Should I Have a Polished Concrete Floor in the Kitchen?
Polished concrete flooring has gone mainstream over the past few years. What started out as a niche interior décor choice in the early noughties, is now lending its sleek, shimmering elegance to living spaces of all shapes and sizes across the UK. Having a polished concrete floor in kitchen spaces is hugely tempting for many of our clients, but there are a number of queries they typically want answered before they make their decision.
In this blog the DirectStone team provides responses to 5 of the questions we most regularly get asked.
Question One: “I love the high gloss finish of polished concrete but how practical is it in a messy kitchen?”
First of all, we understand the problem. Polished concrete kitchen floors need to be able to withstand the onslaught of daily food preparation, and stay looking good! Your kitchen floor needs a daily regime of sweeping and mopping with a light detergent. It’s a simple as that. So long as the surface is kept free of dust and grit, it should keep its ‘just polished’ looks for years.
Spillages do need to be wiped up immediately as concrete is a porous material and can stain. DirectStone treats concrete flooring to be stain resistant, but we can’t stop 100% of stains.
Question Two: “I’ve heard that a concrete floor in the kitchen can be very cold underfoot. I like cooking in my bare feet and I don’t want to be shivering in the winter.”
Concrete is very well suited to underfloor heating, especially in the kitchen or bathroom. Because of its high thermal mass, concrete is a perfect material for use with an underfloor heating system. It will heat up quickly and its heat retention is excellent. The heat feels totally luxurious and ensures that you’ll have warm feet whilst cooking!
Question Three: “We’ve just taken up carpet tiles in the kitchen and found a concrete slab underneath. Can this concrete be polished?”
Most existing concrete slabs can be polished, even if they’ve had flooring tile laid on top. One of flooring specialists would normally come and take a look at the condition of the concrete, and offer guidance based on what they see. There are 3 conditions that need to be met for us to proceed with polishing:
- Density – the slab needs to be a strong mix of aggregate, sand, water and cement.
- Non-Tamped – tamped concrete is ridged to improve its strength but it can’t be polished.
- Non-Screed – the screed mix of 4:1 sand to cement is unsuitable for polishing.
If we find that your concrete isn’t suitable for polishing, there are alternative solutions we can offer. Polished overlays or microcement are cost-effective substitutes that look as good as polished concrete, without requiring a concrete slab.
Question Four: “Will the polishing process create a lot of dust? My son is asthmatic and would suffer in a dusty environment.”
We keep the dust down to a minimum by using HEPA filtered extraction throughout the grinding and polishing process. The HEPA filter design relies on an ultra-fine, glass-fibre medium to capture even the most minute particles of dust, which means that your kitchen (and home) environment will remain dust-free throughout.
Question Five: “What kind of finishes are available for a concrete floor in kitchen areas? I love the patterning but I’m not sure about the high gloss.”
The high gloss finish tends to get talked about most because of its ‘WoW’ factor, but it’s just one of the finishes we provide. Here are our 4 most popular polished concrete floors:
- BRONZE. With most polished concrete, the surface paste is ground back to reveal the aggregate patterning below. Our bronze finish leaves the surface intact. Once polished the flooring has a creamy glow enhancing the natural earthy tones of the concrete.
- SILVER. If you prefer a matte finish for your kitchen flooring, silver may provide the perfect solution. The surface paste is ground back, so that the aggregate and ballast is revealed. This natural patterning is strengthened and treated but is left unpolished.
- GOLD. This glossy finish is also known as ‘Salt and Pepper’. The surface paste is ground back to partially reveal the patterning beneath. The HTC Twister™ is used to achieve a gloss polish which is resistant to marks from wheels, or tyres.
- PLATINUM. This is our signature finish which combines a virtuoso gloss shine with long-lasting durability. Despite its shiny surface, this is a slip-resistant surface which can take heavy use without attracting scuffs and marks.
Working With DirectStone
We create beautiful polished concrete flooring throughout the UK mainly in London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. If you are thinking about a polished concrete floor in your kitchen and have any questions we haven’t covered, or if you would like a project priced, just call or message us and we’ll respond to your enquiry promptly.
To speak to one of our flooring specialists about polished concrete flooring, call 01525 20863920
