Specialist Diamond Polished Concrete Floors
If you’re searching for flooring that looks stunning, lasts for decades, and requires very little maintenance, polished concrete is the ideal solution. Interior designers love its minimalist vibe, residential clients love its light enhancing shimmer, and DirectStone concrete polishers in London love the uniquely beautiful floors that they’re able to create.
DirectStone is a family-run business, made up of a team of specialist concrete polishers. For nearly two decades now we’ve been providing bespoke flooring for residential and commercial clients across the UK. In this article we talk about the process of polishing, the kinds of finish we can achieve for clients, and the locations where concrete flooring works best.
What Do Concrete Polishers in London Do?
So much of our job is to do with preparation. If we’re working on a new build, there’s rarely an issue with the concrete slab. If, however, a residential client wants to use an existing concrete slab, we’ll always make a site visit before providing a free, no obligation quote. This is because existing slabs may be damaged in ways that limit the finish we can achieve; we always discuss this with clients before starting work.
There are 4 steps to the concrete polishing process:
- Step One. We check the condition of the concrete. It needs to have density, it should be power floated rather than tamped, and it shouldn’t be a screed mix as we’re unable to polish this. If the concrete is badly damaged, or contaminated with oil, we may recommend polished overlays as an alternative concrete flooring solution.
- Step Two. DirectStone concrete polishers in London use HTC Superfloor™ machines to grind back the surface paste of the concrete. We remove up to 3mm, dependent on the depth of aggregate we want to expose. The HTC machines are fitted with HEPA filtered extraction which means that the environment remains virtually dust-free throughout the grinding work.
- Step Three. Concrete is porous, so it will stain easily if untreated. In order to reduce the risk of staining, a sealant is applied before polishing. Densifiers are also used to harden the surface area. Diamond concrete polishing pads are then used to achieve the required finish.
- Step Four. Once your floor is polished to the finish you require, we hand it over to you. The great news is that it doesn’t require a punishing regime keep your polished concrete flooring looking good as new. All that’s required is regular sweeping and mopping with light soap detergent.
What Kind of Finishes are Possible?
High gloss polished concrete provides the signature WOW factor that’s very popular. It’s not for everyone though. If you’re looking for a matte or satin effect for your London home or commercial premises, our concrete polishers can achieve it for you.
BRONZE FINISH
The original surface paste is not ground back, so aggregate is not revealed. The result is a shimmering glossy finish which highlights the natural colouration in the concrete. To achieve this finish, we need a flat and level concrete slab.
SILVER
For this finish, the surface paste is ground back to reveal the aggregate beneath, but it is left unpolished. This is perfect if you want a natural, organic patterning and tone with a matte finish.
GOLD
The ‘Salt & Pepper’ finish requires the surface paste to be ground back, but to a lesser degree than for the Silver finish, so less aggregate gets revealed. The floor is then polished using HTC Twister™ which achieves a gloss polish.
PLATINUM
This is the high-gloss finish which has proved so popular. The platinum floor provides stunning visuals with unbeatable durability. Best of all, it takes very little effort to maintain!
Where Does Polished Concrete Flooring Work Best?
Creativity drives the use of polished concrete in an array of different locations:
- Residential Locations. Polished concrete works equally well indoors, or out. So, consider running the polished concrete flooring for your living area into the garden patio beyond. Or choose this versatile flooring for your kitchen, refurbished barn, garage, or bathroom/wet room.
- Commercial Locations. We have installed polished concrete floors in shops, offices, warehouses, car showrooms, universities, schools, airports, restaurants, hotels, bars, and atrium spaces in large commercial/financial buildings.
Working With DirectStone
Our team of concrete polishers in London work with residential and commercial clients on projects large and small. In addition to the polishing, we also repair, maintain, and renovate concrete flooring that has seen better days. Why not give us a call and talk to one of the DirectStone team about the concrete polishing project you have in mind?
If you would like to talk to a flooring specialist about residential or commercial polished concrete floors, call DirectStone on 01525 20863920. We offer free no obligation quotes, no matter the size of the project.
