The rigidness and environmental friendliness of your concrete surface allow it to provide you with a durable, long-lasting surface. However, even the strongest concrete slab can experience wear and tear over time, resulting in cracks and other types of damage.
Fortunately, polished floor coatings can help you give your concrete floor new life and personality. This post will explain what these coatings are and answer some of your questions, including how long they last.
Polished Concrete Floors
Polished concrete floors are a flooring option that perfectly combines durability with the refined finish many property owners desire. You can customize it with various finishing and staining options to achieve a unique look.
Besides their durability and stylistic diversity, polished floor coatings also offer a large number of industrial applications because you have the option of specifying slip coefficients and shine according to your specifications. If that wasn’t enough, the flooring solution also minimizes maintenance.
How Is Polished Concrete Applied
Though this type of flooring follows a standard, step-by-step process, certain factors like your floor’s age and condition can affect the process. That said, a typical installation would involve the following steps:
- The inspection of your concrete floors to see if it needs repair
- Thorough cleaning of the floor, removing all traces of oil, stains, and paint
- Application of a chemical hardener to improve your floor’s strength
- Application of the polishing depending on your sheen preference
How Long Do Polished Floor Coatings Last?
While polished floors offer several advantages, one of the most notable benefits is their longevity. The flooring option takes the already durable concrete material and reduces its porosity, allowing the surface to last much longer.
In most cases, conventional flooring options start showing signs of chipping, cracking, fracturing or aging within five years, depending on the quality of the application. However, polished concrete floors can last decades when properly installed and maintained.
In fact, with professional installation, a proactive maintenance plan, and occasional deep cleaning, you can expect your polished flooring to last up to 20 years or more. This is because, unlike other types of flooring, polished floors do not dent or chip.
Factors Affecting the Longevity of Your Polished Concrete Floor
We should mention that not all polished concrete floors will share the same lifespan. Certain factors will determine how long your polished concrete floor will last. The following are some of those factors.
Your Concrete Flooring’s Strength
The first factor determining your polished concrete floor’s lifespan is how strong the initial layer of concrete is. Polished concrete floors with a strength of 2500 PSI will have a shorter lifespan. In some cases, you might need to add densifiers to your concrete floor before polishing to resolve this issue.
Quality of Installation
Skipping a step in the installation process will hurt the final result and negatively affect the longevity of the polished concrete floor. For instance, your floor must be thoroughly prepared before application, repairing damage and completely removing all traces of dust, oil, and other liquids. To ensure your polished floors last longer, only hire well-trained, qualified professionals.
The Quality of Material
The better the material quality, the longer your flooring’s lifespan will be. In most cases, professionals recommend applying a urethane topcoat on the epoxy floor, helping it resist scratches and abrasion better.
Maintenance
How well you maintain your polished concrete floor will also determine how long it will last without needing repair or replacing. Consider setting up a professional maintenance plan and opting for occasional deep cleaning to keep it damage-free.
You should also remember to:
- Regularly sweep and vacuum the floor, removing dust, sand, and gravel that can create scratches
- Use a microfiber mop and lukewarm water when mopping, applying floor polisher once the floor dries
- Avoid applying strong industrial chemicals to prevent the polished concrete floor from losing its shine
Take Your Concrete Floor to the Next Level
Polished concrete is an affordable, low-maintenance, and durable type of flooring that can revitalize your property’s floundering concrete floors. SLG Concrete Coatings can offer you the best floor-polishing services in Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County.
We understand the amount of beating your concrete floors take from heavy foot traffic and the constant California sun. As such, we are committed to providing your floors with the polished coating they need to withstand everything you throw at them.
Are you interested in breathing life into your bland concrete floors? Turn to us today, and let us offer you the concrete floor-polishing services you need. Contact SLG Concrete Coatings at (805) 934-3881 and enjoy the longevity our polished floor coatings provide.
