Most homeowners make the mistake of thinking that installing polished concrete floor needs a lot of work. This is because they think that they need to break up the existing slab. You will save lots of money if you want to install polished concrete floor on your existing slab.
Polished concrete is a popular flooring choice for homes and businesses alike these days. However, installing polished concrete flooring can prove a little tricky if you’re not prepared.
From Slab to Sleek: A Step-by-Step Guide to Transforming Your Existing Concrete into Polished Perfection
The first step in installing a polished concrete floor is to ensure that the substrate is clean and dry. This will serve to minimize problems with adhesion throughout the installation process.
Next, use a hammer and chisel to remove any large cracks or loose material from your slab. You may also need to remove foreign objects, such as nails or screws that were left behind from previous installations or other construction activities.
The last thing you’ll want to do before installing your new polished concrete flooring is remove any coatings that might inhibit proper adhesion of the epoxy resin adhesive used on this product.
CONCRETE SURFACES MUST BE IN SOUND CONDITION BEFORE INSTALLING POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORING.
It is important to note that the preparation for installing polished concrete flooring on an existing slab are exactly the same as for new slabs. The surface must be clean and all cracks should be filled with an appropriate crack filler and then fine ground to ensure a flat surface, allowing the concrete to flow smoothly when it is poured. Check for moisture in the slab as you would with any other type of flooring – there are no point polishing a slab that has water seeping up from below, or one that has too much cement in it and isn’t strong enough to hold up under your weight!
THE BEST WAY TO INSTALL POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORING ON AN EXISTING SLAB
Polished concrete floors should be installed on a sound base. The best way to install polished concrete floors is on an existing slab.
Dimensions of the room and how to place polished concrete floors are important items to consider before you begin. You’ll need to determine if your subgrade is going to be able to support the weight of the flooring you will be installing, as well as any other rooms that may connect with yours, such as hallways or stairwells. Another important thing you’ll want to check is whether there are any structural issues lurking beneath this slab that could cause problems when you put down your polished concrete flooring over it; if so, those problems need to be addressed in order for everything else on top of them – including yourself! If not taken care of first hand by hiring professional contractors like us here at A&M Concrete Finishing Inc., then chances are good these issues won’t ever get fixed properly because no one else knows what needs doing besides us who do this type work every single day all year long (and sometimes even longer than just twelve months).
SURFACE PREPARATION FOR NEW OR EXISTING CONCRETE ARE THE SAME, CLEAN.
Surface preparation for new or existing concrete are the same, clean. Cleaning of the surface is required before applying any coating material. The floor must be free of all grease, oil and waxes, as well as loose materials such as dirt, rust, paint and aggregate particles. The cleaning process should remove all dust from particle boards and wood floors by sweeping with a stiff broom before washing with a wet vacuum followed by rinsing with clean water to remove grout residue on tile surfaces.
ALL CRACKS SHOULD BE FILLED WITH AN APPROPRIATE CRACK FILLER AND THEN FINE GROUND TO ENSURE A FLAT SURFACE.
Filling cracks is extremely important to the durability of your polished concrete floor. The concrete slab will likely have some cracks and imperfections, so it is important that they be filled before the polish is applied. If you don’t fill the cracks, you risk having an uneven surface on your new polished concrete floor.
In this step, we are going to use a crack filler that is compatible with our existing concrete slab (a rather thick slab). Our goal here will be to fill any cracks that are up to 1/2 inch wide in a circular area around that crack using grounded crack filler until it’s flush with the rest of our existing slab. This should ensure a flat surface for us when we’re ready for polishing later on in this process.
CHECK FOR MOISTURE IN THE SLAB – THERE IS NO POINT POLISHING A SLAB THAT HAS WATER SEEPING UP FROM BELOW, AS THIS WILL RESULT IN DELAMINATION.
Before you start polishing your concrete floor, it is best to check for moisture in the slab. There is no point polishing a slab that has water seeping up from below, as this will result in delamination.
Check for cracks in the slab – usually these are caused by freezing and thawing over winter and can be repaired by filling them with a hardener designed specifically for fixing concrete fractures. If there are any roughness on the surface or screed joints, then these should be filled with mastic prior to applying any polish or waxes to ensure a smoother finish.
ANY ROUGHNESS ON THE SURFACE SHOULD BE REMOVED BY GRINDING OR SHOT BLASTING TO OBTAIN THE REQUIRED SMOOTHNESS.
The preparation of the concrete surface for polishing is a crucial step, and involves grinding or shot blasting to remove any roughness in the surface. Any remaining defects should be filled with a suitable material like epoxy. The surface should also be checked for moisture levels as this will affect the durability of the polished concrete.
If you have an existing slab that has been laid recently, then it is likely that there will be no moisture problems because of its recent construction date. However if you are laying polish on an existing slab then this needs to be checked for seepage from below before proceeding with work as it may result in delamination when polished (whereby one layer peels off).
