Styles Available To You When Considering Polished Concrete

Polished concrete floors are steadily increasing in popularity due to the versatility they offer to residential, commercial and even industrial spaces. If you would like to illuminate a room that is characterised by shadows, polished concrete would be great as they reflect the available light. On the other hand, if you are looking for durable flooring that will not stain or disintegrate due to heavy traffic, polished concrete will fit the bill. Nevertheless, a misconception some people have is that polished concrete flooring is available in one basic style. The reality is that the type of diamond grit that is utilised to polish the concrete is what determines what kind of finish that it will have. Below are a few styles available to you when considering polished concrete.

Salt and pepper style polished concrete

This design is the ubiquitous style of polished concrete that is used in most applications because it is the easiest to achieve. In addition to this, this style of polished concrete has a higher affinity to staining, making it ideal for people who would like to make their floors pop with colour. You will also find that the salt and pepper style is characterised by having a shine that will add a sparkle to the space. This style of polished concrete has a tendency of developing small hole and cracks during the installation process. However, this should not worry you, as the imperfections are not a structural liability to the flooring. Instead, these flaws add character to the finished product, making your flooring look unique. 

Cream style polished concrete

Individuals looking for a smooth and consistent finish for their flooring would be advised to select cream polished concrete. The finish of this flooring is neither matte nor high gloss, providing your pace with the right balance. If you would like your polished cream floors to have a solid colour, your contractors can integrate dyes into the concrete as they are installing it. One thing to bear in mind with a cream style finish is that it would be difficult to achieve on concrete flooring that previously had adhesives on it. It would be prudent to have the concrete resurfaced by grinding so that all the coatings are eliminated before the cream polished concrete can be installed.

Aggregate style polished concrete

When compared to other styles of polished concrete, the aggregate variety tends to be more labour intensive to create. The reason for this is it requires the addition of aggregate materials such as pebbles before the concrete can be polished. Nevertheless, the extra effort is valid as it provides the flooring with much more traction when compared to other forms of polished concrete. This traction makes the aggregate style polished concrete floor ideal for spaces exposed to high moisture.