Three Stunning And Creative Finishes For Your Home's Concrete Floor
Concrete has been a permanent fixture in the Australian building industry for many decades. It's a cost-effective, versatile and highly durable material that is popular in both commercial and residential capacities. Increasingly, Australian homeowners are using it to create beautiful, hardy and unique floors in their internal living spaces. If you're considering a concrete floor in your home, then here are three stunning and creative finishes you might like to consider.
1. An epoxy coating finish
An epoxy coating is a way to create a luminous, glossy and functional surface on your concrete floor. The epoxy coating creates a tough, waterproof and highly reflective finish that makes it ideal for use in living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms.
An epoxy coating can be clear to enhance the raw look of the concrete and highlight brightly coloured exposed aggregate in the concrete mix. It can also be coloured, providing you with a custom look for your concrete floor that perfectly complements the interior design of your home.
2. A polished finish
For a more subtle and refined look, a polished finish is a great option. A polished finish is achieved by first lightly sanding the top layer of concrete and then polishing it with a very fine grade of sandpaper on a disc grinder. Finally, the concrete is buffed using a specially designed concrete polish mixture and a soft, fabric attachment to the disc grinder.
The result is a smooth and flawless surface that has a lustrous and silken gloss finish. The process effectively seals and waterproofs the concrete flooring making a hard wearing and low maintenance feature of your home.
3. An acid stained finish
Acid stained concrete floors provide an edgy and more industrial feel to a home's interior. This finish is achieved by treating the top layer of the concrete with a mix of acid, salts and water. These elements score and etch the surface of the concrete, creating a unique patterning and a variation of colour.
Compounds can be incorporated into the mix to add different colours to the concrete if you prefer a more vibrant look than the standard grey of raw concrete. Once the acid mix has done its job, the floor will need to be sealed with a specialised concrete wax to ensure a non-porous and stain resistant floor surface.
If any of these concrete finishes sound perfect for your home, then contact your local concrete flooring contractor. They can help you to decide which finish will best suit your style and match your home's decor.
