Polished concrete is a process that mechanically grinds and polishes concrete to create a smooth, decorative, and durable floor surface. It involves multiple steps of grinding the concrete with increasingly finer grits followed by densifying and sealing the floor. Polished concrete provides benefits such as stain resistance, slip resistance, lower maintenance needs, and sustainability. It can be used in a variety of commercial and residential applications as a cost-effective alternative to other flooring types.

1. CONCRETE
Polished Concrete

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Objectives
•Overview of Polished Concrete
•The Process
•Features and Benefits of Polished Concrete

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WHAT IS POLISHED CONCRETE ?
Polished Concrete is a practical, decorative and economical
floor system for any facility.
Polished Concrete is becoming one of the fastest growing
products to ever hit the flooring industry.
Polished Concrete is a multi-step mechanical grinding &
polishing process that utilizes industrial diamonds (tooling) &
concrete densifier to level, densify, polish & finally seal the
floor from within the interior of the floor surface.

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WHERE CAN IT BE USED ?
Recommended for use wherever a dense, wear resistant,
architectural pleasing low maintenance floor is desired.
• Manufacturing • Institutional Facilities
• Commercial • Residential
• Warehouses • Convention Centers
• Sports Arenas • Airplane Hangers
• Airport Facilities • Lobbies

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Polished Concrete In Warehouse

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Polished Concrete In Cafetaria

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Polished Concrete In commercial

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Polished Concrete In mall

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Polished Concrete In Manufacturing

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Polished Concrete In Residential

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Polished Concrete In Stadium

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Competitors
• Smooth concrete
• Printed concrete
• Ceramic Tiles
• Wood
• Epoxy Coating
• Natural Stones
• Epoxy Terrazzo*
• Vinyl Sheet Flooring*
• Carpet*
• Vinyl composite Tile*
• Painting

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ORIGIN OF POLISHED CONCRETE
• Discovered in Tunisia by a granite and marble
contractor
• Had utilized wet grinding and polishing on those
surfaces and found it successful on concrete
• Mistake made and concrete was polished DRY
• Contractor using equipment from Scandinavia
• Brought to US in mid-late ’90’s
• First project in US – Bellagio Hotel

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THE EQUIPMENT
Vacuum
Polishing and
Gridding

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THE EQUIPMENT
Diamond Grinding Segments
(Metal Bonds)
Diamond Polishing Pads
(Resin Bonds)

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THE PROCESS
• For a perfect final result the initial surface must be achieved
in the rules of art to ensure a perfectly flatness (with a manual
troweling which can be followed by a power troweling). We strongly
advise against the use of wet screeds.
• Ensure floor is clean and dry
• Concrete must be a minimum of 28 days old
• Minimum compressive strength of concrete should be 3,500
psi (24 MPa)
• Reinforcement of concrete
• Concrete mixes – fly ash (maximum 15%)
• Concrete finishing
• Pre-Construction Meeting
• Dry process – no water added during grinding or polishing
• Certified applicators/contractors

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Aggregate Exposure
• Polished concrete is a surface treatment.
• Aggregate exposure needs to be CLEARLY defined in
project specifications for exposed aggregate “terrazzo” type
applications.

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LEVELS OF GRIND
FINE
GRIND
COARSE
GRIND
MILD
GRIND

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Step 1- 80 Grit Metal Bond Grinding Segment

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Step 2- 150 Grit Metal Bond Grinding Segment

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Step 3 – Concrete Densifier application

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CONCRETE DENSIFIER – WHY ?
Silicate technology
 Hydration of concrete produces calcium hydroxide
(free lime)
 Chemically coverts the free lime to calcium
silicate hydrate (CSH) producing a dense surface
To protect the integrity of the surface
Does not allow the floor to erode, micro-pit or
scratch
Maintains the light reflectivity and shine

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Step 4 – 100 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

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Step 5 – 200 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

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Step 6 – 400 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

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Step 7 – 800 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

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Step 8 – 1500 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

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Step 9 – 3000 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

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SEALING / PROTECTION
• Cut down version of densifier
• Silane Siloxane mix
• Thin Clear Epoxy
• Silicone impregnators
• Specifically designed proprietary
enhancers

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TYPES OF FINISHES
SATIN FINISH
 Will reflect images from side lighting
SEMI-GLOSS FINISH
 Will reflect overhead and side images from 35-45 feet with
increased light reflectivity
HIGH-GLOSS FINISH
 Will look wet and show mirror like reflections of side and
overhead images

