Polished Concrete

Polished Concrete Flooring

Real polished concrete is concrete that has been treated with a chemical densifier and ground with progressively finer grinding tools. The grinding tools are usually progressive grits of diamond grinding cup wheels and diamond polishing pads. Typically, concrete is not considered polished before 400 grit, and is normally finished to either the 800, 1500, or 3000 grit level. Stains and dyes are often applied to enhance polished finish. ¹

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This is simply concrete at its best! The longevity of the polished finish is expected to last an average of 20 years.

Polished concrete has become increasingly popular due to its durability, ease of maintenance, eco friendliness and modern look.

Understanding Polished Concrete

Currently, the industry breaks down the process of concrete polishing into concrete grinding and concrete polishing. Some within the industry simply use the word “polishing” for the entire process. The process of polishing concrete consists of three consecutive categories: concrete grinding, concrete honing and concrete polishing. Each category is then broken down into multiple steps, consisting of consecutively finer grit abrasives. During this process, a densifier or hardener is applied that is absorbed into the concrete creating a chemical reaction that makes the concrete more dense and hard.

Steps Of Concrete Polishing – True Polished Concrete:

Ground concrete is the lowest category of steps of a processed concrete surface. Any grit abrasive from approximately a 50-grit resin and below is considered a grinding step. A ground concrete surface has a flat appearance with no or very slight reflection and may at times have a low sheen.
Honed concrete is the next category of steps above ground concrete in the processing system. Any grit abrasive from approximately a 100-grit resin to a 400-grit resin is considered a honing step. A honed concrete surface has a matte appearance and/or slight clarity of reflection that has a low, medium or high sheen.
Polished concrete is the highest category of steps of processed concrete.
Any grit abrasive from approximately an 800-grit resin and above, typically to 1,500 or 3,000 grit, is considered a polishing step. A polished concrete surface has clarity of reflection like a mirror and has a glass-like finish.

Concrete Grind & Seal / Concrete Grinding

Grind and seal is the process by which the concrete is ground to the level of aggregate stone exposure desired. That is the degree to which we see the stones that are contained within the concrete mix. A few variations are offered based on the level where the grinding process is stopped. It can be finished at a rough, scratchy level or to smooth finish. This will determine the cost of the job. The surface is then sealed with a concrete acrylic sealer, epoxy or polyurethane coating. While looking fantastic in a variety of finishes including honed, satin or high gloss, this coating will need to be reapplied over time. This system is also more prone to scratching. Grind & Seal is a popular choice for customers due to the lower cost than a Grind & Polish, which is a more labour intensive process (described above).

Our Concrete Floor Polishing services include the following