Polished performance
Published: 22 December, 2011
A new variation on an old theme, polished concrete is greener, cheaper and easier to maintain that terrazzo flooring, claim the suppliers.
Resin and polished concrete flooring specialist, Quest, has a brand new flooring product, that is environmentally-friendly, durable and aesthetically pleasing, and which it says retailers and property owners have been crying out for for years. Unlike standard polished concrete, a range of materials, rather than conventional stone, can be laid in such a way to ensure a uniform pattern.
“Concrete flooring can be a problem in that it is essentially a mixture of stone and cement, so you can’t guarantee the distribution of the stone underneath once polished, leaving a random pattern,” explains Quest’s marketing manager, Paul Pratt.
“Previously polished concrete was only used in warehouses and places like B&Q rather than high-street style shops because the aesthetics weren’t up to scratch for a retail environment – it’s never been used in shopping centres before because of that issue.
“With the Polished Concrete Topper, materials specified by the client are laid down before the concrete is poured on top and then polished down, so we can control what the end finish will look like.”
The concrete topper is available in a range of colours, something that is hard to control with standard polished concrete floors. The colour range consists of white, light grey, standard concrete, beige, rust red and anthracite, and along with these, an aggregate of any colour can be used in the mix whether it be river bed pebbles, red marble chippings, black granite chippings, or even glass/mirror chips.
It’s something Quest has been looking into for the last 5-7 years since polished concrete began to be used. And in the next couple of years, the company hopes it will revolutionise decorative flooring from an environmental perspective.
As Pratt explains: “There are no chemicals used in the manufacture of concrete unlike resin, an ingredient in terrazzo flooring, so there’s less of a carbon footprint. And whereas resin needs to be cleaned with chemical based products, polished concrete can be cleaned effectively with water.”
The initial cost of the Polished Concrete Topper is about the same as terrazzo/resin flooring - anywhere between £30-£120 per sq m but it’s the maintenance costs that make the difference.
The lifetime of a resin floor is about seven years, after which it will need to be re-applied, often with minor maintenance in between because resin is susceptible to stains.
The lifetime expectancy of Polished Concrete Topper is 15-20 years, cutting maintenance costs by half. Plus there are almost no joint or grout lines as with terrazzo or tiles floors, saving further costs as these grout lines can lead to movement of the floor and can be costly if they fail. Concrete also seals more effectively against fluid ingress.
“All floors from carpet to marble will have been laid on concrete,” says Pratt. “Essentially, we’re taking away the need for a top layer and there’s cost-savings in that too.”
Maintenance is made easier too, because unlike other flooring options adopted by retail and retail property, the stone, colour and finish are easier to match.
It’s also versatile and can be used anywhere from steps and concourses to back of house. Quest is in the process of designing a specification for a national fashion retailer, which is currently using standard polished concrete flooring. Quest hope they’ll adopt the new product for one of their stores initially, where refurbishment work is due to start in three weeks’ time.
As with other floors, it can be polished to different degrees from mirror shine to a matt option, which can help to reduce the risk of slip and trip accidents.
“Polished concrete is something we’ve been asked for over and over again,” says Pratt. “It’s environmentally friendly, aesthetically pleasing, very hard wearing and difficult to damage or stain - there are endless benefits.”