This process also applies if you wish to install new polished concrete over old tile or other materials – any loose tiles/blocks must first be removed before starting installation
SCREED JOINTS SHOULD BE GROUND FLUSH WITH ADJACENT SURFACES
As you finish grinding the screed joints, it is important to ensure that they are all flush with adjoining surfaces. This can be done by hand, but we recommend using a floor grinder for this process.
To achieve a smooth floor and the final finish of your polished concrete flooring, make sure your contractor readies each part of the job site before installing polished concrete.
FITTING STEEL REBAR IN CONCRETE FLOORING
Steel rebar is used to reinforce concrete, but it’s an important step to get right. Before the concrete has set, you’ll need to place the rebar at the correct depth and spacing. The best way to go about it is as follows:
- Measure out your project area and mark where each bar should be placed on top of your slab;
- Cut off excess length from each piece of steel with a hacksaw or grinder;
- Hammer in rebar stakes into the ground at designated points (note: do not hammer them too deep);
- Lift up one end of each piece of steel until it makes contact with its corresponding stake;
- Use pliers or some similar tool for extra leverage if necessary.[15] This will prevent damage during later steps when we’re pouring concrete over these stakes.
CHECK FLOOR HEIGHT MEASUREMENTS
When installing polished concrete floors, one of the most important things to check is your floor height measurements. Floor height measurement is how high or low a floor slopes from one side to another. The term “floor height” refers to the distance from the top of a wall or partition, or from any other horizontal surface such as a ceiling, to the uppermost portion of a finished floor surface.
Floor height measurements can vary depending on your needs and preferences, but generally speaking you want it to be between 1/8″ per foot and 1/4″ per foot. For example: if your existing slab has an average thickness of 12″ (12 inches), then using these standards would mean that you could use up to 18% slope without running into problems with water pooling or drainage issues due to excessive tilt during installation (this will give us some wiggle room).
PLACING POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORS
Polished concrete floors are installed by placing the concrete in a single pour and then polishing it to create a dense, smooth surface. This process can be extended to cover an existing slab as well.
To begin, locate and prepare your existing slab for the new flooring. If you have an old concrete pad or patio that needs resurfacing, these steps will help guide you through the process of installing polished concrete floors over them:
- Remove all debris from the area before removing any weeds or grasses growing on top of your existing slab. Make sure there aren’t any nails sticking up from previous projects (or anything else) that could cause damage when working on your new polished concrete floor!
- Use either a jackhammer or sledgehammer with chisel attachment to break up any large chunks in your old slab until it’s all manageable pieces no larger than 2 inches across (about 1/2 pound).
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OF POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORS
Polished concrete floors are very low maintenance. They can be cleaned with a dry mop or vacuum cleaner and may be polished with a buffing machine. If desired, you can use a penetrating sealer to protect your floor from stains, scuffs and spills. It’s important to remember that if you do not apply the penetrating sealer on your polished concrete floor on a regular basis, it will be vulnerable to damage.
Polished concrete offers some of the most durable and low maintenance flooring solutions available.
These floors are easy to clean, resistant to scratches and stains, and not susceptible to moisture damage. In fact, polished concrete can be installed over existing slab without any additional preparation! It’s no wonder why it has become one of the most popular flooring choices in today’s homes.
There are several things to consider when installing polished concrete floors. First, check your floor height measurements and how placing polished concrete floors will affect them. Polished concrete offers some of the most durable and low maintenance flooring solutions available. Routine maintenance of polished concrete floors is important for your long-term satisfaction with this type of flooring.
THE FINISH OF YOUR POLISHED CONCRETE FLOORING CAN BE SIMILARLY ACHIEVED BY USING DENSIFIERS
The final finish of your polished concrete flooring can be similarly achieved by using densifiers.
Densifiers are used to increase the density of the concrete, and they can also be used to create a gloss finish. They’re added to the concrete mix before it is poured. This will result in an increased strength, durability, and abrasion resistance in your polished concrete floors.
THE SUITABILITY AND FINAL FINISH
Polished concrete flooring is a long-lasting and low-maintenance solution for a wide variety of applications. It’s also one of the most durable flooring materials available. If you want to achieve professional results, it’s important to find out how to install polished concrete floors on existing slabs properly.
Polished concrete floors are durable, easy to maintain and suitable for a variety of environments. They can be installed in homes, commercial spaces or even outdoors as patio slabs! A polished concrete floor should never be installed on an unleveled slab without underlayment because this will cause bumps in your finished floor that may become permanent over time with heavy traffic/useage (like walking around with muddy shoes).
CONCLUSION
It may seem difficult to decide which flooring option is best for your project but by examining the pros and cons of polished concrete floors, the decision becomes much easier. A qualified flooring installer—such as Atomic Flooring—can help you navigate the costs and the installation process of a polished concrete floor. Ultimately, it’s important not to rely on a single source of information when considering installing a polished concrete floor. By interviewing contractors, reading articles such as this one, and talking with colleagues who have installed similar projects before, we can all get a better picture of what’s involved in planning and installing a polished concrete floor.
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