Table of Contents
Introduction
Polished concrete flooring is one of the most popular flooring trends in both commercial and residential areas. Not only are exposed concrete floors aesthetically pleasing, but exposed concrete floors are also durable, long lasting, affordable, environmentally friendly and ideal for many applications – including business, warehouse, retail, home, restaurant, Breweries, art galleries, and more. In addition, the desired finish of your refined exposed concrete can vary from low gloss to high gloss which resembles glass.
If you are interested in open concrete flooring for your business or home, you may find flooring companies that offer both polished concrete and sealed concrete.
Polished concrete and sealed concrete look alike, but they are quite different.
Polished concrete and sealed concrete floors look almost identical. Some contractors may even have difficulty distinguishing between the first two systems. However, gloss / finishing is achieved through a completely different process. Polished concrete is more labor intensive and involves more steps than grinding / sealing concrete floors.
Here’s a quick summary of the two processes: Polishing concrete is the mechanical process of polishing an existing concrete slab surface using an engineered floor grinder equipped with industrial diamonds.
What are polished concrete floors?
Polished concrete is a mechanical process of polishing and polishing the surface of an existing concrete slab using an engineered floor grinder equipped with an industrial diamond abrasive machine. During this process, the concrete is ground, cleaned and polished using diamond abrasive fine grinding until the floor reaches the desired level of luster. With polished concrete, there are four levels of finish / glass.
Different layers of polished concrete.
Level 1 – Soft matte finish: Level 1 polished concrete floors have a matte finish and will look soft and matte with minimal clarity or reflection.
Level 2 – Lu Shen Finish: Level 2 polished concrete floors have low gloss. This is the most famous floor finish for polished concrete. At about 100 feet, you can start to slip up slightly.
Level 3 – Medium Gloss Finish: Level 3 polished concrete floors have a medium gloss finish. This polish creates a glow on the floor that will clearly reflect things. This finish is popular in areas where shiny finishes are needed, such as restaurants, breweries, retail, etc. There will be a good reflection of light. At a distance of about 30-50 feet, the floor will clearly reflect light.
Level 4 – High Gloss Finish: Level 4 has high gloss finish in polished concrete floors. This polish produces the highest level of luster, which is similar to high light reflection glass.
Alternatives to policrete concrete
Benefits of Burnt Concrete
Burnt polished concrete resembles polished concrete but does not require many steps. This system is less labor intensive which makes it more economical. The process of burning concrete involves the use of a high speed burner which rotates from about 1,500 rpm to 2,500 rpm to fill the holes in the concrete with the applied chemicals. Burning machinery heats and buffers the topical coating on the concrete surface. It is important to note that finished flooring is less durable than polished concrete and requires more care.
Conclusion
A polished concrete floor system is an aesthetically pleasing, but highly functional set piece for any commercial, industrial, or residential space because it is designed to ground and seal. The completeness, durability, and easy maintenance that comes with this system makes it one of the best options available.
