Concrete polishing is a kind of floor finish suitable for those who wish to increase the appearance of their existing floor yet not seeking for a major revamp at the same time. Polished concrete can be employ in many setting from domestic to commercial and also common to art galleries, museums, and retail environments.
During the process, the concrete floors are diamond ground and treated carefully with chemical densifier, so that the original floor is not damaged but refined at the same time. These diamond polish tools are supported by polishing pads specially made for concrete polishing. Depending on needs and also the expectation of the end-product, one can select the grit levels of the pad ranging from 800, 1500, to 3000, based on the amount of shininess one desire.
Usually, the higher the grit, the finer the outcome, the higher the incurred cost. However, do take note that although lower grit is a more economic choice, anything below 400 is not considered as concrete polishing but honed concrete. The outlook of honed concrete is vastly different from polished concrete and they are also not as durable.
It is best to have concrete polishing done as early as possible so that flooring in different parts of the premise are even, making subsequent maintenance less of a hassle. A well-polished concrete is not only easy to clean, but also durable and improves with age. Polished concrete makes it harder for dust mites and related pests to reside and invincible to cracks. Nevertheless, some users do complain about the hard and cold evolve by polished concrete but this can be easily overcome with underfloor heating.
Currently, concrete polishing is charged based on the chosen types of diamond polish and size of the floor to be polished. The larger the surface area to be polished and the better the diamond polish, the higher the polishing price.
Concrete polishing can be done on both old and new concrete; there is no major different between the two polishing process except that there may be a need to remove existing floor slab and additional sanding is required for old concrete.
Attempt to pour or polish concrete using DIY tools is seldom encouraged as the skills, equipment, and experience for a perfect end-product, make concrete polishing a specialist job. Besides, if improper polishing job is done, the concrete floor is most susceptible to damage and cracks as compared to the floor before polishing. As a result, one may need to pay a higher repairmen sum. Therefore, it is recommended to consult expert if one choose to have their concrete floor to be polished.