Polished Concrete - Design Options

A lot of people when they think of polished concrete they picture a grey slab that is shiny. But is that all that polished concrete can be? Absolutely not! There are many different design options to customize polished concrete. Let us have a look at them.

First off let's look at aggregate exposure. If you aren't familiar with what aggregate is, it is rock that is generally used in concrete as a filler. It can provide a beautiful decorative accent to polished floors. There are three main types of exposure "Class A'' or "Cream Finish" This means that little to no aggregate is showing. "Class B" or "Salt & Pepper" this means that there is medium sized pieces of aggregate exposed giving a nice granite like look. "Class C" or "Full Aggregate Exposure" this means that the floor has been ground down to the point where large pieces of aggregate are exposed in an even manner. 

Source: American Society Of Concrete Contractors (ASCC)

Dye/Colouring. Another way to customize is by dying the concrete the colour of your choice. This can include dying the floor one single colour, or dying it in a pattern or even adding a logo in colour. 

Chart Of Amerpolish Dye. Other colours available upon request.

Architectural Joint Cuts. Joint cuts can be added as a decorative options. For Example they can be cut to separate different dye colours or to add a tile like look.  

Example of an Architectural Joint Cut. At Outdoors store in Dieppe , New Brunswick.

So whether you are located in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia or PEI give us a call at 506-962-2522 to get a quote on a customized polished concrete slab. Or you can click "Get A Quote" at the top right hand corner of your screen. 

Author : Wes Hoover

Sources: ASCC, Ameripolish

Polished Concrete - Is it Slippery?

Here is a question we get asked a lot. After all it’s shiny and smooth, it should be slippery right? But what do the facts say? What are the minimum standards, does it meet them?

First let us consider the standards. Flooring slip resistance is measured by Coefficient of Friction. We will be looking at the DCOF or Dynamic Coefficient of Friction, this is the measurement of friction when one is already in motion. This is generally the standard looked at by architects and designers when specifying floors. The standard for this measurement is 0.42 for commercial areas.

So how does Polished Concrete score? An independent study done by the Tile Council Of North America shows that not only does it meet the threshold it well exceeds it. This study averaged numbers between 0.49 and 0.58. With some numbers reaching as high as 0.61. Another study commissioned by the Concrete Polishing Association Of American done at Clemson University showed similar results across all different aggregate exposure and gloss levels.  In fact most all DCOF test done on polished concrete exceed 0.50, this is well above what is considered to be a high traction floor,

So in conclusion not only is polished concrete a more cost effective flooring it also counts towards preventing slip and falls.

If you are interested in installing Polished Concrete anywhere in the Maritimes give us a call today for a free quote. 506-962-2522

Author: Wes Hoover Sources: Tile Council Of North America Inc., CPAA/ASCC

Is Polished Concrete Suitable For My Home?

More and more in the maritimes we are seeing a demand for decorative concrete floors in residential applications. Although this flooring has traditionally been more popular in a commercial or industrial setting it is an excellent choice for a residential application. Here are some reasons why:

Durability:

One of the reasons that Polished concrete has become a popular choice for places like factories, warehouses and big box stores is the durability. After all it is concrete! In a residential setting this durability is increased ten fold as it takes a lot less of  a beating. Making it a great way to go if you have kids or large dogs or anything else that could damage hardwood, tile or carpet.

Low Maintenance:

Polished concrete is also a favorable choice because of the low maintenance. Most of the time it only requires to be swept or it can be mopped with just plain water or a light PH neutral cleaner.

Friendly To The Environment:

Compared to any other flooring choice polished concrete is environmentally friendly for several reasons. To begin with on installation you eliminate the need for flooring to be produced; no trees need to be cut down, no stone needs to be provided by a quarry, no need for textiles and all of the harmful chemicals along the way. The process consists of refining the concrete to a point where it has a shine and as little as one chemical is needed, being a lithium silicate densifier to strengthen the floor.  Optional is a  sealer to protect the floor  from staining. It also is better to the environment because it outlasts traditional flooring.

Modern Look:

Polished concrete lends itself to a modern minimalistic look. There are many options to colour the concrete, cut tile patterns in it and different aggregate if starting from scratch.

Costs:

In many cases polished concrete be less costly than other flooring saving you on your build or renovation. It also carries a much much lower maintenance cost in the long term.

Give us a call today for more information. We are based in Moncton, New Brunswick but we service Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Quotes are provided at no cost to you.