Concrete Library

Options in Concrete Resurfacing

Color Choices

A Plethora of Patterns

Texture Options

Staining Selections

Color Flaking

Polished Concrete

Radiant Floor Heating

Residential Flooring

Color Choices

One of the most popular choices in concrete resurfacing includes adding color to the concrete. Tints can be found in almost any shade under the sun, so you can coordinate your concrete to the exterior of your home and the rest of your landscape. While some homeowners stop with a tinted concrete resurfacing, others take the finish a step further to come up with a truly unique, customized concrete surface for their home.

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A Plethora of Patterns

If you opt for stenciling or stamping on you concrete resurfacing project, you can create the look of stone, brick, tile or even cobblestones. While these finishes will cost a bit more, you are still saving money on the entire project by choosing concrete resurfacing over a whole new concrete project. As long as the surface is properly poured and sealed, a resurfacing treatment should be durable as well.

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Texture Options

For those concerned about safety in their concrete resurfacing project, there are also textural choices that will eliminate much of the slipping factor. Ask about broom texture finishes that will add additional traction to the surface. There are also treatments that can be simply sprayed onto the concrete surface for a similar effect. An exposed aggregate finish can also add some texture in the form of small stones and pebbles arising from the surface of the concrete. As long as the concrete is properly sealed, these textured surfaces can last as long as any other concrete finish.

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Staining Selections

Acid staining can bring a whole new look to concrete, by creating the illusion of marble, slate or many other high-end surfaces. The lovely effects are the result of chemical reactions between the metallic salts in the acid stain solution and the lime found in the concrete surface. This finish looks as good indoors as it does out and can be much less expensive when it is applied to a current concrete surface.

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Color Flaking

Color flaking is a popular option for garage floors because it can completely renovate the look of this space without costing a huge amount of money. The color flaking technique is also seen on some interior floors, and can be a popular choice for basement rooms that are used for workshops and home gyms. There are a variety of shades and styles that can be used in color flaking resurfacing, so you can find a look that will coordinate well with the rest of your home.

Concrete resurfacing is an inexpensive way to completely transform your concrete surface. With so many styles, colors and textures to choose from, it's no wonder so many homeowners are turning to concrete resurfacing today.

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Polished Concrete

OVERVIEW
Also referred to as: Honed, Burnished, Ground or Diamond, polished concrete generally refers to a concrete surface that provides a hardwearing, durable finish with a surface luster or shine. Polished concrete finishes have been used primarily in industrial buildings, manufacturing plants and warehouses, but are increasingly becoming more popular in residential and retail or commercial buildings. In the past polished concrete has been grey, but today it is increasingly being seen in a wide range of colors. By using integral color and surface colorants including dry shake hardeners, dyes and or staining, designers now have many options to choose from.

Ways Polished Concrete Contractors Achieve a Polished Concrete Finish

Polishing during the placing and finishing of the concrete:
Polished concrete can be achieved by overworking or ‘burnishing’ newly placed concrete. By nature of the process, over troweling and working the concrete, densifies and darkens the surface and is best achieved with multiple passes with a power trowel.

Polishing concrete with liquid polishing materials:
Polishing concrete can also be achieved by using resin burnishing floor waxes, liquid polishing materials or resin-based coating applications to a previously smooth finished surface. These are generally multi-layer applications that, after the recommended concrete curing period, are burnished using polishing equipment. The polishing action produces friction, the heat from which melds the layers and induces the bond to the concrete surface. The degree of shine achieved is dependent on the quality of the concrete (particularly the surface density), the quality of the particular product and the burnishing technique.

Using Industrial grade Diamonds for polishing:
Diamond polishing using large walk behind floor grinding and polishing equipment can be used to grind or polish existing or freshly cured concrete surfaces. Diamond polishing uses progressively finer industrial grade diamond impregnated pads, disks or wheels which can take a dull concrete surface and ‘polish’ it to create an extreme shine and luster without necessarily using any chemicals or sealants. This process is similar to smoothing out wood with sand paper but uses diamonds with concrete.

During the process of Diamond polishing it is becoming more and more popular to add a surface densifier or hardener that increases the stain resistance, density and overall performance of the polished concrete surface.

