| By :
Adriana Noton
Concrete polishing can turn the dingiest garage floor into a sports car showroom. Correctly done, the technique adds depth and character to a boring, much abused surface. The result is stylish, functional, hygienic and easy to maintain. The dazzling shine has to be seen to be believed. Over the last fifteen years, the application of a polisher to concrete flooring has evolved into an art form. With the application of colorful stains or epoxy and other resins, the end result can look like carefully crafted, exotic marble or tile. As a result, this type of floor treatment is ideal for industrial flooring, restaurants, airports, government offices, museums or anywhere that sees a lot of traffic. The technique employs sanding pads and grinders. It may be achieved using either a dry or a wet process. The wet process reduces dust but the resulting waste may not be recycled. The dry process is dustier, but the dust may be recycled. Dry grinding is therefore more friendly to the environment. Industrial diamonds and impregnating hardeners are used to create a tough, level and highly polished surface and seal the floor. Densifying is important to protect the surface from penetration by oil, water and other contaminants. The process increases strength and resistance to impact and abrasion. The benefits of a polished floor are numerous. In addition to durability and cost efficiency, it may also safe money on electricity bills. Light bounces off the highly reflective surface, enhancing the beauty, adding a spacious appearance to the room and cutting down on the amount of artificial light that is required. Another benefit to this treatment is the slip resistance of the final surface. Meets government standards and is even less slippery than waxed flooring. Applied to industrial floors in warehouses and factories, it is less prone to scuffing by forklift tires and other vehicles. Because the surface is so tightly packed that it repels spills like oil or paint that can ruin ordinary floors or require time-consuming and hazardous cleaning procedures. Because there are no toxic chemicals, the surface can be pressed into use as soon as the workmen have packed away their tools. The floor is suited to the exacting standards of pharmaceutical manufacturers, food production companies and hospitals. Not only is it attractive and practical, it also complies with the LEED rating system. LEED is an abbreviation for 'Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design', an international 'green' certification system. It provides independent verification that a building has been designed and constructed in such a way to improve performance in carbon dioxide emissions, energy savings, water efficiency and other objective measures of environmental friendliness. Once you have examined a few photographs of polished concrete floors, either in magazines or on the internet, you won't ever look at flooring again in the same way. Surfaces in supermarkets, train stations and department stores that you once thought were highly polished marble, terrazzo or stone tiles will turn out to be, on closer inspection, expertly polished concrete. Even the most complex pattern won't fool you any more.
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