Design trends are notorious for coming and going through the years, it can be hard (and expensive!) to keep up with. That’s why most experts advise putting in timeless classics for the major components of your home, like flooring and trim, and adding in trendy touches around the home. your house extension like patio and driveway will add an overall value to your home. Having your driveway overlay with the latest decorative concrete is definitely the fad.
Polished concrete floors are exactly the type of classic choice interior designers love to incorporate into their spaces.
These floors provide a unique look, can be mixed into any design style, will last forever, and are an economical choice. But there’s still a lot of unknowns about them for many homeowners. That’s why we’ve created this guide for everything you need to know about concrete flooring before deciding to add it to your property.
Areas to Consider Installation
Even though concrete flooring looks amazing and comes highly recommended, it might not work for every room in your house. It’s important to consider very carefully where you’re planning on putting it and how you use that space to see if this flooring is compatible.
If you’re considering residential polished concrete, you’ll want to know that the surface is very hard and won’t be good for playing or crawling on. Also, if you stand for long periods of time on the flooring in your home, it can be hard on the joints. Both of these problems can be remedied with rugs and carpet pads but it’s something to consider before installing.
Industrial polished concrete is much more versatile and will work in almost every setting you could think of.
Necessary Prep Steps
As with any flooring change, there will be some preparations that need to be done before you can begin the installation process. It’s a good idea to understand what you’ll need to do before to see if the scope of the project matches your budget.
Concrete flooring requires a lot more work beforehand than other types of flooring because of how it attaches right to the foundation of the house. You can’t place it on top of any other flooring, so that must be completely removed (adhesive included!) and then sanded down as smooth as possible.
Cracks, dents, and uneven spots must be leveled and filled as well, which can be very time-consuming. All of the prep work might seem extensive but it will give you that beautiful, flawless finish in the end. It’s important to decide if it’s worth it to you or not!
Long-Lasting Results
Beyond the gorgeous effect, polished concrete floors have on the overall look of a room, many people choose them for their durability. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another flooring type that will last as long and hold up to as much as concrete.
This should be pretty obvious as we know the other things concrete is used for (foundations, sidewalks, and driveways to name a few!) but since it looks so much nicer than those it can be deceiving. When done properly and well-maintained, concrete flooring can last almost indefinitely.
Because of the material’s strength, you won’t have the same dings and kicks that other flooring options can get from daily use. Instead, you’ll have a smooth shiny surface even in the most high-traffic areas.
Variety of Finishes
When you’re new to polished concrete, you might wonder why so many homeowners would want boring, bland grey floors that look like they belong outside. But that’s simply not the case! There are almost unlimited options for what your polished concrete floors can look like.
Pigments can be added into the concrete mixture to change the coloring to basically anything you can dream of! You can even stain existing concrete for an updated look as well.
Different textures can be introduced using a variety of techniques during the sanding phase, which goes a long way to making the whole space feel more customized and unique. These options are why concrete flooring does so well with a wide variety of design styles. Homeowners can pick a look that suits their space and style while still having all of the benefits of concrete flooring.
Installation Process
In a world of do-it-yourself projects and learning from videos online, many might think they can take on installing residential polished concrete flooring. For some that might be the case but for others, it can be too much.
It’s important to take a critical look at the installation process and your skill level. If they don’t match, leave this process to the professionals. Removing poorly done concrete flooring is a nightmare and can be extremely expensive. This is a project you want to get done right the first time.
Luckily, there are professionals, like MyFloor.net.au, who are ready and willing to install your flooring and make your home as beautiful as possible just a phone call away!
Regular Maintenance Tasks
One of the worst things that could happen to a homeowner would be to spend the time, effort, and money to get their floors installed only to have them ruined in a few years because of improper maintenance. If you want your flooring to last, you have to take care of it properly and know what to do ahead of time.
Luckily, polished concrete flooring is fairly easy to maintain with regular clean gins and occasional resealing. Talk to your concrete professional for advice on which products to use to get the best results and how to avoid damage.
Installing Polished Concrete Flooring in Your Home
Making design decisions can be an overwhelming process, especially when it’s such a big item like flooring. No homeowner wants to go through the effort of changing their flooring only to realize they hate the end result.
It’s highly unlikely that will happen if you choose polished concrete flooring, they’re just so stunning. When a room will work with that type of surface, it’s always a good bet and one that will leave you feeling happy and inspired for years to come!
If you’re interested in learning more about home decor and potential DIYs, check out our other articles today!
