Use a concrete grinder (which can either be wet or dry) to prepare the surface and grind the floor to the desired level of exposure. The coarse grit abrasives will remove any coatings (paint etc) and smooth out any imperfections and unevenness. Cracks should then be filled with cement based products or epoxy hardeners.
The answer to “can I polish concrete floors myself” is yes, but only in a limited set of circumstances. DIY projects should only be attempted on newly poured slabs that are clean and in good condition. A matte finish is also preferable, as fewer sets of diamond polishing tools will be required.
Diamond polishing is one of the most common methods used to get a shiny glass-like surface. It uses industrial diamonds to smooth, grind, and ultimately polish the surface. The grit you use determines the level of sheen youll get on your floors. The finer the abrasive grit, the better.
To achieve a high-gloss finish on concrete, you can either polish the surface with the appropriate diamond tooling or you can use a quality high-gloss concrete sealer.
There are some common methods used to get a sheen in concrete. These include using mechanical means like a wet polishing process using a special grinder, applying a sealer, or adding an epoxy coating.
Sparkle Grain is recommended where you want a decorative, hard, nonslip surface. The glitzy grit is designed for light to heavy usage on floors, patios, walkways, driveways, steps and ramps in places from homes, shopping centers and wineries to museums, schools and stores.
Polish the concrete
Polishing is completed with the same concrete grinder, but with higher-grit diamond tooling attached to it. Polishing usually begins with around a 100-grit to 200-grit diamond, and finishes with an 800-grit or 1500-grit diamond.
Stained concrete is also easier to clean. To take it a step further, sealing your floors gives it that glossy finish that you have always wanted.
A high gloss concrete sealer is a type of sealer that is typically used on outdoor concrete surfaces. This type of sealer helps to protect the concrete from weathering, staining, and dirt. It also gives the concrete a high shine, making it easier to clean.
Glazes are an easy to way to change or enhance the look of your concrete, using a water-based carrier with nano sized pigment particles that penetrate deeply into the concrete surface. These water based stains provide a broad color spectrum for full color treatments, or subtle tinting to hardened concrete.
Dry delivers more shine
However, dry polishing will always give the floor a much higher level of shine than wet polishing. It will provide a much higher level of light reflection and a classier-looking floor. Dry polishing will also always work better on a soft concrete floor.
Can you have polished concrete outdoors? Yes. For outdoors however we would not normally recommend a Mechanically Polished Concrete, as when wet it can be slippery. The alternative for these areas is honed concrete.
With professional concrete installation, a proactive polished concrete floor maintenance plan, and occasional deep cleaning, a polished concrete flooring system can last 20 years or more with minimal hassle.
The only thing to consider with polished concrete is its porous nature, and, so an effective sealant is absolutely essential to prolong the life of your floors! Let's explore how to preserve concrete as well as enhance its finish – here is a list of common questions plus our handy sealing tips.
Heavy coats of sealer, or a buildup of sealer applied numerous times over the years, will cause moisture to become entrapped under the sealer and, in time, the sealer loses adhesion from the concrete.
Sealing your concrete not only ensures your concrete surface is protected, but that it is long lasting. It should also be noted that compared to the cost of replacing a concrete surface, sealing is relatively inexpensive and easy to do–definitely worth a long lasting concrete floor, patio, slab, or driveway.
Colour sealing is preferred for driveways, carports, pathways and patios. Paint is a thick coating, gets slippery more easily, is prone to flaking and difficult to re-paint once worn. We do not paint concrete. We use high-grade colour sealers to achieve a longer lasting, better looking result.
If you over-apply a sealer and need to remove a leftover haze or film, you can burnish with a high grit polishing pad to enhance gloss after reapplying the sealer or guard.
Unsealed concrete is porous and can absorb various types of liquids such as water and oil. Depending on the type of liquid, it can cause the concrete to become discolored and stained. The fluids will also cause unsealed concrete to gradually start to deteriorate and break down.
Water-based sealers do not change the color of the decorative concrete, but solvent-based sealers darken the color by several shades. This darkening effect is called color saturation. The color saturation remains as long as the seal coat is maintained.
Cleaning concrete with vinegar or baking soda is a good option if you are looking for a natural cleaner. While cleaning concrete with bleach or detergent can be effective, it can also be toxic to plants.