From above, a concrete floor appears to be a solid surface. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Although concrete is certainly strong and stable, it’s also highly porous. That’s why pavement and concrete floors can so easily be stained by oil and other fluids, and why concrete changes colour when it’s wet. When a concrete floor is used as a final floor surface, it will maintain an attractive appearance for longer and be easier to maintain if it’s grouted, densified and sealed. The final stage in the process of creating a polished concrete floor is sealing.

Concrete sealers fall into three major categories: epoxy, polyurethane, and non-toxic coatings. Epoxy seals are based on a chemical reaction, and polyurethane is basically a spreadable plastic coating. Both require good ventilation when they’re applied and when they’re setting, but are safe once dry. Non-toxic coatings are often used in public or poorly ventilated spaces. All of these coatings are available in matte, semi-gloss or glossy finishes.

Concrete grinding is the first step in creating a polished concrete floor. However it has many other uses as well. It can be used to level a concrete floor when a smooth surface is needed for operations, for safety or for the application of tile or another finish material. Concrete grinding can remove paint and other coatings, including adhesives. It can even clean oil stains from the floor of a garage.

Concrete grinding requires expensive, specialised equipment that needs to be operated by qualified and fully trained tradespeople. Most jobs require the use of diamond grinding disks with several different grits. That’s why it’s important to hire experienced and competent professionals who can get the job done right, and for a reasonable cost.

Polished concrete floors are already a popular choice for industrial and retail businesses in Melbourne. However, as Melbournians become aware of polished concrete’s many advantages, concrete polishing is increasing its reach. Today, Victoria’s top designers are choosing polished concrete for office, retail and even residential interiors. This is because of the durability, beauty and versatility of polished concrete floors.

Polished concrete floors can be natural grey, with a matte, satin or glossy finish. They can be stained with colours or surface effects that mimic stone or tile. They can incorporate patterns or pictures, including logos. New concrete floors or toppings can include decorative aggregates such as marble or metal. Melbourne’s Concrete Rejuvenating Company offers a full range of polished concrete techniques and services. With almost two decades of experience, you can be sure that they are experts in all of the techniques.

With polished concrete growing in popularity, more contractors than ever are looking for work in concrete polishing. However few companies can match the expertise that Frank, the director of Melbourne’s Concrete Rejuvenating Company (CRC), has acquired over almost two decades of experience. Frank has created polished concrete floors of every type for clients in every sector. He trains his employees personally, and they benefit from his knowledge
CRC is a well established company that specialises in concrete grinding and concrete polishing. Because working with concrete floor is their primary – and only – business, CRC will always have the best and most up to date equipment and techniques at their disposal. Rather than trying to persuade you to choose a floor surface from a limited number of options, CRC will be focused on creating exactly the floor surface you want and need.

Polished concrete floors are becoming more and more popular in new buildings because of their beauty, practicality and durability. Many people are already familiar with the luminous, high tech appearance of plain polished concrete. It gives an efficient, futuristic look to any workplace or facility. However, polished concrete offers design options far beyond glossy grey. Its ability to take on a variety of colours, patterns and aggregates makes it a perfect choice for many decorating schemes.

With warm toned colorants, polished concrete can take on an organic appearance that harmonises with other natural materials like wood and bamboo. Polished concrete can mimic stone, tile and terrazzo. With special aggregates, it can feature specks of stone, glass and metal. The cracks in an existing, imperfect concrete floor can be design elements. Finally, colorants can be used to create beautiful patterns and pictures, from corporate logos to mosaics.

With warm or cool tones, a plain or decorated surface, and a matte or glossy finish, the appearance of a polished concrete floor is limited only by the designer’s imagination.

Frank will be happy to answer your questions, whether you know you’re looking for a concrete polishing contractor, or if you’re just considering polished concrete as one of several options. He can help you decide whether polished concrete is the right option for your floor, and he can help you choose the technique and finish that will meet your aesthetic and functional requirements. If you do choose polished concrete, then the CRC can deliver exactly the polished concrete surface you’re looking for on time and on budget.

A polished concrete floor surface can be created on an existing concrete slab, on a retrofitted concrete topping, or on a concrete surface in a newly constructed building. When a new slab or topping is installed with a polished finish in mind, colorants or decorative aggregates may be incorporated into the wet concrete. When an existing slab in used, the design options are slightly more limited.

The first step in polishing a concrete floor is to grind it with diamond-gritted discs. Sometimes, this is followed by the application a thin coating of grout, which will fill bubbles and cracks in the surface.
After several more rounds of polishing, the floor is treated with a densifier, also referred to as a hardener. The densifier may be a high solids lithium silicate, a sodium silicate or a potassium silicate. It will make the polished surface more durable and more resistant to stains.

Finally, the floor is sanded with very fine quality diamond pads, to give it a rich, even tone and texture. The polishing process generally consists of four to eight iterations, depending on the process needed for the slab being polished and on the planned appearance of the final result. For example, a matt surface might require with a 100 grit finish, while a high gloss finish might require 3000 grit and considerably more work. Concrete polishing can be done with either a wet or dry surface.

You’ll be impressed by the effects that can be achieved by treating and polishing an ordinary concrete slab. A polished concrete floor can be cool and futuristic or warm and organic. It can be simple or ornate. It can bring out the natural beauty in concrete, or it can imitate stone, tile or terrazzo.

Of course, a polished concrete floor is a durable and practical choice for warehouses, industrial facilities and large retail operations. However, it can also be a great choice for an office, a smaller shop or even a luxury home. Click over to our gallery to see the full range of effects that we can create starting with an ordinary concrete floor. Best of all, every one of these floors is easy to maintain and can last for as long as the building it’s in.

Concrete is a common structural material for the floors of all kinds of buildings, especially large and multi-storey buildings. It’s becoming very common for polished concrete to be included as the final floor surface in the original specification for new buildings. This allows the concrete slab to be topped off with a dense layer that includes a decorative aggregate like granite, marble, glass or metal, a colorant, or an integral pattern or texture. A new concrete floor can be designed to incorporate any of the options in polished concrete.

However, what about all of the existing concrete slabs that up until now, were covered with carpet, vinyl, tile or wood, or that were left rough looking? Yes, even older, imperfect concrete floors can be ground and polished to a fine finish. The process of grinding and polishing the concrete will improve the appearance of the surface, and some types of polished concrete finishes are actually improved by natural imperfections. Alternatively, the floor can be topped with a new layer of concrete that will leave it just as perfect looking and just as adaptable as a brand new floor.

Polished concrete is a stunning, durable and stylish option for both new and existing concrete slabs.

Polished concrete is a popular floor surface for industrial, commercial and even residential applications. Its most fundamental benefit is simplicity. In buildings with a structural concrete floor or a concrete slab on grade, polished concrete is a way to make the floor’s structure serve double duty as a finish material. That means that additional materials such as wood, tile, vinyl or carpeting are not needed. The elimination of the extra materials saves money and eliminates the energy use and emissions associated with extracting, manufacturing and transporting the materials.

Polished concrete floors offer a variety of design options. Polishing plain, grey concrete gives it a luminous high-tech look. However, it is also possible to add colour and texture to polished concrete floors. They can mimic terrazzo, stone and tile, or they can have a look all their own. It’s possible to incorporate patterns and pictures into polished concrete. When a concrete floor or topping is installed specifically for polishing, then creative aggregates, such as decorative stone pieces or bits of metal, can be added.

Polished concrete is also long lasting and easy to maintain. Compared to the alternatives, it’s a low cost option in the long term.