The History of Polished Concrete
Polished concrete has become a popular flooring choice in modern architecture. How did this technology evolve to what we have today? In this blog post, we will explore the history of polished concrete to see how this versatile material has transformed from ancient construction methods to contemporary design aesthetics.
Polished Concrete Origins
Before we dive into the history of concrete polishing, here is one project we completed for a school building. Isn’t this flooring solution beautiful?
The genesis of concrete
Concrete is present everywhere from small pathways and homes, to large-scale structures like buildings, dams, and bridges. Concrete has been the most flexible construction materials discovered by humans since the beginning of civilization.
Early uses of concrete for homes and small structures
R.W. Stinger, in his research on the history of concrete, says that as early as 6500 B.C., builders in the ancient region we now know as Syria and Jordan discovered how burning limestone can produce quicklime that hardens when mixed with water and pulverized stone. Eventually, concrete technology was used to build floors, houses, and cisterns.
Evidence of the use of concrete was also found in the region of Yugoslavia and China. Ancient huts, dating to 5600 B.C., were discovered along the banks of Danube. These houses had around 10 inches of concrete laid on a chalk base. The concrete medium was a combination of red lime, sand, gravel, and water.
In ancient China, the earliest known uses of concrete was in Gansu Province. Floors used in homes, dating 3,000 B.C., contained a form of cement mixed with sand, broken pottery, bone particles, and water.
Ancient use of concrete for large structures
Perhaps, one of the most outstanding concrete structures during the same period is in Egypt. The Pyramids at Giza, built around 3,000 B.C., used a combination of bricks, made from mud and straw, put together using gypsum and lime (produced from heated limestone).

This knowledge of concrete was embraced by the Greeks and Romans. The word “concrete” is from the Latin concretus, which means compounded. The Romans are also known to have made cement by mixing lime with pozzolana.
Vitruvius called this harena fossica (or pit sand). This form of Roman cement was used in their structures like exterior stuccos, water cisterns, and aqueducts. As more builders used concrete, the technology improved and became a mainstay in the construction industry.
Concrete technology reaches North America
Concrete technology reached North America. The first Portland cement was made in the United States at Coplay, in Leigh County, Pennsylvania. Leigh valley is replete with natural resources for cement production, due to its abundance in lime, silica, and alumina. David O. Saylor, one of the founders of Coplay Cement Company, is recognized as the father of the American Portland cement industry.
Today, the nine 90-foot red brick kilns, known as Schoefer vertical kilns, are displayed in Saylor Park, Coplay – a popular tourist site for those who want to know the history of cement in North America.

The Evolution of Polished Concrete
By the 20th century, polished concrete emerged as one evolution of concrete. Many online sources point to the accidental discovery of polished concrete in the 1990s by Tunisian workers. But this data is unreliable.
More authentic sources on the history of polished concrete note that this technology could have started among the ancient Egyptians and Nabateans – a technology further developed in Greece and Rome to decorate the walls and floors of their palaces and temples.
Early History of Polished Concrete
One significant archaeological site in Turkey, called the Göbekli Tepe, has plenty of evidence pointing to the use of concrete for decorative purposes, and attempts to flatten and seal concrete. Many floors in the unearthed temples, houses, and complexes were made of terrazzo.
These ancient builders made perfectly flat floors burnt limestone mixed with water. These concrete floors were sealed and polished using different solutions like goat’s milk, bees wax, linseed oil, or turpentine.

