Advantages and Disadvantages of Polished Concrete
Generally speaking, the disadvantages of polished concrete are very few. They involve things like discoloration, stains that are deeply embedded in the concrete, or imprints made when pouring the concrete. For the most part, these issues can be avoided if the contractor is careful to follow the correct procedures at each stage of the concrete installation.
On the other hand, the advantages of having a polished concrete floor are many. Here are some compelling reasons for considering polished concrete as your next home fashion statement:
•Ease of Maintenance: Once your concrete floor is prepared and polished properly, maintenance is a breeze. Dust mopping regularly will keep your floor sparkling. Wet mopping is also a part of regular maintenance designed to clean polished concrete more deeply than dust mopping alone. A pail of clean water will usually suffice, though floor cleaner may be used to handle more serious stains or spills.
•Longevity and Eco-Friendliness: If properly maintained, your polished concrete floor can last a lifetime. With increasingly eco-friendly materials used to color and treat polished concrete, it is also a good choice for environmentally-conscious homeowners. Polished concrete has been called the perfect marriage of indestructibility and beauty.
•Economical: Depending on the intricacy of the colors and styles you choose, polished concrete flooring is also a highly economical choice. Considering the fact that you will likely never have to replace it, it is easy to see how it saves money both in the short term and the long term.
•Invulnerable to moisture damage and mold: Unlike flooring options like hardwood, linoleum, and carpeting, polished concrete is not vulnerable to moisture damage or mold, making it a great choice for families with allergy-sufferers or asthmatics.
•Versatility: Polished concrete allows a homeowner a virtually unlimited set of options as to color and design. It can be used in indoor applications as well as outdoor applications, if desired.
Polished concrete is fast becoming the ultimate no-wax flooring material. Thanks to recent advances in polishing equipment and techniques, contractors are now grinding concrete floor surfaces, whether new or old, to a high-gloss finish that never needs waxes or coatings.
Because polishing is a multistep process, you can choose the level of sheen – from statin to high-gloss – that meets your maintenance and aesthetic requirements. This versatility makes polished concrete an ideal flooring material for a variety of applications.
For many years, decorative concrete contractors have been using acid-based chemical concrete stains to achieve rich, earth-tones color schemes resembling natural stone, marble, wood, or even leather. But today, contractors are no longer limited to earthy shades. Newer products on the market-such as water-and solvent-based dyes-are greatly expanding the artist’s palette with colors ranging from soft pastels to vivid reds, oranges, yellows, and purples. And in some cases, these new stain products are easier and safer to apply.
Concrete stains are a mixture of water, hydrochloric acid and acid-soluble metallic salts. Because of concrete’s porous qualities, they penetrate and react chemically in the concrete. Concrete stains become a permanent part of the concrete. They’re known for their durability and long-lasting color because concrete stains will not fade, chip, or peel off.
Concrete stains are also known for their translucent color. Because of the various conditions of concrete surfaces, concrete stains react differently creating one-of-a-kind color and patterning.
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