Polished concrete’s smooth high-luster finish and minimal maintenance is attracting homeowners, industrial business owners, architects and builders who are catching on to its appeal as an alternative to marble, granite, tile and linoleum.
Polished concrete is either a monolithic or a topping concrete to a slab that is then grinded, grouted, hardened, polished and sealed. The colours are determined by the slab itself and different concrete companies can provide different mixes. What makes the differences are: the stones, the cement (grey, cream and white), the sand and oxides. According to the Polished Concrete Specialists, based in Western Australia, the opportunities to create an individual mix are endless.
The resulting surface is very low-maintenance and can be stained to replicate the look of polished stone.
Polished Concrete Specialists began operating in 1999, but owner, Andrew Negovetic was trained by an older Italian terrazzo tradesman who had worked in the industry for 45 years. “We have introduced a new system (Ultrashield System) of strengthening the concrete matrix providing the hardest flooring system available with the same advantages of granite. This new system is also ideal for use in industrial areas with high traffic, where heavy machinery is used and forklifts leave black lines,” says Negovetic. “Unlike the old system where the surface was covered by sealers that provided a ‘plastic coating’ and easily wore off, this concrete is treated and polished at the level of sheen desired by customers and sealed with a penetrating sealer which repels water and oil, and produces no body which can be scratched or peeled and requires very little maintenance.”
The key reason many warehouses and retail facilities are opting for polished concrete is the ease of maintenance. Not only are polished floors easy to clean, requiring only occasional damp mopping, they hold up well to heavy foot traffic and resist the marks of forklift truck tires and staining from oil and chemical spills. They also eliminate the need for messy waxes or coatings — as well as the associated labour, time and expense to apply them.
“There is no grout or seam unless desired by the customer and less dust which creates an allergy free environment. It’s cooler in the summer, maintains heat in winter. It’s very cost effective when compared to granite, marble or terrazzo,” says Negovetic, “and the reflective sheen creates the ambience of a larger space.”
Polished Concrete Specialists service Western Australia at the moment, but say they are open to working outside within the commercial and industrial market.
Enter 955AU on your enquiry card.
