Polished Concrete

Some of the Benefits of Using Polished Concrete Floors In Industrial and Warehouse Applications

Polished concrete has long been enjoyed in warehouse and industrial facilities due to its low cost, high durability, long life, and abrasion resistant nature. The benefits of a polished concrete floor include:

Elimination of Dusting from Efflorescence
In ordinary unpolished concrete, tiny particles of dust are pushed to the surface through an upward force called hydrostatic pressure, resulting in efflorescence. Efflorescence leads to dusting, which forces epoxies, toppings and other coatings and sealants to delaminate from the surface of concrete floors. This dusting and delamination make maintenance a costly priority and will drive up the cost of such toppings over their respective life-cycles.

Stain-Resistant
By densifying and sealing the surface, polished concrete transforms a porous concrete floor into a tightened floor that is dense enough to repel oil, and other contaminants, preventing them from penetrating the surface.

Increased strength
Densifying the surface provides for greater strength for old, deteriorating, weak concrete, with more abrasion resistance (ASTM C779) and an increase in impact resistance (ASTM C805-97), as well. Polishing concrete actually removes the top part of the surface of the old concrete floor (including any patchy, partial, or whole coatings), and hardens the exposed surface beneath.  Old, deteriorating, or weak concrete is strengthened, and its impact and abrasion resistance are increased.

Improved Reflectivity and Ambient Lighting
The reflectivity of a polished concrete floor increases the lighting in facilities. Increased ambient lighting will reduce the energy bill as well as look beautiful. One of our customers has been able to completely turn off all lighting (during sunny days) and rely only on skylights to illuminate their 10,500 ft 2 boat showroom.

Increased Slip Resistance
Polished concrete, though quite shiny, does not create a slippery floor. In fact, the benefits of mechanically grinding and flattening the floor will increase the coefficient of friction when compared to ordinary concrete and other toppings and sealants. Polished concrete often exceeds OSHA standards for floors. (ASTM C 1028)

Elimination of tire marks
Polished concrete will resist tire marks from fork lift trucks, vehicles and industrial type hoppers and parts baskets.  With other floor systems, a tire mark is usually there to stay until the floor is repaired. When a forklift burns out on a coated floor the friction caused between its tire and the surface leaves a mark. This does not occur on a polished concrete floor as there are no resins to burn on the surface.

Decrease in overall fork truck tire wear and tear
In heavy industrial facilities, rough and uneven surfaces cause fork lift tires to wear out rather quickly. Most concrete floors have small "curling" joints, from where the concrete bows upward on the edges during concrete curing. Polishing concrete will level uneven joints and make the entire surface smooth, making tires last much longer.

Less Maintenance
Most floor systems, including tile and linoleum, require aggressive scrubbing to maintain a clean environment and nice appearance.  Polished concrete surfaces are tightly compacted, reducing stains, and do not require any waxing or stripping to maintain the sheen. 

Cost-Effective
Polished concrete will reduce energy and maintenance costs significantly through reflectivity and ambient lighting, reduction in upkeep (such as waxing), and reduced tire wear. Life-cycle costs for polished concrete are lower than any other type of flooring.

LEED Friendly
Polished concrete not only utilizes existing concrete surfaces, eliminating additional materials such as coverings/coatings and moving towards sustainable building, it typically contains no VOC’s, making it friendly for any USBGC LEED project.

No Production/Plant Shutdowns
Polished concrete can be put into service immediately after the process is complete. Due to the cleanliness of the process and the lack of toxic or hazardous chemicals, floors can often be serviced while the plant is in full production.