Residential, commercial, and industrial concrete floors can be treated with many different floor treatments. Work environment, performance requirements, cost per square foot, dimensions, and cost per square foot all play important roles in determining the type of flooring to use.
In recent years, epoxy flooring has gained a lot of popularity. There is a growing preference for epoxy-coated floors over plain polished concrete floors because of their durability. It is not uncommon for them to ignore polished concrete completely when assessing a project. Even so, polished concrete flooring is an excellent choice for flooring.
When it comes to treatment, polished concrete may be a better choice than epoxy flooring. Polished concrete should not be overlooked because refinishing a floor is so much more costly and time-consuming in the long run than installing the right option from the beginning.
The following article discusses 10 ways polished concrete floors are guaranteed to improve your life:
1. Lighting and reflectivity are improved
Enhanced reflectivity improves the effectiveness of polished concrete surfaces. Additionally, you can control your energy usage over the long term with it. Your facility will appear newer and cleaner when you have superior ambient lighting, so it is more attractive to visitors and employees.
2. Maintenance that is both cost-effective and efficient
You will be able to cut your annual maintenance costs by thousands of dollars by polishing your concrete floor. The compact surface prevents the need for aggressive scrubbing when removing stains. As an added bonus, you don’t need to wax or strip the floor to maintain its characteristic shine.
3. Stain-resistant flooring
One of the most significant challenges of concrete is its porous nature, which translates into significant maintenance costs throughout its lifetime. A polishing process seals the surface of the concrete and increases its density. As a result, even without a special protective coating, it naturally repels water, oil, and other contaminants on the surface.
4. Old floors perform better
Treating your concrete floors extends the life of their underlying slabs, which is the most significant reason to treat them. Even though the length of time a slab lasts is influenced by both epoxy flooring and concrete polishing. Several erosion sources cannot penetrate polished concrete, which has excellent contracting strength. Refreshing the top layer can also be easily accomplished through mechanical polishing.
5. Say goodbye to dusting and efflorescence
The strength of untreated concrete is negated by its vulnerability to certain types of damage and chemical reactions that occur naturally. Salt migration, also known as efflorescence, occurs constantly in concrete because it is porous. As a result, dusting may cause damage to epoxy coatings and other surface coating systems, which can be fixed by polishing at the source.
6. Slip-resistant surfaces
It is no secret that the slippery nature of polished concrete is similar to just about every other substrate when it is wet. This type of flooring, however, provides increased slip resistance in comparison to other untreated surfaces. Grip additives can also be added to further enhance these properties, making them suitable for grip-sensitive environments like patio decks and walkways.
7. Hazards, toxins, or extensive cleanup are not present
A potential safety hazard often keeps businesses from completing extensive flooring projects. No harsh chemicals or abrasive substances are used in concrete polishing, and no hazardous waste is produced as a result. It does not pose as much of a concern even if ventilation is not present in the treated area. Most projects can be finished in hours or days as a result.
8. Wear and abrasion of tires are reduced
Investing in polished concrete is an excellent flooring choice in an area that sees a lot of foot traffic as well as vehicle traffic. Despite the weight of forklifts and other large equipment, polished concrete resists skid marks and stains. This sealant can perform reliably for a long time when used with a high-traction sealant.
9. The majority of these products contain no VOCs and are LEED certified
VOCs pose a serious safety risk to both your team and the general public. Despite the fact that many newer coating products emit few or no VOCs, they are also expensive. LEED compliance is easy when polished concrete is used, since it rarely introduces VOCs.
10. The operations will be disrupted to a minimum or not at all
It is important to keep in mind that every process of coating and treating floors has its own requirements. Several floor coating systems require a primer and a particular amount of time for curing after application, for example. Dry mechanically polished concrete floors can be returned to service immediately after the process is complete.
The Final Verdict
The final conclusion is simply this, epoxy floors and polished concrete are not interchangeable. To make the right flooring decision, speak with professional contractors who have plenty of experience with both epoxy and polished concrete. In most heavy-duty commercial or industrial settings, either type of flooring is a very strong solution. It is important to understand your work environment and goals. Subtle elements can regularly spare or lose you thousands of dollars when it comes to the lifetime capacity of a facility.
