Retail & Residential Polished Concrete

 Polished concrete floors are one of the most popular types of flooring today. It is an enhancement now essential in residential building design – suitable for internal and external floors in all residential environments. 

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Retail & residential Polished Concrete

Polished concrete floors are one of the most popular types of flooring today. It is an enhancement now essential in commercial and residential building design – suitable for internal or floors in the residential, industrial and commercial environments. It is also suitable externally and can be used on driveways, around pools or patios (with slightly different preparation).

You can transform your old slab floors with one of the most versatile, inexpensive flooring materials available, adding incredible value and beauty to your home. Once concrete has been polished, it becomes more stain resistant, stronger, easier to maintain and of course, very beautiful to look at.

As an AuSPolish certified applicator, CONDEC offer a complete system for polished concrete floors.  There is a finish to suit every need, from a basic grind and seal to a showroom mechanical polish.

When considering a Polished Concrete Floor, you will need to choose from the below options.

 

First you will need to choose if you would like:

Grind & Seal or Full Mechanical Polish:
OPTION 1. Grind & Seal

This is the most cost effective method, however will still produce an attractive, hard wearing and low maintenance floor.  The floor is ground to reveal as little or as much stone as you require (options below), then we use a finer set of diamonds smooth the surface, the floor is vacuumed thoroughly and finally a sealer is applied (finish options below).  This option is very popular at the moment with interior designers and home renovators due to the freedom it allows with anything from an industrial look to a high gloss full exposure floor.

OPTION 2. Full Mechanical Polish

Polished concrete is concrete that has been treated with a chemical densifier and liquid grout ground with progressively finer grinding tools – basically the concrete is buffed until it shines.  There is very little ongoing maintenance required for a Mechanically Polished Concrete Floor, so although the initial cost is higher than a Grind & Seal, it is well worth the additional cost.  It is the most durable option as there is no topical coating (unlike an Epoxy or Grind & Seal) so there is nothing that can be scratched by furniture or wear away over time.  Your Mechanically Polished Concrete will stay looking new for many years to come!

Next you will need to choose your exposure (the amount of stone you would like to see):

OPTION 1. Hit & Miss – Random speckle, an industrial look.  You will see little to no stones showing through the concrete surface

 

OPTION 2. Salt & Pepper – Even speckle, a clean look.  This finish is most often found in offices and garages.

OPTION 3. Full Exposure – A more labour intensive option as there is more grinding involved so that the stones are showing over the entire floor.  This look is much more decorative and is most often used in showrooms and homes.  This is by far the most popular, however is also a little more expensive than Hit & Miss or Salt & Pepper.

And finally, the finish that you would like:
OPTION 1. Matte

OPTION 2. Semi-gloss

OPTION 3. High Gloss

OPTION 4. Non-slip

Full Mechanical Polish Procedures

Diamond polished concrete procedure
A diamond polished concrete floor is very time consuming if done correctly, this is due to the fact that there are at least 10 to 15 steps involved. The general rule is to start the initial grinding with a coarse 16 or 30 grit diamond and finish with a 1500 or 3000 grit diamond depending on the gloss level required. These diamonds are impregnated inside a metal or resin bonded segment. Typically the diamonds grit size will double once the first grind has been carried out. The use of 16 or 30 grit size diamonds, then use 60/80 grit diamonds followed by the 120 grit metal bond segments. We then start the polishing process with a 50 grit diamond resin pad instead of a metal segment. When using the resin pads the steps may be 100, then 200, 400, 800, 1500 and finally 3000 grit. Throughout the process we use a densifier to harden the concrete surface which allows the concrete to be polished. A number of densifiers can be used, these consist of a lithium, potassium sodium silicates. A grouting chemical is also used throughout the process to fill in any holes, cracks or imperfections that were exposed from the initial coarse grinding step.] The concrete is then sealed with a natural look impregnating sealer; this sealer penetrates 2-5mm inside the pores of the concrete preventing any deep staining from oils and spills.

Grind and Seal Procedures

This system is the standard polished concrete system where the concrete surface is ground to the desired level using coarse 16 or 30 grit metal bonded diamonds. When the desired grind level is achieved the surface is re-ground with usually a 60 grit diamond to remove any visible scratching. Grouting and patching may be required to fill any voids, holes, cracks or imperfections. The surface is then cleaned and prepared for the application of either a gloss or matte surface coating, or an impregnating enhancing sealer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Polished Concrete?
An attractive, long lasting, durable, strong and abrasion resistant concrete floor providing reduced maintenance and costs in both commercial and residential applications.
What is a Grind (Hone) & Seal?
A versatile option where the concrete grinder takes off the top layer of concrete to reveal the aggregate (to your desired exposure). The floor is then finished with a protective sealer available in Matte, Satin or Gloss. For outdoor use, a non-slip additive can be included.
What options are available if I have an old concrete slab?
Depending on the level of damage to the concrete – the overall look will depend upon the type of concrete, MPa of the slab and the aggregate density. This can be discussed upon site inspection, however The concrete would have to be in very poor condition not to be able to achieve a polished concrete finish.
How much does Polished Concrete cost?
The price varies according to the condition of the slab, the size of the area, the level of grinding required, the aggregate exposure desired and the final finishing sealer. Polished concrete is a cost effective alternative comparable to timber, tiles, carpet, vinyl and pavers.
Can I have Polished Concrete outside?
We would recommend a Grind & Seal, with a non-slip additive. It is the look of Polished Concrete, however tailored to outdoor specifications and a more cost effective option.
I am building a new house and would like Polished Concrete, when should I speak to you?
As soon as possible – we are happy to liaise with your Builder to ensure the concrete is poured to allow the best finish possible. In a new build polished concrete floors are completed at the plaster stage before any skirts, cabinetry and joinery is installed.
Do I have to have the exposed aggregate look?
No, the degree of grinding can give different degrees of stone/aggregate showing in the final finish – we can adjust this to suit your desired outcome. We offer three options – Hit & Miss, Salt & Pepper or Full Exposure.
Does the Polished Concrete process produce a lot of dust?
No, we have 3 phase grinders and industrial dust extractors that remove the dust into plastic bags.
Can you have different colours?
If you are pouring new concrete, you can select not only the colour of the concrete but the colour of the aggregate (stone).
What happens if there are cracks in the concrete?
Holes, chips and cracks are filled during the polishing process. This is done using a liquid grout and a mechanical grind.
Can you remove existing carpet / tiles / timber / vinyl?
Yes we can remove all existing flooring, including any residual glue – for an additional cost which also covers disposal.

Just some of our retail floors.

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