you have a flood or water issues, it is easy to clean up. You can also add stains to the concrete surface and create multiple color variations in the flooring that can look incredible. If you don't want to polish it completely, you can have an epoxy coating done over it. It is more durable than polished concrete because of the coating, and it can give you some incredible visual colors that will be exclusive to your floor or as basic as a garage floor coating.
The only down side to polished concrete is that over time you can wear down the surface of the concrete. You must maintain the clear coat that is on the surface and keep it clean. There is no good way to repair worn down concrete except to grind it down a little more and polish it again. Floor coverings may wear out such as vinyl or laminate, but they will last for years before that happens. When it comes time to replace them, it will be much easier.
Concrete has a more industrial look to it as well. If you don't stain it or apply an epoxy coating, it is a simple gray with different variations of gray in it. For a home, it isn't as warm and comforting as other flooring options. For commercial applications, it is a better option for floor coverings that require more maintenance such as VCT. There is no stripping or re-polishing down time. No matter what your decision is, take time to know what will be the best option for you and what will look the best for your home or work space.
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