Polished Concrete

A complete concept for polishing concrete. This method mechanically refines the concrete surface by removing the top cement paste and exposing the underlying, stronger concrete. The existing concrete is ground and polished according to a dependable and thoroughly tested method with Concrete Finishes’ effective machines and diamond tools. And because it’s a dry, virtually dust-free process, the system’s safety rating is unparalleled. The end result is a floor with a completely even surface with unlimited architectural possibilities. The glossy, smooth surface that polished concrete brings is beyond comparison.

Densifying The Concrete

A deep penetrating hardener called a densifier is used to saturate the concrete floor during the polishing process. This increases the integrity of the concrete up to 10 times its original density – transforming porous floors into a dense surface that inhibits water, oil and other contaminants from penetrating the surface. More importantly, a densifier adds abrasion/impact resistance to a concrete floor and reduces overall maintenance.

About The Science – How It Works

As the densifier penetrates the concrete, it reacts with the lime and calcium carbonate that is present and changes it into a crystalline structure. Essentially, during the process, a chemical reaction occurs and through the structure forms a gel that hardens into a silica type material. Basically, because concrete gets its strength and durability from the aggregate in the concrete, a polished concrete system adds aggregate to the matrix creating a superstrong surface.

The system can be used for both existing and new concrete floors. Concrete Finishes’ polished concrete process consists of multiple steps of mechanical grinding and polishing. Depending on the current condition of the floor, the process may require more or less steps. The first steps prepare the floor by flattening and leveling it using metal bond diamond grindings that are crucial to ensure proper finishing and safety standards. The last steps use resin bond diamonds for polishing to seal the floor and create a matte, satin or glossy finish. Concrete Finishes uses a VOC compliant polishing method to bring out the natural strength and beauty of the concrete.

To create a genuine polished concrete, you need the right machines, tools and knowledge. In a leading position, Concrete Finishes is constantly developing their system to give you the best results!

Typical Use – Aesthetic and Practical

Concrete is a material that invites a natural building style where every material’s inherent beauty is respected. A polished concrete floor gives the surface a smooth, glossy finish with an incredible brilliance that lends an exclusive feeling to any environment. The floor has an excellent ability to reflect light which makes open spaces appear brighter. It also has a long life cycle to retain its appearance after years of wear and tear in heavy industries.

Any environment that requires a durable and aesthetical floor like malls, museums, exhibition halls, public buildings, schools and industries can gain from this system. Common in a variety of public sectors with industrial buildings being the biggest market, ground and polished concrete is very well suited for heavy industries and should always be considered.

Economical

A floor is an investment. As a consumer, you expect a durable, long lasting flooring system. Polished concrete is an excellent choice because the cost of production is low and the life cycle long, thanks to its wearing qualities. To further contribute to the advantages of polished concrete, durability has been proven during rough conditions in heavy industries and maintenance costs are extremely low.

Healthy Environment

Contributes to the working environment in many ways. Not only does an aesthetically appealing surface brighten up the daily life for both staff and visitors, there are more measurable advantages. Concrete has a very good sound absorbing ability, especially when it comes to low frequencies.
When applying this floor system, the concrete is ground and polished free from ecologically harmful chemicals. The only cleaning compounds you need are mild soap and water, harmless to the environment and lenient to the floor.

The Method:
A Precision Process

A scientifically developed method for grinding and polishing concrete floors is used. This is done with Concrete Finishes’ diamond tools in several steps with gradually smaller and smaller grit sizes. The process consists of grinding, refinement, impregnation and polish. This procedure gives the surface its high gloss finish.

Phase 1
First, a rough grinding or removal of old and dirty coverings is performed.

Phase 2
A refining process towards a flat and fine surface starts. This phase involves two grinding steps.

Phase 3
The floor is impregnated with a densifier to prepare for diamond polishing.

Phase 4
The polishing starts with specially designed diamond tools for production.

Phase 5
After 7 grinding steps, the surface is high gloss polished and you have a functional, economic, and ecologically polished concrete floor.

Colours and Textures Available:

The possibilities to customize a concrete floor are countless. Appearance of the concrete is influenced by the color of the ballast (stone), the size of stones and their distribution. Custom colours can also be added with 11 intense palettes to choose from. The concrete floor can also be ground to varying depths and polished to a matte, satin or glossy finish.

Product Features

• Dense, polished surface helps protect against absorption of oil and other contaminants.
• Resists tire marks from fork trucks and other traffic.
• 40% more abrasion resistant than unfinished concrete.
• 20% increase in impact resistance than unfinished concrete.
• 30% increase in ambient light reflection from unfinished concrete.
• High slip coefficient of friction.
• Flatter, more level surface.
• Easily add color to existing concrete during the process.
• Removes top layer to expose new concrete.
• No down time waiting on chemical processes to cure.
• One time application with minimal maintenance.
• Lower maintenance costs with less wear on cleaning equipment and consumables.
• Long life cycle.
• Dry, dust-free grind filters out 99.9% of all airborne dust.
• No VOC’s.
• No coating, urethane, waxes or topical coatings applied.
• No slurry.
• Dyes for environmentally friendly coloring.