Evidence of decorative concrete in Roman architecture
Early technology for making polished concrete floors were also found among the Romans. Known for their roads and large-scale structures, the Romans made use of available technology to form decorative concrete.
In The Ten Books on Architecture, Vitruvius mentions the need to smoothing and polishing concrete to remove any unevenness:
“After it is laid and set at the proper inclination, let it be rubbed down so that, if it consists of cut slips, the lozenges, or triangles, or squares, or hexagons may not stick up at different levels, but be all jointed together on the same plane with one another; if it is laid in cubes, so that all the edges may be level; for the rubbing down will not be properly finished unless all the edges are on the same level plane.” Vitruvius 7.1.4.
Vitruvius adds:
“The herring-bone pattern, made of Tibur burnt brick, must also be carefully finished, so as to be without gaps or ridges sticking up, but all flat and rubbed down to rule. When the rubbing down is completely finished by means of the smoothing and polishing processes, sift powdered marble on top, and lay on a coating of lime and sand.” Vitruvius 7.1.4.
Evidence of ancient concrete grinding and polishing techniques among the ancient Greeks. In Kenchreai, eastern port of Corinth I, Topography and Architecture, Scranton, Shaw, and Ibrahim (1978) mentioned the Fountain Court in Kenchreai, in the east port of Corinth, Greece, where four large grinding stones were found among the piles of cut tesserae, with a heap of red abrasives archaeologists presumed were used for polishing and smoothing concrete.
The History of Polished Concrete Machines
By the 20th century, concrete polishing technology improved with the invention of grinding machines, densifiers, and diamond abrasives to make polished concrete faster and more efficient to construct. These machines replaced manual tools used for making concrete floors even.
In 1992, Swedish Company HTC launched the world’s first concrete polishing machine, the HTC 800. The HTC 800 introduced diamond impregnated tools to grind, polish, and finish concrete surfaces. Here are images to show what this machine looked like.
The United Concrete website claims that in 2000, one of the first recorded modern-day polished concrete floors in the United States was placed at a Walmart retail store in Kansas City, MO. Concrete Network, on the other hand, says the first installation of polished concrete was in a 40,000 square foot warehouse for the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Regardless of chronology, these initial installations in the history of polished concrete were excellent demonstrations of concrete durability, aesthetics, and low maintenance, which grew the technology’s popularity among high-traffic establishments.
The History of Polished Concrete and modernism
The impact of modernism on polished concrete cannot be overstated. Modernist architecture emerged in the early to mid-20th century to emphasize simplicity, functionality, and minimalism. These principles aligned perfectly with the aesthetic qualities of polished concrete. Architects began incorporating polished concrete into their designs to create clean lines and expansive open spaces.
This trend continued into the late 20th century. Sustainable building practices gained prominence in North America and Europe. Polished concrete became recognized as an environmentally friendly flooring option because of its low maintenance needs and longevity. To make polished concrete more beneficial to clients, the U.S. Green Building Council even included polished concrete as a sustainable choice within its LEED certification program.
Modern polished concrete becomes global
By the 1990s, polished concrete emerged as a stylish and practical flooring solution in other parts of the world pushing for industrialization and urbanization. This transformation was largely influenced by advancements in global concrete polishing technology, which made it easier to achieve a smooth, glossy finish.
Today, polished concrete is used in different industries. Here are some polished concrete projects completed by DARIV in the Philippines:
Conclusion
The history of polished concrete is rich and multifaceted, spanning thousands of years from ancient civilizations to contemporary architecture. With the help of human brilliance and innovation, this technology’s evolution reflects advancements and changing aesthetic preferences over time.
Today, we see polished concrete standing out not only for its durability but also for its ability to enhance spaces with elegance and style. This is an enduring testament to its historical significance and modern relevance. As we continue to innovate within this field, it’s clear that polished concrete will remain a cornerstone of architectural design for years to come.
Contact us to know more about our polished concrete services. If you need our team for your concrete polishing projects, send us your inquiry through this form.
References
Brown, G.E. (July 1987). “Romans Weren’t the First to Build With Concrete,” Concrete Construction, p. 650.
Davis, J. (2016). “FAQ For artificial stone supporters.” Geopolymer Institute. Retrieved from https://www.geopolymer.org/faq/faq-for-artificial-stone-supporters/
Mayyas, Abdulraouf, S. & Al-Qudah, Mahmoud & Douglas, Khaled & Al-Ajlouny, F.. (2012). Beeswax Preserved in Archaeological Ceramics: Function and Use. Ain Shams University. Faculty of Arts. Annals. 40. 343-371.
Stanley, C.C (1979). Highlights in the History of Concrete. British Cement Association.
Scranton, R., Shaw, J.W., & Ibrahim, L. (1978). Kenchreai, eastern port of Corinth I, Topography and Architecture. Results of Investigations by the University of Chicago and Indiana University for the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Volume 1. Brill