Understanding Concrete Polishing Methods

 Have you ever considered concrete polishing methods? If not, but you’re still interested and want to understand the methods, let us help you get educated.
  
Understanding concrete polishing methods is not rocket science, but there are still some things you need to understand especially if you want to do the job yourself. It takes skill and patience. Skill in accomplishing the well thought out task, and patience to let the newly poured concrete stabilize and cure.
  
The term ‘retroplate topical’ uses a hardening and sealing process approximately 45 days after the concrete has cured. The specifications call for Cure and Seal Hardener and are a chemically reactive penetrating hardener that will seal the floor.
  
Retroplate Grind & Seal still required the cure time of 45 days and they will not put down a sealer right after the concrete is cured like they do in the retroplate topical. They advise you to clean the floor with a rotary machine and scrub it with a high quality detergent. They also don’t specify the sheen level.
  
Retroplate Grind & Polish doesn’t require as much time, only 28 days for the grind and polish to achieve an 800 and/or 3000 grit finish. Then apply a hardener/sealer after polishing that will densify and seal the floor.
  
L & M Construction Topical is a method that requires the concrete to be cured for between 14-18 days before you even begin. That is unless you plan on the exposed aggregate is to be achieved. Grind before the 14 day. References a waterless system and a hardener and sealer.  Evidently they don’t use any machinery during this process, but they advise you early on to clean the concrete daily with a white pad.
  
FGS Hardener Plus Topical Mechanical Polish. This is referred to as “Concrete Floor Polishing and Surface Treatment.” You need to follow the directions on the product to achieve the results required. It also suggests that you follow the steps of 50-200 diamond grind.
  
If you want to see a few jobs that a contractor has done, contact a company on- line and view their work. Concrete polishing methods require a trained professional to accomplish the results. You’ll be amazed what an expert can achieve, and it looks so simple. Like anything else though, the difference between a novice and professional will be startling.
  
Don’t leave your concrete there without finding out exactly what the facts are. See how much the curb appeal of your property will advance with just a bit of polished concrete, chances are, and you might not stop there

Stellar Surfaces specializes in polished concrete NZ, concrete floor finishes and concrete floor polishing.

Polished Concrete Facts: Benefits of Polished Concrete

If you’ve never heard of Polished Concrete, now is a good time to start your education. Polished Concrete is relatively new, and they now install it on the interior and exterior of businesses and homes and have for a number of years. A professional can now polish your exterior concrete driveways and walkways even if they are old, worn-out and ugly.

However don’t stop there, now the interior of your home can achieve that same brilliance and even the professionals can’t tell the difference. So what is it and why haven’t we heard about the benefits before?

The surface of the polished concrete inhibits contaminates and is transformed into a dense surface. Even oil, paint, and water are not absorbed into the concrete. The polished concrete actually removes the top layer of the surface of the old concrete, including patchy, partial or whole coatings. It then hardens the top part of the underneath surface.

Dusting is another term not popular today. Unpolished concrete floors have small particles of dust that make maintenance practically impossible or at the least costly. When a contractor transforms the porous concrete into a dense surface, it not only looks better, but the advantages outweigh the cost.
Wet or dry, the polished concrete flooring surfaces at least meet, but often exceed building standards. The finished product may look like glass or even, marble, and the friction content makes it harder to slip on the polished concrete floor, and it doesn’t require harsh scrubbing.

Where do they install the polished concrete? Businesses find that the floor is cost effective and saves wear and tear on fork lift tires. The polished concrete also levels and smoothes the ‘curling’ joints, that often happens during the curing process of the original concrete.

Businesses also appreciate the fact that the floors are accessible shortly after they complete the process.

When installed on the interior of homes, the surfaces never need stripping or waxing. The floors are durable and the sleek surface is attractive and they are now moving into the kitchen and bathroom and not only on the floors, but the countertops as well.

If the time comes that the floors have lost their luster, the concrete is easily repolished at a fraction of the cost.

As you research polished concrete and find that it will work well in your business or home, contact a contractor that is familiar with the process. Ask to see some of their work, you’ll be amazed at the difference the polished concrete makes, and it will add to the beauty and efficiency of your property.

Stellar Surfaces specializes in concrete finishes, polished concrete NZ, and concrete floor grinding.

Concrete Flooring Solutions

Most of the homes in Southern California are built on concrete slabs. After the house is completed, the concrete is covered with tile, carpeting, or even wood flooring. A new idea that has been introduced recently is having your existing concrete slab polished.

Don’t shirk away yet until you have seen the possibilities that are out there, and the numerous contractors who have grown their businesses by offering this relatively new idea to their customers.

The process started as a traditional stone and terrazzo polishing technology. It has developed into an entire new procedure of producing chemical, topical-based products that can produce a polished concrete look. The products range from a densified and mechanical polish to a topical polish with a burnishing step that will provide the desired sheen, or shine.

