A common misconception about polished concrete is these surfaces need no maintenance. Polished concrete floors are popular in the Philippines because of their inherent durability and aesthetics. But while they require less maintenance than other materials like carpet, tiles, and vinyl, a polished concrete floor needs proper care to keep its shine and longevity.
Before talking about maintaining your polished concrete floor, it is important to emphasize the value of your concrete slab.
The impact of concrete slabs on polished concrete floors
A concrete slab is not necessarily your concrete floor. The slab is that flat and horizontal structural feature in modern homes and buildings made of cast concrete.
Concrete slabs function to support the building as they connect with the structure’s foundation, column, beams, and walls. A floor is that section where people can stand and walk on. In some cases, the slab itself can be used as the floor. But in many cases, a floor is constructed on the concrete slab to distinguish its purpose from other sections of the slab that may be reserved for other functions like storage, stair case, etc. In a polished concrete floor, therefore, a concrete polishing machine is used to process the concrete flooring placed on top of the slab.
Since concrete slabs are the foundation of a concrete floor, a substandard concrete slab will always result in a substandard concrete floor.
A polished concrete floor makes any room or space inside your property beautiful. Polished concrete floors are now popular in the Philippines. But before performing the concrete polishing process, professional contractors will always inspect both the floor and the underlying slab. To get a uniformly polished finish, we make sure your concrete slab is flat, even, and structurally fit for the next stages of the concrete polishing process.
Here is an example from one of our concrete polishing projects in Davao. The client wanted to transform their flooring from tiles to polished concrete.
The customized solution was removing their tiles and placing a new concrete floor. Then we made sure the floor is flat and the concrete cures properly before we started grinding.
By the way, this concrete polishing project is completed already. Do you want to see the result of our project? Check this video:
At DARIV, we always inspect the quality of your concrete slab. We make the necessary repairs before proceeding with the grinding stage. This helps us ensure you get the quality outcomes and value for money service you deserve. Send us a request for quote by clicking the button below.
The main reason why your polished concrete floor can last long is because the underlying concrete slab is well-built and structurally durable. And with that issue settled, it is time to talk about keeping your polished concrete floor in optimal condition. Here are some tips you need to maintain your polished concrete floor:
Sweep the polished floor regularly using a microfiber pad.
Polished concrete floors also encounter dust, debris, and hard materials daily. Unless they are removed, these particles can create tiny scratches on your polished concrete floor. At the same time, mopping the floor with rough fiber can also damage its shine.
The best material to use is a dust mop with microfiber pads. Their gentle, soft fabric can clean the floor thoroughly without harming its surface.
Wash the concrete floor with clean water and a neutral floor cleaner.
Using clean water is often enough to remove dirt from your concrete floor. But using water alone often just moves contaminants around the floor, making it dirtier and prone to discoloration. In cases where the concrete floor needs extensive cleaning, like when it encountered spills and stains, only use neutral floor cleaner.
A highly acidic cleaner can leave ugly etches on the floor. Using a neutral ph chemical, on the other hand, is best because they are designed to suspend dirt from the floor, making it easy to remove.
Clean up stains and spills immediately
Stains and spills can come from different sources and have varying reactions on your polished concrete floor. Of course, concrete is not a vulnerable as other flooring materials. But when stains and spills stay long enough on any surface, they dry up and become harder to clean using basic cleaning materials.
When stains and spills cling to the floor, cleaning the concrete floor may require you to use stronger materials than may remove the contaminating stain but would also harm the floors’ shine. To avoid this, make sure to clean up stains and spills at once before they cause unwanted damage.
No polished concrete floor is invulnerable. In residential polished concrete floors, for instance, foot traffic and the hard edges of appliances, shelves, and furniture, and the impact of heavy objects hitting the ground can potentially do damage on the floor overtime. Avoid damaging your shiny and beautiful polished concrete floor by sweeping the floor regularly using a microfiber pad, washing the floor with clean water and a neutral floor cleaner, and cleaning up stains and spills immediately. Contact us to know more about maintaining polished concrete floors. If you need our team for a concrete polishing projects, send us your inquires through this form.
Want to know how much this project costs or how much you will spend to have a polished concrete floor in your property? Send us details about your concrete polishing project and we’ll give you a FREE estimate of its cost.