In the past, concrete slabs were used as the flooring material for garages, basements, and other areas. But with time, now concrete is also used in home interiors. In such locations, it can be used as a finished flooring surface by polishing it. Concrete serves as a great flooring material because it can come in different elegant designs and colors.
Besides its enhancing look, the concrete floor is also quite rigid, durable, and strong. If it is maintained in the right manner then it can last as long as you dwell in your house. The best aspect of a polished concrete floor is that it cannot be scratched or dented.
Moreover, you can add different types of etching techniques and dyes onto your boring concrete. However, as we all know, concrete is quite heavy, so if you want to use concrete over a subfloor, then the support of a structural engineer is necessary. But you can opt for lightweight concrete in this situation.
You can decide if you want concrete flooring or not by looking at the various pros and cons of polished concrete floors.
Pros of Polished Concrete Floor
Due to the many advantages, polished concrete floor serves as an ideal alternative for tiles, wood, linoleum et cetera. Since they are quite durable and tough, they can last for more than 50 years. Here are the different pros that incentivize people to opt for sealed concrete.
Low Maintenance
As mentioned above, concrete is quite durable and long-lasting. This same property makes concrete easy to maintain. Sealed concrete helps to prevent dust from entering into it. It also prohibits the floor from getting affected by stains, hard effects, and spills. Due to this, the concrete averts moisture from entering the flooring. It also reduces the allergens that enter your house. Hence concrete is quite easy to care for, and all you need to do is sweep it or mop it a little. Once you damp mop the floor, you are ready with your flooring, all shiny as before.
Heated Floors
Concrete helps to create heated floors by adding electrical cables or hot water tubes into the polished concrete flooring. You may use a new concrete to construct a heated floor or even an existing one.
Unlimited Creative Designs
In this era of digitalization, a number of attractive designing options are available for polished concrete flooring. Besides the designing options, you can get concrete in several colors. This is possible when wet concrete is mixed with the different colored dyes.
Apart from this, concrete is also treated with paint or stains that help to make it more beautiful. Another beautiful designing option for concrete includes textured concrete which is created by stamping concrete with rubber stencils. So all these techniques can help you to transform a raw slab of concrete into a natural stone or ceramic tile.
Cons of Polished Concrete Floor
Hard Nature
As mentioned earlier, concrete is quite tough. However, the hard nature of concrete can prove to be uncomfortable sometimes while walking. Also If you drop off the glass or other utensils then concrete is quite unforgivable. So it may not be an ideal type of flooring for an area where there are elderly people or small children.
Moist Nature.
If concrete is placed on flooring that attracts moisture from underneath, then the flooring becomes damp. This affects the outer appearance of the flooring.
Cracks
No matter if an expert installs the concrete, it is likely to crack at some point in time. The reason behind this is simply that a large block of concrete has to withstand moisture, temperature changes, and other such features.
Less Environment Friendly
Concrete is an inert and biodegradable material. However, the process of making cement during concrete flooring requires a lot of energy and gives out carbon dioxide. This is harmful to the environment.
Costing of Polished Concrete Floor
Generally, the cost of the most basic polished concrete floor can range from $2 to $12 per square foot. The cost can further be reduced if you already have an existing concrete slab that requires finishing and polishing. The. average prices for different famous types of concrete are.
- The cost of concrete overlay flooring costs somewhere between $3 to $7.00 for each square foot.
- The cost of stained concrete flooring ranges from $2 to $4 for each square foot.
- You can get polished concrete flooring done from $3 to $12 for each square foot.
Besides the type of concrete, the design of your concrete also determines its price. A basic design costs $2 to $6 for each square foot. But if you want to opt for a high-quality floor then you need to pay somewhere between $15 to $30.
Repair and Maintenance
To enhance the durability of your concrete flooring, you need to maintain it. To protect your concrete flooring, you need to get it waxed every three to nine months. Besides this, the best way to maintain your concrete flooring is to mop it frequently with a neutral cleaning agent.