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TYPES OF FINISHES
Various systems in
the marketplace with
different definitions.
3 distinct levels of
final polish:
1.Satin
2.Semi-gloss
3.High gloss

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
Elimination of Dusting
 Due to free lime (efflorescence)
 Vapor drive from below forces free
lime to surface
 Can cause adhesive and specialty
floor failures

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
Stain Resistance
 Reduces the porosity of the floor in conjunction
with densifier
 Densification process is a chemical reaction, stain
resistance not immediate
 Slows down penetration of water, oil and other
contaminants

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
Restoration of Older Floors
 Rain damage, spalling, pitting, delamination, floor
failures
 Removal of top surface and harden the concrete
below
 Deteriorated concrete can be strengthened
 Impact and abrasion resistance of the concrete
can be increased

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Restoration of Older Floors
Before After

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
Better Lighting
 Reflectivity of the floor
 Can reduce lighting costs

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
Slip Resistance
 Measurement of coefficient of friction and slip
resistance
 Exceeds OSHA standards for floors
 Exceeds ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
 Higher degree of polish is not directly related to
slip resistance

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
Less Maintenance
 Reduced penetration of contaminants, remain on
surface
 Tire marking significantly reduced
 No sealing, waxing or stripping of floor required
 No aggressive scrubbing required

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
For warehouse and storage reducing Tire Wear
 Smoother concrete surface can significantly
reduce tire wear

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
Timing of Installation
 Applied after 28 days – no extended time frames
between finishing and applying as with specialty
coatings
 Non-toxic – can be applied while building is still
occupied
 Densifier used in process – approvals through
CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) for use in food
handling facilities

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
Cost Effective
 Relatively inexpensive application costs
 Low maintenance costs
 One time application – no replacement costs as
with specialty flooring systems

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Cost Comparison of Various Flooring
Treatments
*information taken from commercial flooring life cycle cost analysis as provided by The National Terrazzo
and Mosaic Association. The 20 year cost includes initial cost, replacement and maintenance costs
Vinyl Sheet
Flooring* Carpet*
Vinyl composite
Tile*
Epoxy
Terrazzo*
Epoxy
Coating
Polished
Concrete
Cost / square foot Installed $2.72 $1.93 $1.23 $9.10 $4.00 $5.00
Annual Maintenance Cost /
sq ft $1.39 $1.53 $1.47 $0.46 $0.50 $0.50
Replacement Cost $3.43 $2.24 $1.60 $0.00 $7.00 $0.00
Frequency of Replacement
(years) 9 10 15 20+ 6 20+
20 Year Cost $37.38 $39.39 $34.06 $18.30 $24.29 $15.00
Annual Cost / square foot $1.87 $1.97 $1.70 $0.92 $1.21 $0.75
20 year cost for 10,000
square ft. $373,800 $393,900 $340,600 $183,000 $242,900 $150,000
Vinyl Sheet
Flooring* Carpet*
Vinyl composite
Tile*
Epoxy
Terrazzo*
Epoxy
Coating
Polished
Concrete
Cost / square foot Installed $2.72 $1.93 $1.23 $9.10 $4.00 $5.00
Annual Maintenance Cost /
sq ft $1.39 $1.53 $1.47 $0.46 $0.50 $0.50
Replacement Cost $3.43 $2.24 $1.60 $0.00 $7.00 $0.00
Frequency of Replacement
(years) 9 10 15 20+ 6 20+
20 Year Cost $37.38 $39.39 $34.06 $18.30 $24.29 $15.00
Annual Cost / square foot $1.87 $1.97 $1.70 $0.92 $1.21 $0.75
20 year cost for 10,000
square ft. $373,800 $393,900 $340,600 $183,000 $242,900 $150,000

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BENEFITS OF POLISHING
Long Lasting
 One time application
 Minimal maintenance required to preserve the
appearance of the floor

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SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
• Polished Concrete is developed to be a part of
your sustainable design.
• Meets low emissions – no VOC
• Virtually dust-free process
• Increases ambient light – saves energy
• Local manufacturing of materials
• High Performance System - durability
• Help earn credits towards LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design )

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LEED
•Assist with LEED credits/points
•Areas:
• MR (Materials & Resources)
• IEQ (Indoor Environmental Quality)

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LEED
How does it assist with LEED credits?
This process:
 Reduces the amount of construction waste
 Reduces the cost of building maintenance
 Reduces the cost of operation
 Reduces the amount of construction materials
 Preserves the recyclability of concrete
 Reduces airborne dust particulates
 Safe for the contractor and personnel
 Does not off gas
 Contains no VOC’s
 Extremely long-lasting