Recent times have seen a growing demand for polished concrete floors in all kinds of buildings and properties. Due to its versatility and range of advantages, polished concrete has well and truly made its mark on the Melbourne interior design scene. Tough, environmentally friendly, sophisticated and hygienic, polished concrete floors are a stylish flooring choice that requires little to no maintenance. Melbourne polished concrete providers are contacted daily for the likes of commercial buildings, industrial spaces, retail stores, museums, schools and much more.
But what does the process of creating polished concrete flooring in Melbourne involve? It should be noted that polishing concrete floors isn’t a task that can be carried out by just anyone. The equipment and supplies involved in the process often mean that you’ll need to get in touch with Melbourne polished concrete professionals.
A Checklist for Polishing Concrete
For polished concrete floors in Melbourne, you’ll need:
- A set of diamond-segment abrasives in various grits
- Dust collection equipment to capture any of the dust created during the grinding
- A floor polishing machine with a planetary drive system and in-built vacuum (You might also need a handheld polisher for smaller edges and tight gaps)
- Chemical hardener to solidify/densify the concrete surface
- Epoxy filler for any existing cracks
- A protective treatment like topical stain-guard
Step By Step Guide for Polishing Concrete
Step 1: Evaluate the Surface
Before you can polish a floor, you must identify its current condition. Look for any signs of imperfections within the floor, such as blemishes, cracks or high and low spots. These blemishes can be removed with diamond grinding – the first part of the process that any Melbourne polished concrete professional would follow.
Step 2: Prepare the Surface
Next, the surface must be properly prepared by filling in any cracks or joints with epoxy filler. This will ensure that the surface is smooth and even enough for you to polish, helping the polishing head to move easily and conveniently.
Step 3: Rough Grinding
Rough grinding is a vital part of the process to ensure that the surface is ready for the final smoothing. The condition of the concrete will influence how lengthy this process is. Most concrete floors work well with a process of first using 40-grit diamond abrasive and then later repeating the process with a finer 80-grit. Ask a Melbourne polished concrete professional if you’re unsure.
Step 4: Solidify the Surface
The surface now needs to be solidified and densified, which can be easily done by applying a chemical hardener. This will provide the concrete with an extra coat of protection from things such as water damage and staining. The more densified the concrete, the more polished it will also look.
Step 5: Final Polish and Protection
Polish the concrete with a 100-grit resin bond and then repeat the process again with an even finer grit. Grits up to 3000 can be used to achieve a high level of shine or gloss. Finally, protect the concrete surface with a commercial stain-guard product. This is important if the concrete floor is in an area frequently exposed to chemicals, grease, oils or any other products that could tarnish its appearance.