The glossy finish of polished concrete floors is achieved through a grinding process similar to that of sanding wood. It’s a durable, low-maintenance option well-suited to commercial buildings, with flexible design properties including customisable colours, saw-cut patterns and embedded aggregates.
Brutalist architecture of the 20th century gave concrete a bad name, but it has since been rehabilitated as a versatile design and construction material. Today it is championed by suppliers such as www.monstermixconcrete.co.uk/, a business that has helped revive interest in the use of concrete Gloucester construction projects.
Grinding
The process begins with rough grinding that uses coarse diamond segments in a metallic matrix in several stages to prepare the surface by removing pits, blemishes, stains and light coatings.
This is followed by fine grinding with diamond abrasives set in plastic or resin matrices. The surface is progressively lapped with finer grits until the correct sheen is achieved, often ending at a grit level of 1500 grit or higher to create an ultra-high gloss finish.
Sealing and Finishing
The next stage is to apply an internal impregnating sealer, which penetrates the concrete to harden and densify it. This gives the concrete internal protection, eliminating the need for topical coatings and making it easier to maintain. Polishing compounds can be used to add extra sheen and dirt resistance.
Wet vs. Dry Methods
Dry polishing with dust-containment vacuums is fast, convenient and eco-friendly. Wet polishing cools reduce dust and extend the life of the polishing tools but generate slurry. It’s common to start dry and switch to wet for the finer stages.
