Diamond Polished Concrete Floors

Technology, Machinery, Diamond Tooling’s and Advanced processes have vastly improved the attractiveness, durability and longevity of concrete floors. The outstanding results achieved using the “Diamond Polished Concrete system” make concrete flooring a very popular choice for new home owners. It is a cost-effective flooring solution which modernises residential homes, showrooms, retail and commercial offices. Diamond Polished Concrete flooring systems will vastly improve the overall performance and durability of concrete floors.

The process involves mechanically grinding the concrete with diamonds to expose the stone. In some cases, very fine grinding does not expose the stone leaving a more natural neutral looking industrial finish. Grinding concrete exposes the stone however it also exposes the small air bubbles and pitting in the surface of the concrete. The floors are “Slurried” or “Screeded” to fill the air bubbles. This achieves a higher standard of finish. The concrete is hardened with a silicate (usually Potassium or Lithium). Commonly called “Densifying” this hardens the concrete surface so it can be mechanically polished. Densifying will achieve a more consistent sheen across the finished floor.

Polishing the concrete consists of progressively using finer diamonds to increase the sheen or gloss levels of the floor. All of the sheen is created by the polishing process not from the sealer coating. A usual polished finish may be anything between an 800-grit to a 3000-grit finish. The concrete is sealed with an oil based penetrating (Stain guard) sealer. This leaves no coating on the surface of the concrete. The Diamond Polished Concrete process will produce an extremely attractive, hard wearing and durable surface with is easily cleaned.

Long gone is the need to coat Polished Concrete floors with soft sealer coatings such as polyurethanes, acrylics and epoxies. These older coating systems are prone to failure from scratching, discolouration and delamination.

The results will ultimately be determined by some key factors. Preparation of the foundations, the composition of the concrete mix and the skills of the polishers all contribute to the success of the project. To make sure all aspects come together to achieve high standards of finish it is important to start the consultation process before the concrete is poured. Planning and preparation are key to any success.

To speak to the professionals in the industry give Concrete Grind and Polish a call to discuss your project.