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>

<br>

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>

<br>

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.

Get Stains Out of Your Driveway

If you are a homeowner, there is a good chance you have concrete staining in your driveway left by oil, dirt or wear and tear from the environment.  If you want to restore your concrete instead of replacing it, consider an acid concrete stain treatment.  This eco-friendly method lifts dirt and soils from your driveway and restores the original concrete color.

Restore Your Dull Concrete - Don’t Replace It

Replacing your concrete driveway, floor or path can be expensive and in many cases, unnecessary.  To avoid this, we suggest a concrete color staining, which is a process that restores your concrete by stripping the surface and exposing the pores.  Once prepared, the concrete color stain is applied using two coats to ensure the concrete color is even and colored properly.  With several finishes and colors to choose from, restoration can leave your concrete looking brand new and at a fraction of the cost.

Concrete Coloring, Staining & Restoration

Concrete Coloring provides the service of restoring and re-coloring concrete.
Wether your concrete is old, worn and faded or simply new and plain we offer decorative color staining and restoration. Common areas our services are carried out are driveways, backyards, patios, poolside terraces, stamped concrete, interior floors all these on commercial and residential properties.

With over 80 colors to choose from and different finishes available such as solid color staining, translucent (or watercolor staining) staining , two-tone staining and decorative faux and antique finish staining your creative options are endless. We can even provide custom made colors for your concrete for a slight additional charge - all we need is your desired color on a paint color chart so our pigment machine can match your exact color.

Our recoloring service impregnates the stain into the surface, it does not 'build up' ontop of the concrete so it does not delaminate or peel off  like paint does.
The system is designed to be maintained with periodic re-colors, our clients generally have a maintenance recoloring service carried out every 5-10 years depending on wear and traffic specific to the environment conditions on each property.

Many of our clients were considering replacing their concrete completely at huge expense and inconvenience, and to their relief they discovered our fast efficient color staining restoration reinstated their concrete surfaces to a better than new presentation. With over 18 years in the business we are the trust choice for your next concrete restoration project.

Concrete Paver Sealing

Concrete Paver Sealing is something that we highly advise property owners to invest in, as in most cases pavers are installed in 'landscaped' areas or high traffic areas. In either case the pavers are susceptible to being heavily soiled and becoming permanently stained.
Often people think they can simply 'pressure wash' (or water blast) pavers as a remedy to soiling, but this actually deteriorates the surface by removing a small layer of cement with each pass.
Instead it is highly recommended that pavers are sealed correctly - this not only protects the surface of the pavers from erosion but also ensures the pavers are easier to clean. The sealer acts like a barrier between the soil and the paver and stops the soil from penetrating into the pores of the surface.
Sealing pavers also protects the surface of paver and grout from mold and lichen damage.
If Pavers have been damaged they can be restored and sealed by way of Paver Grind and Seal, this is a fraction of the replacement cost.
If the color of the pavers have faded, dulled or deteriorated a Paver Color Staining & Seal achieves outstanding color restoration results.

Tile Cleaning & Sealing

Tile Cleaning & Sealing is a must. Tiles need periodic cleaning and sealing. 

Tiles are porous in nature and can attract dirt, stains, liquids or any type of soiling that comes into contact with the surface so you need to protect your tiles. 

Once tiles get stained it can be permanant so Protecting tile  from this happening should be of high importance in your household or commercial property. If your tiles are not already sealed, they are in need of sealing! Call Stellar there are various tile sealing options and finishes to choose from - give your tiles the protection they need.

Concrete Clean & Seal

If you have concrete areas in your home that are starting to look old and soiled, it may be time to Concrete clean and seal these areas. If your concrete isn't sealed it is vulnerable to soiling and staining  that can penetrate deep into the concrete and may become permanant. Stellar has many different types of sealers like natural and penetrating sealers, and also have epoxy sealers just to name a few. Different sealers offer different types of protection and also can give you different appearances as well...some enhancing the surface and some not changing the look at all. Which sealer you want can determine what you are looking for or which part of the home your concrete is in, but no matter what you want or what area of your property you want it, Stellar can meet your needs and give you exactly what you have been looking for. Call us to book in your Concrete clean and seal areas now.

Graffiti Guard protection

Graffiti vandalism on walls and surfaces is a huge cost incurred to residential and commercial property owners and operators each year. Stellar has carried out our Natural Stone tile graffiti guard on commercial buildings in the Auckland wider & CBD areas. On one such building the Auckland Telecom head office recently where the exterior of the building had flamed basalt stone installed, there was a worry about grafitti damage to the stone. Stellar applied our graffiti guard system, a sacrificial coating that isn't apparent to the eye, and also it does not change the appearance or look of the stone or surface as a solution to the concern held by the property management. The system is very effective and over the past 2 years since the install on the building, the surface has had no issues with grafitti damage.

