What Concrete Floor Texture and Finish Will You Choose?
One of the most exciting aspects of working with polished concrete flooring, is the range of finishes now available. Once upon a time concrete was was an industrial material, celebrated for its tough durability. The finish reflected this by being rough and ready. The polishing process transformed concrete, turning it into an elegant enhancement to homes, offices and public buildings. Now we’re seeing increasing choice as to the concrete floor texture and finish.
This proliferation of choices speaks of the popularity polished concrete is currently enjoying as a flooring finish. DirectStone is a concrete floor specialist. We provide polished concrete flooring board rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and even heritage refurbishments. Here are 5 of the textures and finishes we’re currently being asked for by our clients.
1. A Matt Aggregate Texture (Silver Finish)
If you’re looking for a floor with a unique patterning, our flooring specialists recommend a Silver finish. We use HTC Superfloor™ grinding machines, with diamond pads, to grind back the surface paste of the concrete, revealing the aggregate and sands below the surface. This process reveals the qualities of the concrete which are utterly unique to the area where the concrete is made. The surface is sealed but not polished to provide a matt texture and finish.
2. Tinted Concrete Sealers
Concrete is a porous material, which makes it vulnerable to spillages and staining. For this reason, concrete floors are sealed in order to protect the surface from moisture penetration and discolouration. In some instances the sealant can be tinted prior to application. This produces a subtle shading to the final finish, which can be paired up with the decorative finish of its environment. Sealants tend to wear away over time, and need re-application every 2-5 years.
3. High Gloss Polish (Platinum Finish)
This is the finish that catapulted polished concrete flooring into its superstar status. It’s achieved by grinding back the surface paste using diamond pads, then honing the surface until a high gloss polish is achieved. Not only does it look stunning, it’s also incredibly durable and easy to maintain. A professionally installed platinum concrete floor will last 50 years or more, and requires only regular sweeping and cleaning with soapy detergent.
4. Concrete Dyes
If you need your flooring finish to complement your interior décor, you can now select a specific colour for your polished concrete. Concrete dyes comprise small colour particles that penetrate the porous concrete material and stain the floor in the desired colour. A water-based dye will prove a marbled finish, whilst solvent dyes create a uniform effect. The small particles provide excellent colour penetration, and saturation.
5. Shiny, Natural Concrete Polish (Bronze Finish)
So long as your concrete floor is both flat and even, a Bronze finish will enhance the natural colouration of the material. The surface paste isn’t ground back, and the aggregate remains concealed. The diamond grinding machines are used to polish the flooring to a high gloss, offering a subtle, changeable colouration with a highly reflective surface. We recently used the Bronze finish in 3 barn refurbishments, and it worked superbly, with the mirror-like lustre reflecting the ancient beams.
DirectStone Specialises in Beautiful Polished Concrete Flooring
We work with flooring specialists to produce glorious floors that will last for decades. If you have neglected, or damaged polished concrete flooring we are able to refurbish or repair it to its original state. We pride ourselves on offering a friendly, personalised service. Our concrete floor experts will be completely honest about what they can achieve with your floor, and will always try to offer a range of options if we can’t deliver on your first choice.
Looking for a particular concrete floor texture or finish for your home or workplace. Call DirectStone on 01525 20863920 to talk to one of our concrete specialists.
