Concrete Polishing Tips & GuideLINES to Selecting the Most Suitable Polished Concrete System

The following  brief on concrete polishing tips is to be considered as a guide.  As more and more enter the industry based on the popularity of concrete floor polishing, has the industry done enough to provide a consistent approach with education for interested stake holders?

While the availability of concrete polishing contractors  continually growing, has this growth had a positive effect? One contractor may suit your needs more so than others and suggest paying more attention to documentation should not be overlooked.

Ultimate Floors first concrete polishing tips starts with quote estimates. Quote estimates should clearly outline what is proposed in detail. Detailed quotes will assist with decision making on what you feel is most suitable for your circumstances and genuine comparison.

Return on Investment

More importantly, how do I determine the most suitable concrete polishing system? Which service provider is right for me? Ask as many questions that you can possibly put together relating to your requirements.

This will be helpful to both you as the end user and how the contractor guides you through the options available to you. Hopefully an outline of what is a realistic outcome with all the variables is there for you to consider how you move forward with being informed.

As with all floor coverings and finishes, concrete flooring has variable limitations. Your design ideas may need a change here and there to suit the concrete floors condition.

Existing floor coverings directly glued to concrete may contribute to some form of surface colour variation. Light preparation may not be sufficient to remove enough surface depth. Determining an appropriate system can only be quantified where a range of concrete polishing tips advising you of items to considered. 

Also ensure there is a detailed specification describing the proposed process with all product types listed… this will help for future reference more so with applied coating finishes where a re-coat is needed in the future.

Huge variables in pricing is also common. Considering price over an outcome may result in a finish different to what was expected. As mentioned earlier, don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Techniques, equipment and products vary from contractor to contractor or service provider.

Equipment and products used along with experience and the necessary requirements for the proposed installation area need to be discussed with your service provider.

Site conditions and expectations vary; no two situations are the same, literally.

Concrete Polishing Costs Versus Traditional Floor Coverings

Comparing concrete polishing cost to traditional floor coverings such as tiles is not a how much per square metre situation. Costs to professionally craft a polished concrete floor is not like purchasing a room of carpet or boxes of tiles.

For new construction and renovations, traditional floor coverings have material, installation and surface preparation costs plus disposing of excavated waste where concrete polishing cost is using the in place concrete slab.

Furthermore, no additional costs for removing floor coverings if covering up the polished floor in the future. A basic preparation floor grind is most likely all that is needed.

Moving Parts

There are many points considered when estimating a project.
These may include project type, floor area size and building age. Other features such as hand tool processing to floor edges, vertical faces and stair should discussed. Repairs and any other technical components should also be discussed for inclusion. As you can see, there are many parts that make up the overall cost..

Sure there are many cheaper alternatives, but are they in the long term?

These concrete polishing tips also highlight how the concrete polishing contractors in the industry stacks up. Whilst grinding a floor may seem quite simple, putting together a system that will get the intended result takes years to deliver polished floors with lasting gloss retention from built in, customisable methods.

New sites, old floors and difficult conditions require a case by case approach. For example, old buildings may have a rising moisture problem which cannot be psychically seen.  Not only is rising moisture a problem for coating bond, it is imperative the concrete floor polishing contractor follows Australian Standards regarding moisture tests.

Flying Under The Radar

Unfortunately clever marketing doesn’t necessarily mean you will receive the genuine experience described.  From all the flooring industry experience we have, problems arise due to very low trade qualified persons and no structured industry ethics.

Marketing hype and selling points of a 10 year warranty would be a draw card for sure. However, how many years of concrete treatment and industry experience is required too offer likewise warranties? Does the concrete polishing contractor have a provable track record with floors still in use 10 years on?

Above all, it is simply too easy to enter the industry. This is certainly not what the consumer should expect. As a result of equipment suppliers thinking of sales profits rather then working together to lobby for change and improving industry based standards. There is a silver lining, concrete polishing tips are now more common though expect inconsistent information, concrete polishing contractors to need to better for industry consistency.

Taking the above concrete polishings tips into consideration… Buyer be aware!

Use of construction slab to be the floor finish offers genuine saving. Applied coatings and floor coverings require minimum floor tolerances and installations standards which add surface fix up preparation costs.

These requirements are quite often excluded and usually become an extra cost. Removal of existing coatings and floor coverings plus preparation adds another cost that can blow out the original floor finish budget.

Leave No Stone Unturned

Concrete polishing tips Ultimate Floors provides is a regular thing we do because we simply care. For this reason, another point we will quickly high light is clear coating and existing concrete. Certain clear concrete coatings may enhance surface colour variations known as ghosting so ensure this is covered by your contractor.

From our experience and for improved aesthetics, a true mechanical polished concrete process will in most cases reduce this visual ghosting phenomenon.

Costs – Ultimate Floors price points are job specific, larger the floor area the more attractive the saving will be on your concrete polishing budget.

In addition to the above concrete polishing tips and guide lines, below are 7 points we recommend our clients and those interested in these applications take into consideration when selecting a concrete polishing process, contractor and scope of works.

1. What is my desired result and look?
2. Can the finish be re-furbished with minimal disruption and cost,
3. How do I expect my polished concrete flooring to perform,
4. Do I have the ability to maintain my chosen finish,
5. What type of environment is it to be, and is it new concrete or a refurbishment application
6. Ensure there is a specification clearly detailing the process in its entirety.
7. Clear understanding of maintenance requirements and warranties