Concrete floors are no longer something we cover up – these days we put them on show in commercial fitouts.
Why? They’re tough, resilient, hardworking, versatile and definitely very good looking.
Take a look at these 5 Ways to finish concrete floors in commercial fitouts:
Keep What’s There:
In many cases, it’s worth working with the concrete floor already in place. A grinder and sander will remove any craters, allowing the floor to be flattened and cracks to be filled. For an aged and weathered look, minimise the process, keeping some of the laughter lines, then apply a sealer. It’s a great result. Or go harder at it and for a more “finished” effect, processes like polishing, using an epoxy coating, or just plain old painting can work really well. Depending on the foot traffic and the overall “look” you want to achieve, it’s a cost efficient way of achieving a great effect. Great for restaurants, bars, cafes and many retail applications.
Hone in on a great look:
A Honed finish produces a beautiful patina. Honing takes off the surface layer and files down the little aggregate stones so that they’re smooth. There are various levels of exposure of the aggregate in the concrete, depending on what final finish is preferred. The result is a matt finish which very easy to look after. Honed concrete is used both inside and out. It’s an amazing look in restaurants, foyers, shops, showrooms and offices.
Polish it Up:
A Polished finish follows on from honed in that it is machined for a longer time with some fine abrasive materials added to finally reach a glossy and fairly shiny surface. Polished concrete is absolutely top of the class for offices, foyers, restaurants, bars, retail shops, cafes, art galleries and the like.
Go Light:
This lighter finish will appear similar to a footpath style of concrete. It will have a fine sand or aggregate combined with touches of pebbles or stones to create texture and grip. Great for outdoor staff breakout areas or café courtyards.
Trowel it On:
For years this finish has appeared on exterior concrete areas like courtyards, breakouts, and driveway entries. Patterns in the form of swirls or arcs can be trowelled on by hand and a fairly coarse texture is created. A machine trowel hardens and seals the surface, making it almost resistant to chipping and breaks. You’ll see typical examples of machine trowelling on house and factory floor slabs.
Concrete is strong on the inside and beautiful on the outside. How versatile is that!
Put it on the “Not to be Ignored List” when it comes to your next flooring choice.
