Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the cost of concrete flooring?
A: The cost of concrete flooring can range substantially and is based on the size of the project and the desired finish. Please Contact us for a quote.
Q: Is concrete right for me?
A: Concrete provides a sense of warmth and mass. It is incredibly versatile as a finishing material. Traditional or contemporary - it can be finished to resemble antiqued rustic stone or glass-like polished tile.
Q: What is Polished Concrete?
A. Concrete polishing is similar to hardwood finishing, It requires a machine that essentially sands the floor using finner and finer grits. For concrete diamonds are used in differnet grits starting from very coarse progressing to very fine. During this process a densifier is applied that hardens the concrete. It is then finished with a penetrating sealer and buffed to a high shine.
Q: Why polish concrete flooring? Why not just leave it?
A: As the slab is finished with steel trowels, the “cream” is brought to the top of the slab. The “cream” is made up of portland cement, the “fines” or smallest aggregate particles of the mix design, and water. Although still very strong it is the weakest part of the slab and very porous. Polishing the concrete, in addition to a densifying application and a penetrating sealer, transforms the concrete surface into a very hard, dense surface that will naturally hold a shine for many years.
Q: Why not just seal it?
A: This is fine for many outdoor applications but for years of brilliant shine and care-free maintenance the concrete must be polished, densified and properly sealed.
Q: What about just power trowelling and densifying?
A: This applications work well for many industrial projects and is especially cost effective but for
residential and smaller commercial projects polishing will provide a much better finish. Particularlybecause it removes all traces of trowelling and will hold a better shine for much longer and will have the lowest maintenance costs.
Q:What is micro-topping?
A: Micro-toppings and Overlays are thin layers of concrete that can cover existing subfloors. They can cover plywood, existing concrete and even tiles. In the hands of the right applicator amazing finishes can be achieved. They cannot be polished like a tradition slab and the shine come from the sealer. They do have the same care-free maintenance as polished concrete but generally need a floor finish to be applied every few years to maintain a polished look – although it is not necessary.
Q: Can all concrete be polished?
A: For the most part, yes, Although the better the concrete looks before it is polished the better it will
look after. For a slab that is in very poor condition, but structurally sound, we suggest using an overlay or micro-topping.
Q: What are the benefits of Polished Concrete?
A: Very low maintenance, Environmentally friendly, Cost effective, Aesthetically pleasing.
Q: What about dust?
A: Different contractors use different machines and processes to achieve similar results. We prefer to polish our concrete “dry” and the dust is captured in powerful vacuums fitted with hepa filters allowing us to maintain a 100% dust free-environment. The dust is collected and then recycled – in fact it can be thrown directly into a mixer and used again in another application. We used to recycle it by using it in our concrete countertop mix.
