Is It Possible To Select The Color Of The Polished Concrete?

Is It Possible To Select The Color Of The Polished Concrete?

Is It Possible To Select The Color Of The Polished Concrete?

When polishing the concrete of an existing slab, you are typically restricted to what is already in the concrete. If you don’t like the color of the cement or aggregate, your only true alternative is to apply a color dye over the top.

When pouring a new slab, you may select the color of your cement and the color of your stone (aggregate) from various concrete providers.

It is critical not to underestimate the color of the cement since this can drastically alter the appearance and expense of the floor.

What Is The Distinction Between Mechanically Polished And Sharpened Concrete?

Honed concrete is the outdoor counterpart to the indoor Mechanically Polished Concrete since the Honed finish is not as polished as the MPC. The Honed finish is grinded to 60 or 120 grit, which makes it slip-resistant.

It has a penetrating sealer used to preserve the concrete, which can be an invisible sealer (which does not affect the color of the concrete) or a color enhanced sealer (which will enhance/darken the concrete).

Mechanically Polished Concrete, on the other hand, is a more involved procedure that entails densifying and hardening the concrete before polishing it till it sparkles.

This procedure, however, can be terminated at a matte finish or continued to polish up to a semi or high gloss.

What Is The Distinction Between Mechanically Polished Concrete And Grind And Seal Concrete?

Mechanically polished concrete is only suitable for indoor use; it is the real form of polished concrete since the concrete is polished and buffed until it shines; there is no topical coating to wear away over time, therefore, this floor will endure for many years.

The concrete is then grouted, which is a procedure that plugs up the minute pin holes and fractures on the surface, resulting in a smooth and polished surface that looks and feels like glass when you run your fingertips across it.

The floor is then polished using resins to make it smooth, shining, and glossy – you may conclude the operation with only a few polishes for a matte finish, or you can continue to polish up to a very high grit for a semi or high gloss finish.

A Grind & Seal, on the other hand, may be used both indoors and outdoors and is a less expensive alternative to true polished concrete. It is popular in cafés, restaurants, outdoor spaces, garages, driveways, and residences.

This method entails grinding the concrete in order to prepare it for a clear layer of a sealer such as polyurethane or epoxy.

The clear coating will preserve your concrete, and if needed, a specific grit can be used in the top layer to make floors non-slip.

The end product appears similar to manually polished concrete. Still, the sealer gives the surface an artificial sheen – and like any topical coating, this will degrade over time and ultimately need to be sanded back and re-applied.

Sealers typically last 2-7 years, depending on traffic, and come in matte, semi-gloss, or high gloss finishes.

Is It Possible To Have Polished Concrete Flooring In An Apartment?

A typical misconception about polished concrete floors is that they have high acoustic levels, which is not the case.

Yes, having polished concrete, tiles, hardwood flooring, or any other hard-surfaced floor in a home will make noise, but it is the level of insulation, wall characteristics, and ceiling qualities that will decide the quantity of noise the floor will create.

Polished concrete flooring has been around for a long time and is an incredibly popular choice in new house construction today, and the benefits much outweigh the “disadvantage” of just being able to walk on it.

How Long Should Concrete Countertops Cure Before Polishing?

Polishing the surface and edges of a concrete countertop can result in a smoother, more visually attractive finish.

Polishing will eliminate tiny imperfections and faults caused by the casting process, give your countertops a beautiful gloss and expose part of the aggregate or ornamental add-ins.

Allow at least 10 days for the concrete countertop to cure before polishing. Concrete that is younger than that is still too soft to polish properly, and concrete that is older than a month is more difficult to polish and requires more pads.

If you’re new to concrete countertop polishing, start with some practice pieces or a mock-up before moving on to the final countertop.

Keep the polisher level on the surface and apply uniform pressure to avoid swirl marks.

Consider putting a skirt to the polishing head when polishing around countertop edges to avoid material from splashing over the ceiling.

Do not polish the surface dry, and offer enough water to keep the polishing pads cool. Otherwise, they will rapidly wear out.