Usually they will use a topical polish along with a hardener, wax or other solids that will be applied on top of the concrete floor, and then burnished to the sheen desired. This floor may provide abrasion resistance and less maintenance depending on the products used.

The mechanical polishing usually starts with a series of metal bond diamond grinding steps followed by a densifier applied to harden the floor. They complete this with a series of resin-bonded diamond polishing steps that polish the concrete. The difference between topical and mechanical polish is that the mechanical polish is in the concrete itself and is normally part of the original construction. It will have the desired shine, and is not a product on top of the concrete that will need to be reapplied in order to keep it in good condition.

Many companies prefer the protection epoxy and mortar systems on their floors because they can be very affordable. However they require frequent re-application and the entire plant must be shut down for the procedure to cure correctly.

When you cover your existing concrete with tile, wood, or fiber carpet, those products wear and may need to be replaced with the old ending up in landfills. That does not happen with the polish concrete floors and there is no waste. With the polished concrete systems, they simply do not wear out.

Polished concrete is durable and stain resistant and is unsurpassed in the market. When it is necessary to re-polish, the cost is significantly lower, and it is done with practically no waste for the landfill.
Find a company that specializes in these methods to decide the best options for your property. The concrete flooring will bring an exclusive touch whether throughout your home or your business.

Stellar Surfaces specializes in concrete polishing Aukland, polished concrete Auckland and concrete floor finishes.

Concrete Grind, Polish and Seal

You may wonder what this service does. We concrete grind, polish and

seal your concrete whether new or existing. By resurfacing your

concrete, it exposes the character of aggregate, or stone, and that

creates a featured floor or wall.<br>

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There are many variations to this process and you may have heard of

names such as ‘Polished Concrete Floor,’ ‘Terrazzo finish,’ or simply

concrete grinding. We take it a step further and seal the concrete to

protect the surface. There is a range of seal finish options for our

customers to choose from, and they range from a natural finish all the

way to a gloss coating.<br>

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Grinding is the process that will resurface the face of the concrete in

order to smooth out uneven high points and will also expose the

aggregate to the desired finish. We achieve the ‘Salt and Pepper

finish’ by not exposing too much of the aggregate as it smoothes and

lightly cuts into the top cement layer. By doing this we keep the

‘concrete’ look and the results show more cross-sections of the

aggregate.<br>

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Polishing does exactly that; and is the process of changing the rough

surface of the concrete to the desired smooth level. We use diamond

surfacing equipment to achieve the sheen surface that results in the

almost mirror finish and gives us the desired effect.<br>

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Our customers must select the level of grinding, or depth of cut, and

we help them determine the grade of polish or sheen. Our technicians

are cautious while <a

 href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polished_concrete">grinding

and polishing</a> and always use protective masking used to cover

the surrounding walls or other flooring until they finish the job. <br>

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There is still one more step to take when you want the deluxe mirror

finish, and the range of finishes vary widely depending on your

concrete and the finish you desire. It is very important that you

understand that every slab of concrete is different, and it depends on

the ingredients used in the original concrete mix. Also important is

the way the concrete was installed, placed, and even the humidity and

temperature on that very day.<br>

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The one question customers always ask is, “How long will it last?” You

can expect a long life as long as the concrete has been cared for

correctly. It must be sealed initially, and then it may require

resealing periodically. Your technician can instruct you on the best

way to care for your surface. <br>

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Without doubt, you will be greatly impressed with the results of the <a

 href="http://www.stelr.co.nz/">Concrete Grind</a>,

Polish and Seal that will fit well in your home or business areas.<br>

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Stellar Surfaces specialize in <a href="http://www.stelr.co.nz/">Polishing

Auckland</a>, <a href="http://www.stelr.co.nz/">Polished

Concrete Auckland</a> and <a href="http://www.stelr.co.nz/">Concrete

Floor Finishes</a>.

Bathroom Grout Getting You Down?

Your grout color can change the way your bathroom looks and feels. Over time, grout can become stained by dirt and grime, preventing it from returning to its original luster despite repeated cleanings.  Brighten up your bathroom by changing your grout color, and apply a tile grout sealer to protect your grout, keeping your bathroom clean and vibrant.

Keeping Your Kitchen Clean

Your kitchen surfaces need more than just a wipe down to ensure proper sanitation.  Cleaning tile grout is very important to maintain proper hygiene. Over time, the grout seal begins to wear away and the porous surface of the grout absorbs bacteria, dirt and mold.  A thorough steam cleaning and applying a tile grout sealer can prevent your grout form absorbing these elements and keep your kitchen clean and safe.

Get Creative With Your Floor Surfaces

Adding a unique touch to your floor surfaces could be as easy as pulling up that old wood or carpet and exposing your concrete floor.  Through the process of concrete grinding, diamond technology is used to even the surface of the concrete, exposes its beautiful character.  The concrete can then be polished an sealed, ranging from slightly glossy to an almost mirror like finish.  These Terrazzo Floors are a great compliment to any home, office or art studio.