Concrete that looks like wood or marble is a relatively new flooring innovation. This is making a lot of people happy since concrete is not as expensive as other flooring choices. Yes, it is true, concrete flooring can mimic this look and people will not even realize that they are standing on is concrete until they get an up close look.
Make no mistake, concrete flooring is still a mix of water, aggregate and cement. When dry it looks like stone and has superior durability in any location such as retail floors, driveways or in homes. In a home it is ideal for high traffic areas and works well if you have animals with long claws such as a dog.
What is on the market in terms of concrete flooring? Let’s take a quick look at some of the options you can choose for concrete flooring. For instance, stained concrete can have a really interesting speckled and blotchy appearance achieved with stains and acids. This may not be for everyone, but you have a variety of really colorful textures and designs you can try. It is the stain that etches and grabs the color, adhering it to the surface of the concrete.
If the stained look is not your style, then you might like polished concrete flooring. This is treated with a chemical densifier, followed by 12 other steps to finish it that involve grinding and polishing. Needless to say, the grinding and polishing is done with diamond and resin grits. The results are quite esthetically appealing and offer a glossy look. Other bonuses include it is easy to clean, always looks neat and will not allow anything to penetrate it.
Want a wood look? No problem. This is done by combining stained and scored concrete to mimic natural stone surfaces, and yes, you can have it in whatever color you want. Who knew concrete flooring could be so interesting? After all, consider some of the advantages of having a concrete floor. It is strong, cost effective, really easy to keep clean, very hygienic, and highly stain resistant. It is likely that you will not need to replace it any time soon as concrete flooring does not chip, peel, fade or crack.
Dean Dupre is with Champion Tile, a Clearwater Flooring, Tampa Flooring, and tile installation company. To learn more, visit Champtile.com.
