Concrete is one of the most common building materials in the world, and many people have concrete floors in their garages, warehouses and outside areas such as their driveway. Most of the time concrete is seen as a boring, industrial material and not something to be sought after. However, with a simple technique known as concrete polishing, you can change your concrete from a bland slate into a highly sought after and quite stunning feature. Here is a quick outline of concrete polishing and why you should consider it for your home or business in the future.
Grinding The Surface
The first step to getting a highly polished or reflective concrete surface is to grind away the top layer of your concrete floor. This is done with specific machinery that should only be used by professionals (which is why most people contract out this work) and takes quite a while because you have to slowly go over the entire area you want polished. After the first grinding is done, you then add a slightly tougher grit to the bottom of your grinding machine so that it creates an even smoother surface and then repeat the process. Depending on how rough your concrete is and how polished you want the concrete, this may continue a few more times.
Checking For Imperfections
After you have finished the grinding portion of your concrete polishing, you need to check over the entire concrete floor for any chips, excess dust and uneven holes in the concrete. These can be small, so pay attention as you go over all the concrete you just ground. If you do spot a hole or uneven area, then quickly patch it and wait for it to dry. Once you have vacuumed all the dust and chips up and there are no holes, you can proceed to the final step.
Applying The Sealer
After the grinding process is done and the concrete surface is clear and dry, the specialists you hired will begin applying a sealer evenly across all of the concrete. Then, once the sealer is dry, they will repeat this process with sealant. The type of sealant depends on how reflective you want your concrete polishing to look, so make sure to discuss this beforehand. After the sealer is applied, the bulk of the concrete polishing is done and you can sit back in awe of just how reflective and mirror-like the surface of your concrete is.
