POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORS PROS AND CONS – IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU?
Concrete started out as an industrial material, became a commercial flooring option and finally, it’s found its way into our homes. Polished concrete is now a popular choice for homeowners, with a unique patterning, and lustrous sheen providing a WOW factor in kitchens, dining rooms, living spaces, patios and bathrooms. Whilst many people choose polished concrete, it’s not right for every home; in this article we consider polished concrete floors pros and cons.
DirectStone provides polished concrete floors in new builds, period properties and even Tudor barn conversions. Its ‘urban chic’ aesthetic is wonderfully adaptable, and it looks stunning in many different environments, but it’s not without its drawbacks – no flooring is! The good news is that most of the ‘cons’ are fairly easy to overcome.
POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORS PROS AND CONS FROM DIRECTSTONE
The DirectStone team recognise that new flooring is a big investment, so you need to make an informed decision. Here’s our list of benefits and drawbacks to help with making your decision:
4 PROS OF POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORING:
- Long-Lasting. Concrete has been the ‘go to’ industrial flooring for over a century now, simply because of its strength and resilience. The sheer durability of a concrete floor is a distinct benefit. It will last for decades and will certainly withstand the daily punishment your family inflicts upon it.
- Easy to Maintain. Your polished concrete floor will need a professional sealant application every 2-5 years. This protects the porous surface, and makes it more resilient to staining. Apart from that it needs only the lightest of touches. Your floor should be kept dust free with sweeping, and then mopped, using a neutral cleaning agent.
- Sustainable Flooring. In many installations the concrete sub floor is already in place, and only requires polishing. The flooring requires no additional materials, such as wood, carpet, or vinyl, and is therefore reducing the potential carbon footprint. Many clients like the fact that polished flooring makes use of materials already in their home.
- Design Control. Using HTC Superfloor™ reveals the beauty of the aggregate patterning that lies beneath the concrete surface, but that’s just the start. The aggregate can be coloured to match the style of your room, or glow in the dark pellets can be introduced into the slab. You also have the option to achieve a matte, lustrous or high gloss polish.
4 CONS OF POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORING
- It Really is Hard! Concrete is pretty unyielding. If you drop something, it’s likely to break. This tends to be a problem early on, but families often use rugs to overcome the toughness of the floor.
- Concrete is Cold. Concrete flooring is cold underfoot. Many of our clients install concrete flooring in conjunction with underfloor radiant heating. Concrete is an excellent thermal conductor, so cold flooring quickly becomes a luxury barefoot experience in the kitchen or bathroom.
- It’s an Industrial Material. If you like your home cosy, this may not be the material for you. The aesthetic is bold, cool, and elegant. It’s a design choice and – for the best effect – your décor needs to align.
- Mixing Concrete Creates CO². If you decide to polish your existing sub floor, you’re reducing your carbon footprint. If, however, the installation of your flooring requires the manufacture of concrete you may wish to weigh the environmental concerns, as it’s a process that produces CO².
DIRECTSTONE CAN OFFER DETAILED ADVICE AND GUIDANCE
Probably the best way to weigh up the pros and cons of polished concrete flooring is to talk to an expert. Our experienced concrete flooring specialists are happy to offer you personalised guidance. We don’t try to persuade – because we know that polished concrete’s not for everyone. But we will listen to your requirements and help you to decide whether it’s the right flooring for your home.
If you’d like to talk through polished concrete floor pros and cons in more detail, give DirectStone a call today on 01525 20863920