Call Stellar to get your areas looked at and treated for the maximum protection possible today. The System can be applied to almost any surface including Tile , Stone Concrete

For more information go to our Tile graffiti Guard website page

Silicone Caulking

Silicone caulking is an essential part of your tiled or stone areas. Not only does it protect the chipping and damage of tiles in the internal corners caused by movement - providing a soft 'cushion' where tiles meet each other - but also they can give you water protection in any wet areas that you have. Your Silicone Caulking around Natural Stone should be regulary removed and re-installed to prevent any damage, water issues or any type of hygenic issues also. So if you need to look at having your silicone areas looked at please call us in NZ on 0800478357, or visit our Website for more details. If you are in California call orange county floor restoration 949.943.0581 our go to their website to get more details for  Service info on Silicone Caulking around stone and tile

Blockwall honing

Block wall Grinding & Honing  is a great and cost effective way to finish a blockwall instead of coating it with a boring paint is to grind and hone the face of the blocks and either lightly or more heavily expose the aggregate (or stones) on the face of the clockwork to result in a modern architectural design finish. 

Come see the team at Stellar to talk about your block wall project. Stellar has various other options also such as colour staining and finishing seals.

Also it is important to look into an efficient Block wall moisture proofing so that a decorative or structural wall does not become a leaky home issue!

Garage Floor finishes

Concrete Polished Floors  along with Concrete Color Staining and concrete finishes are common finishes used to achieve a deluxe presentation of a garage floor, which often is the first entry point into a home or property -setting the stage for the whole feel of your environment!

Orange County Floor Restoration are experts at restoring or even reinventing the surface finish of your floor. 

Stellar has amazing decorative finishing options to offer for your garage floor such as color staining and sealing, colored or clear epoxy coating, Terrazzo finishes, concrete grinding, polished concrete, decorative faux finishes and much more! Call us today for a free estimate on 949.943.0581 in Orange county or 0800.478.357 in New Zealand.

Is your Garage floor looking oil stained, worn, dirty and tired? Its never too late to upgrade a garage floor!

Concrete Cleaning - Why not pressure wash?

Power-washing Concrete - A common mindset we come across with property owners is "I'll just power-wash the concrete every few month or once a year to keep it looking clean or  mold free and clean".

What most people do not realize is that power-washing is super aggressive. It removes a fine layer of sediment with each blast and after 4-6 years, new concrete driveways and surfaces can become heavily worn and aged. Once the concrete is worn and damaged from power-washing it will either need an expensive restoration to repair or worse not be fixable at all.

The way the concrete is damaged is that after sediment is blasted off enough, the aggregate or stone will be unevenly exposed creating an unsightly appearance.

Stellar Surfaces advises property owners to clean their outdoor concrete surfaces with products like PROKLENR 'Concrete & Masonry Cleaner' - make up a bucket of the product using the concentrate, scrub the surface with a stiff broom and rinse of afterwards with a hose. 

Stellar Surfaces also has a Mold and lichen control service that is completely eco-friendly -and actively kills moulds and lichens over 12 months. call us today for a free quote.

Etched stone restoration

Etched stone restoration otherwise known as acid burns from household products or food products is a common problem that our customers approach us with that have Marble, Granite, Travertine, Basalt and other stone surfaces.
Etching is caused generally by an acid based (and sometimes amino based) liquid or solid product sitting on the surface for a lengthened period of time, and in that time the acid enzymes -above 7ph - literally attack the neutral ph level on the stone surface. Basically put, the acid erodes the neutral surface  and in doing so the etch takes place.

The best way to avoid this is actively cleaning up spills of wine, lemon, vinegar, chili and the like.
regularly clean your stone floor, countertop or surface and have it periodically professionally Stone clean and seal
For more information about caring for your stone click on here.
In some cases you will find the Stone will need resurfacing and polishing to achieve full restoration.

Cleaning effectively with Eco-friendly products

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products have not always had everyones confidence as they have been seen to be low-performing. Good news there are some excellent products emerging out there that have more to offer than mere marketing with eco-feel good campaigns.
"Proklenr" is one such brand. With highly effective products that specialize in cleaning specific surfaces such as tile and grout cleaner which is designed specifically to loosen soil and mold around tile and grout surfaces.
Natural Stone Cleaner which has been specially customized to clean stone surfaces with out affecting the PH level of he stone -there are a great deal of acid or amino based cleaners that can stain or etch stone surfaces.
Concrete and Masonry surfaces can be among the hardest to clean of all surfaces due to the high porosity and rough textures - Concrete and Masonry Cleaner has been formulated to lift soils out of the pores of the concrete and actively clean up common problems with Concrete.

The brand is also working on other specialist cleaning products to be added into the range in the near future.