Summary

 

 What is polished concrete?

 On which substrates should this concrete be applied?

 Laying polished concrete

 Price of polished concrete

 

 Polished concrete is part of decorative concretes such as printed concrete, washed concrete, stamped concrete or deactivated concrete.

 

 What is polished concrete?

 Polished concrete is in two words a self- polished or self-levelling mortar. Of soft consistency, it is easily spread with a squeegee.

 

 This polished concrete can be very shiny. Nevertheless, it remains relatively uniform in appearance.

 

 It is, however, possible to colour the concrete directly in the mass.

 

 On which substrates should this concrete be applied?

To simplify things, a DIY enthusiast will find it easier to apply polished concrete on an existing screed.

 

 Polished concrete can be used to create a terrace. In the context of a renovation, it can be placed on any support.

 

 The installation of concrete outdoors will be identical to the structure of polished concrete indoors. However, it can be slippery, which is why after the two passes of the installation of the polished concrete, it will be sanded less to keep a less porous and therefore, less slippery side.

 

 Maintenance will be done regularly with a high-pressure cleaner or only with a squeegee.

 

 To obtain a total harmony, it will be a good idea to choose the colour of the exterior polished.

 

 Caution: it is essential not to treat a polished concrete deck with corrosive products.

 

 Here is how to prepare your floor to receive polished concrete:

 

 – If any roughness is visible, remove it with a wire brush.

 – It is essential to dust the floor with a vacuum cleaner.

 – Then protect the bottom of the walls with strips of adhesive tape to avoid splashing when squeegeeing.

– Once your screed is dry, sound and rough:

 – Apply a coat of adhesive composed of special concrete glue diluted with 50% water.

 – Sand and cement will be added to the glue: you will have to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

 – The mixture must be liquid enough to be applied with a roller.

 

 Laying polished concrete

 To avoid any dripping, it is necessary to make a formwork around the surface to be concreted. For this purpose, formwork boards will be fixed by clamps, for example.

 

 Here are the steps for placing polished concrete:

 

 – The polished concrete mix will be made in a concrete mixer and then poured into the bucket in small quantities.

 – Then spread the mixture with a float.

 – Pour a second bucket, making sure that part of the material is superimposed on the laid material.

 – Spread the concrete with a trowel.

 – Continue in this way over the entire space to be covered.

 – Level with a squeegee and a ruler to obtain a flat floor.

 – The polished concrete layer should not exceed 6 mm.

 – The finishing with a polishing machine will be done on the fresh concrete.

 – Finally, for easy maintenance, use a polymer resin roller.

 

Price of the polished concrete

There are two possibilities for the installation of polished concrete:

 – Either, to call upon a specialised company;

 – Or, you can lay the polished concrete yourself.

In the case of the first choice, it won’t be easy to find a company willing to work for a room or a terrace of less than 50 m2.

If you are lucky enough to find a company that accepts this work, count between $40 and $80 per m2.

In the second case, calculate the cost of materials, the rental of a concrete mixer and a polishing machine and then divide the price of the whole by the number of square meters.

That’s it for polished concrete. Remember to share this post and leave your comments below.