Benefits of Polished Concrete

 

Polished concrete has long been enjoyed in warehouse and industrial facilities due to its low cost, high durability, long life, and abrasion resistant nature.  Only recently, with the invention of the dry-polished concrete system, has the market shifted where polished concrete is now being enjoyed by residential, retail, and decorative markets, too.  The aesthetic beauty and stone-like finish can be enjoyed by designers and plant managers alike. 

 

Benefits of polished concrete include

 

1.       Elimination of dusting from efflorescence. In ordinary unpolished concrete, tiny particles of dust are pushed to the surface through an upward force called efflorescence or more commonly, dusting. Dusting forces epoxies off of the surface of concrete floors, and can make maintenance a costly priority.

 

2.       Transformation of porous concrete into a dense surface that inhibits water, oil and other contaminants from penetrating the surface. 

 

3.       Increased strength, for old, deteriorating, weak concrete finishes, with more abrasion resistance (ASTM C779) and an increase in impact resistance (ASTM C805-97), as well. There are dozens of ways for concrete floors to break as they age: rain damage, surface stress, delamination, improper curing, curled cold joints, joint shoulder failure...the list goes on. The first passes in the polishing process actually removes the top part of the surface of the old concrete floor (including any patchy, partial, or whole coatings), and hardens the exposed surface beneath.  Old, deteriorating, or weak concrete is strengthened, and its impact and abrasion resistance is increased.

 

4.       Increased ambient lighting which will naturally enhance the beauty of your floor and reduce the cost of lighting.  Facilities actually reported that they were able to turn off every third light in their facility, saving them over $1000 in energy costs a year!

 

5.       Higher levels of co-efficient of friction than any coating on the market. Wet or dry, polished concrete floor surfaces meet, and most often exceed, OSHA standards. When a concrete floor is polished, it may look like glass, however, its friction co-efficient is higher than ordinary concrete. Simply put, it is much harder to slip on a Natural Wonder concrete floor, wet or dry.

 

6.       Elimination of tire marks from fork trucks, vehicles and industrial type hoppers and parts baskets.  In other floor systems, a tire mark is usually there to stay until the floor is repaired. When a forklift burns out on a coated floor the friction caused between its tire and the surface leaves a mark. This doesn’t occur on a polished concrete floor as there are no resins to burn on the surface.

 

7.       Decrease in overall fork truck tire wear and tear (due to the smoothness of the floor and the leveled “curling” joints).  In heavy industrial facilities, rough and uneven surfaces cause tires to wear out rather quickly. Most concrete floors have small "curling" joints, from where the concrete bows upward on the edges during concrete curing. Polished concrete floors on these areas will level the joints and make the entire surface smooth, making tires last much longer.

 

8.       Decrease in floor maintenance and less drag on cleaning equipment; making brushes, pads and mops last longer.  Most floor systems, even ordinary concrete floors, require aggressive scrubbing in order to maintain a clean environment and nice appearance. Oil, paint, and other staining spills can leave lasting impressions on most surfaces.  A polished concrete floor doesn't require this intense scrubbing -- the surface is so tightly compacted that it actually repels oils and other substances. This makes cleaning much easier and a maintenance schedule less demanding than with other floors.

 

9.       Polished areas can be put into service immediately after the process is complete. Due to the cleanliness of the process and the lack of toxic or hazardous chemicals; food manufacturing corporations, pharmaceutical manufacturers and other medical supply corporations have strict condition standards that their floors require. Polished concrete floors can be installed while the plant is in full production.  Polished concrete floors have been installed in hospitals, with patients, family and hospital staff walking on the floors, without interruption to their daily routine & activity.

 

10.    Cost-Effective.  Polished concrete is one of the most economical, cost effective flooring alternatives out there. The reduced costs associated with saved energy, reduced tire wear, maintenance reduction, and especially the long-lasting durability shows that polished concrete is a budget sensible, as well as beautiful, flooring system.

 

11.    No More Stripping and Waxing.  With a polished concrete floor system there is no need to wax or strip the floor. All of your allocated maintenance labor and material costs for stripping and waxing can now be eliminated and added to your bottom line.

 

12.    Beauty.  Polished concrete floors are second to none in durability and appearance. It is often mistaken for marble due to its smooth sleek surface. Unlike any other alternative floor system, its aesthetic value makes polished concrete a viable option for most industries.

 

Longest-Lasting Floor Solution Available.  There is simply no comparison to other floor systems when it comes to the life of a polished concrete floor. In the event that they need to be refurbished, a repolish can be done at a fraction of the cost of any other floor system, extending the life that much further.