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Radiant Floor Heating

Although there are a few different forms of radiant heat we will focus on radiant floor heating using a concrete slab. (this will allow you to add decorative concrete elements to your floor)

It seems that radiant floor heating is taking on a whole new life lately. With the advent of better more efficient delivery systems radiant floor heating is becoming the choice for today's modern builders and architects.

Radiant floor heating is a way of heating a home or business whereas the heating elements are in or just under the floor and radiate heat upwards. This makes perfect sense as we all know that heat rises. And therefore the efficiency is most ideal when delivering heat from the ground up.

Radiant floor heating comes in the form of electric or hydronic(water). In the case of electric, a wire or element is imbedded into the floor and when current passes through it, the heat is radiated up through the floor. Electric radiant heat is usually reserved for small rooms or renovations where the Hydronic heat elements cannot be installed easily or cost effectively.

Hydronic Radiant Heating is the most common and cost effective among new construction for both commercial and residential clients. Special hot water tubing is laid out on the floor or surface to be heated. It is then covered with a layer of concrete. Usually 2-4 inches thick.

A large water heater or hydronic boiler is used to heat the water and pass the heated water through the tubing. As the water passes through the tubing it radiates heat thereby heating the concrete and in turn the air around it.

Most people who have experienced radiant floor heat will tell you that nothing quite compares to the comfort of a warm floor against your feet. Radiant floor heating eliminates cold drafts and noise from air ducts, while providing a clean consistent heat.

Although radiant floor heating may cost slightly more initially than forced air systems, the long term health benefits and cost savings are worth the money. Forced air furnaces usually have a life expectancy of 10-25 years whereas a hydronic boiler system is designed to last 30-45 years and the tubing even longer at 90-100 years!

The initial cost savings of a few thousand dollars are easily offset. This is if the comfort factor hasn't already convinced you!

Here are some other benefits to using radiant floor heating:

Radiant floor heating efficiency will save you money over the long haul. Allergens, dander and dust won't be blown around or circulated throughout your home
. Radiant floor heating is hands down the most comfortable way of heating a home or business. Last but not least, Radiant floor heating along with a concrete slab allows for the addition of a decorative concrete floor.

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Residential Flooring

INTERIOR CONCRETE FLOORS
One of the best ways in which you can renovate your interior flooring or have simply fabulous interior floors is the option for concrete flooring. Interior concrete floors have a distinct appeal and are quite fashionable. Interior concrete floors give you the benefit of a variety of design choices and most importantly they are durable and quite easy to look after. If you want to change them after a couple of years for a newer design, this can be done quite easily as well. Those looking for an innovative style of home, office or retail outlet redecoration should consider concrete floor for interiors that look fresh. Interior concrete floors look fabulous when combined with tastefully selected, elegant looking furniture.

WHAT IS SO UNIQUE ABOUT INTERIOR CONCRETE FLOORS?

Concrete floors can rejuvenate and renovate an interior décor. There are so many options available when having concrete flooring done for your home. You can opt between painted, stained or colored ones.

Interior concrete floors can be placed in different types of environment ranging from home to office to retail outlets and will equally serve all of them to bring out the special ambience. So, gone are the days when concrete flooring was dull and boring, with only gray being the available color option.

Today’s interior concrete floor options give you a wide range of fashionable varieties to chose from. Newly inventive techniques of applying patterns, saw cuts, and coloring present a floor décor of distinctive exquisiteness. A multitude of stamp impressions, colors, and techniques like Flagstone or Spanish Tile for example, exhibit the unlimited design options available in interior concrete flooring.

ADVANTAGES OF GETTING INTERIOR CONCRETE FLOORS
Interior concrete floors are not only aesthetically appealing, they are also very practical. Busy professionals often prefer low-maintenance flooring. Interior concrete floors give them just that. Concrete floors can be easily cleaned and it does not take huge efforts to keep them looking good.

People with allergies find that concrete floors are a healthier alternative to carpeted floors. Carpets retain dust mites and harmful allergens that concrete floors do not. Yet again, just another example of the interior concrete floor’s practicality.

Concrete flooring is ideal for homes located in sandy or snowy environments. Its low maintenance, durability, and unlimited design capabilities place concrete floors in the forefront of architectural design worldwide.

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