Are Polished Concrete Kitchen Floors a Good Idea?
At one time most homeowners wanted to cover up their concrete floors with tiling, laminate, or carpeting. Now the trend has reversed, and those same flooring finishes are being torn up to make way for polished concrete kitchen floors.
Lots of people get in touch with the DirectStone flooring specialists to find out a bit more before committing to polished concrete flooring. They love the look, but want to know whether this is a trend that is both practical, and long-lasting. In this blog, we address the 6 queries we get most often.
FAQs Related to Polished Concrete Kitchen Floors
The glossy natural finish of a polished concrete floor enhances the natural light available in your kitchen. It’s the perfect choice for anyone looking to create a bright, contemporary space for multi-use by different members of the family. If you have access to the garden from your kitchen, why not extend your polished concrete kitchen floor to the patio outside for sunny indoor/outdoor days in the summer?
1. What is Polished Concrete?
The concrete is the same industrial material used so extensively in construction. The difference is that densifiers are added to the concrete prior to polishing. These strengthen the surface and fill the natural pores in the material to provide an excellent foundation for our diamond polishing machines. The surface paste is ground back to reveal the unique patterning beneath, then we polish to the concrete finish required.
The advantages provided by polished concrete flooring:
- Each polished concrete floor is unique and has its own distinct beauty.
- Concrete flooring lasts for decades.
- It’s easy to clean and maintenance is simple.
- Seamless look between indoors and outdoors.
- Works extremely well with underfloor heating as it absorbs and retain heat.
- Available in a range of colours, and finishes.
2. Are Polished Concrete Kitchen Floors High Maintenance?
One of the many benefits of polished concrete is that it’s easy to maintain. You need to keep it swept regularly, as a build-up of gritty detritus will scratch the surface. Apart from that, it only requires mopping with a mild detergent to keep it looking good as new. We recommend combining this regime with the HTC Twister system for stunning results.
3. Can I Use Underfloor Heating With a Concrete Floor?
Concrete is capable of absorbing and holding heat in its thermal mass. During summer, therefore, it will soak up the sunshine and release it slowly throughout the day. When the sunshine is absent, it is cold to the touch.
Because it is so excellent at absorbing and conducting heat, concrete flooring is the perfect partner for underfloor heating. The pipes will need to be laid at the same time as the concrete, so it’s only possible if you’re laying a new concrete slab, but the luxurious effect is second to none!
4. Can Concrete be Any Colour?
DirectStone’s microcement flooring and walls for kitchens is available in all standard colours, plus we’re able to colour match any RAL shade. Microcement offers the same beautiful finish as polished concrete, as well as being strong, durable, and waterproof.
Our flooring specialists can also power float dry shake colour hardeners into a freshly poured concrete slab. The dry shake colour hardener is power trowelled to achieve a long-lasting and intense surface colouration.
5. Can You Retrofit Polished Concrete?
Most kitchens already have a concrete floor; in many cases it has been covered up with carpeting, tiling, or laminate flooring for years. It is possible to use this existing concrete slab; the DirectStone team is always happy to take a look at your floor and advise on the kinds of finish that could be achieved.
In some cases, an existing concrete slab is just too damaged to polish effectively. Where this is the case, we recommend a concrete floor overlay. It is easy to install, and the finish provides the same WOW factor as polished concrete.
6. Can You DIY Polished Concrete Kitchen Floors?
A concrete slab needs to be poured and polished using specialist equipment. DirectStone flooring specialists work with HTC Superfloor™ diamond grinding/polishing tools to achieve the type of finish required. We also apply a specialist sealant that strengthens the concrete and improves its protection against staining. This is particularly important when installing kitchen flooring.
When asked about DIY polished concrete we would recommend using a professional team who can guarantee the colour, finish, and quality you require.
Do you have any questions about polished concrete kitchen flooring that you’d like to talk through with a member of the DirectStone team? Don’t hesitate to call us on 01525 20863920
