[ Concrete Polished ] Is Polished Concrete Slippery?
Kept clean and dry, polished concrete floors are generally no slicker than plain concrete surfaces. And they tend to be less slippery than waxed linoleum or polished marble. But public facilities that want to provide extra protection against slip-and-fall accidents can treat polished floors with anti-slip conditioners. These products contain special additives designed to improve traction and make wet surfaces safer. They must be reapplied periodically, but they can simply be mopped on during routine cleaning.[ Concrete Polished ] Maintaining the Shine
Although keeping polished concrete shiny requires minimal effort and expense, some regular care is necessary.
Demmert recommends a simple maintenance program of occasional dusting to remove grit and damp mopping with a neutral cleaner to enhance the shine. Some manufacturers sell special cleaners and conditioners for polished concrete that not only clean the surface, but also leave behind a dirt-resistant film. These products can be applied with a mop or auto scrubber and do not require buffing.
With basic cleaning, polished concrete should keep its luster for years. Eventually, though, the shine can dull, especially in high-traffic areas. Fortunately, it¡¯s easy to restore the gleam. Sometimes simply buffing the floor with a commercial polishing compound will do the trick. If more touch-up is necessary, the floors can be lightly repolished with a fine-grit abrasive. [ Concrete Polished ] Applications for Polished Concrete
Because polishing is a multistep process, customers can choose the level of sheen-from satin to high-gloss-that meets their maintenance and aesthetic requirements. This versatility makes polished concrete an ideal flooring material for a variety of applications. Polishing contractors say their primary customers include:
* Large warehouses and warehouse outlets
* Retail stores
* Hotels and restaurants...More... [ Concrete Polished ] Can All Concrete Be Polished?
Almost any structurally sound concrete floor, whether new or old, can be polished. But there are some exceptions.
For new floors, no special mix design is required to achieve good results. However, the floor should be in place at least 28 days before polishing begins to ensure adequate curing. Some retail and warehouse facilities that plan to polish their floors after placement may specify the installation of as smooth a floor as possible to minimize the polishing steps required.
Existing floors typically require some surface preparation prior to polishing to remove dirt, grease, coatings, or blemishes. However, floors that are wavy, need extensive patching, or are extremely porous may not be good candidates for polishing. An experienced contractor can usually determine a floor¡¯s suitability. ...More... [ Concrete Polished ] Wet vs. Dry Polishing
Contractors can polish concrete using wet or dry methods, but typically they use a combination of both.
The wet process uses water to cool the diamond abrasives and eliminate grinding dust. Because the water reduces friction and acts as a lubricant, it increases the life of the polishing abrasives, particularly the resin-bonded disks, which can melt at high temperatures. A disadvantage of the wet process is the mess. Crews must collect and dispose of the slurry that¡¯s generated, which slows productivity.
Dry polishing requires no water. Instead, contractors use machines equipped with dust-containment systems that eliminate virtually all of the mess. Typically dry polishing is used for the initial grinding steps, when more concrete is being removed. As the surface becomes smoother, and crews switch from the metal-bonded to the finer resin-bonded diamond abrasives, they generally change to wet polishing. However, some manufacturers have introduced resin-bonded disks that are designed to withstand the friction of dry polishing, allowing the entire process to be done dry. ...More... [ Concrete Polished ] Standards for Polished Concrete
There are not published standards for polished concrete, but it is generally agreed that the concrete must be polished through the sequence of disks ending with 1800-3500 grit diamonds to be considered polished concrete. At this level the concrete will exhibit a glossy sheen and high reflectivity without the use of a topical coating.
Polished concrete in not simply exposing the rock in the concrete mix then applying a sealer.
Benefits of Polished Concrete ...More... [ Concrete Polished ] Polishing Basics
Simply put, polishing concrete is similar to sanding wood. Heavy-duty polishing machines equipped with progressively finer grits of diamond-impregnated segments or disks (akin to sandpaper) are used to gradually grind down surfaces to the desired degree of shine and smoothness.
The process begins with the use of coarse diamond segments bonded in a metallic matrix. These segments are coarse enough to remove minor pits, blemishes, stains, or light coatings from the floor in preparation for final smoothing. Depending on the condition of the concrete, this initial rough grinding is generally a three- to four-step process.
The next steps involve fine grinding of the concrete surface using diamond abrasives embedded in a plastic or resin matrix. Crews use ever-finer grits of polishing disks (a process called ¡°lapping¡±) until the floor has the desired sheen. For an extremely high-gloss finish, a final grit of 1500 or finer may be used. Experienced polishing crews know when to switch to the next-finer grit by observing the floor surface and the amount of material being removed....More...
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