Polished concrete flooring is extremely strong and resilient and is able to withstand the pressure from very heavy foot traffic and equipment. It is very difficult to damage and is nearly impossible to chip or scratch. Consider the durability of concrete flooring:
- A properly installed, sealed and maintained polished concrete floor can be expected to last a hundred years or more in even the harshest commercial environments. Its lifespan will far surpass that of other floor coverings, such as carpeting, vinyl tile, and wood laminates.
- Concrete flooring stains such as AmeriPolish Classic dyes penetrate into the surface of the concrete slab for extremely long-lasting color that will not wear from daily usage.
- A properly sealed concrete floor can withstand grease, brake fluid, salt, calcium chloride, limited caustics, dilute acids, kerosene, alcohol, and abrasion.
- Concrete floors are practically indestructible, resisting chips, cracks, peeling and fading.
- Polished concrete flooring is relatively easy to maintain. See our concrete flooring maintenance guidelines to ensure the life of a polished concrete surface.
Think of concrete flooring as a blank slate onto which creative designs can be applied. Decorative concrete opens up a wide range of design possibilities.
- Stained concrete can produce stunning effects. Water-based stains (typically a blend of acrylic polymers and pigments) penetrate the concrete to produce permanent color, ranging from translucent to opaque. Stains come in a much broader spectrum of hues. Most manufacturers offer dozens of standard colors and even metallic tints.
- Concrete dyes, unlike stains, penetrate into the concrete to achieve complete, permanent color saturation. Dyes are available in water- or solvent-based formulations and in a vast array of colors. Water-based dyes typically produce more marbling and variegation (similar to the look of a chemical stain), while solvent-based dyes tend to be more monotone and uniform in color. Dyes work especially well on polished concrete floors because they can be applied during the polishing process.
- Custom stenciling and staining allow logos, medallions, and stylish borders integrated into the polish.
- Multiple colors can be used together to create a mottled effect or kept separate with a distinct pattern. Stencils can also be used to create unique designs with multiple colors.
- The range of epoxy floor coatings range from quartz, chip blends, solids and metallics. A colored quartz and resin blend offers the extraordinary strength and impact resistance of an aggregate-filled floor. A colored chip blend and resin finish results in the look of terrazzo at a fraction of the price, and cost much less to maintain with no waxing or special buffing needed. With the addition of metallic pigments, color chips, and other decorative options, epoxy coatings can achieve a variety of unique looks. Epoxy coatings are also very durable and abrasion resistant, producing long-lasting color.
Concrete flooring is being recognized for its strong environmental benefits in
sustainable design/build practices.
- Polished concrete flooring is achieved when natural aggregate and cement is cured, ground and polished into a smooth surface.
- The predominant raw material for the cement in concrete is limestone, the most abundant mineral on earth.
- Life spans for concrete building products can be double or triple those of other common building materials.
- Concrete can be recycled. Most concrete in urban areas is recycled as fill or road base and not placed in landfills. Concrete pieces from demolished structures can also be reused to protect shorelines. Used concrete can also be reused as the aggregates in new concrete.
- Traditional floor coverings often require adhesives that emit VOCs into the atmosphere over time, reducing the indoor air quality. Concrete flooring products have been designed to be low VOC and meet strict green building standards. Green building with concrete can contribute to sustainability in other areas as well by providing thermal mass and improving light reflectivity.
- The growth in the popularity of sustainable building has driven the decorative concrete industry to develop products that meet LEED and green building standards. Green polishing systems and colors give designers and architects more ways to incorporate colorful and artistic elements into their designs while earning LEED credits.
