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Updating the look of your facility can breathe new life into both a space and the employees who work there, creating a more welcoming and productive atmosphere. One of the biggest updates that a facility can do to change the spaces physical appearance is to replace old, outdated VCT tiles or carpeting to something new, bright and shiny. This however has many costs associated with it, such as cost of installation, materials and cost of maintenance after installation. There are many different varieties of floor surfacing to chose from it can be difficult to know what will be the best option for each facility based on their needs. Many of NECS’ customers are now seeing the benefits of updating their old floors to polished concrete. From helping to earn U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) credits, to providing performance benefits, polished concrete is fast becoming an attractive alternative to carpet, VCT and vinyl flooring throughout all business facilities.
Polished concrete flooring is thought to be the most efficient solution for industrial applications. The greatest benefit of a polished concrete floor is the cost factor. Polished concrete is less expensive per square foot than carpeting, tiles, linoleum or any other forms of floor coverings that are available in todays market to be installed. The ease and low cost of maintenance is another key decision factor; Not only are polished concrete floors easy to clean, they hold up extremely well to heavy foot traffic. Polished concrete does not require any kind of major maintenance except for daily sweeping and mopping or perhaps a buff using a polishing pad as to avoid dirt accumulation which ensures its shine and luster will stay intact. This also eliminates the need for messy waxes, coatings or sealants that would typically be used on conventional floors, as well as the associated labor, time and the expense to apply them. With the elimination of most hazardous chemicals polished concrete is undoubtedly the most environmentally friendly flooring option available today. When it comes to installation and the lifetime maintenance costs of keeping this type of flooring looking like new, polished concrete is the best option.
The high light reflectivity and great thermal conducting properties of polished concrete is another important benefit, especially for facilities that want to project a bright, clean, warm and professional image. Polishing concrete can give a higher degree of shine, similar to a polished marble, which can be achieved with a high-gloss coating. This makes polished concrete a particularly good alternative for businesses that can’t afford marble or granite floors but want the same brilliant, mirror-like finish. It’s also possible to produce a terrazzo look by grinding through the top few millimeters of the concrete surface to expose the aggregate. The process of creating a polished concrete floor creates a smooth nonporous surface which prevents dusting and staining, unlike most other flooring materials which are porous and can be difficult to clean and maintain. Carpeting and other floor coverings can attract and hold dust, microorganisms as well as mold. Polished concrete is a hypoallergenic flooring option because they are unable to hold these harmful particles, which promotes cleaner air throughout your facility.
Concrete is a versatile material for floors and lends itself to a variety of finished looks for commercial facilities, from glossy looks to stained looks that can also include your company logo. The highly reflective surface is hard to scratch or chip and is classified as a non slip floor. Polished concrete allows the floor to breathe and eliminates issues that arise with other flooring materials that seal off the concrete, such as tile, laminate or carpeting.
There are 4 different finishes of concrete flooring that are available to chose from:
Flat Finish: Images of objects being reflected have a flat appearance, with a clarity of 0-9% -
Satin (honed) Finish: Images of objects being reflected have a matte appearance, with a clarity of 10-39%
Polished Finish: Images of objects being reflected do not have a sharp and crisp appearance but can easily be identified, with a clarity of 40-69%
Highly Polished: Images of objects being reflected have a sharp and crisp appearance, as would be seen in a near mirror like reflection, with a clarity of 70-100%
Hiring a knowledgeable and dependable team is the best way to create a high-quality finish. The concrete resurfacing pros at NECS can assess your concrete to come up with a tailored plan for your specific floors. Highly-trained professionals can handle the entire resurfacing process from surface preparation through final cleaning and finish, so we take the stress out of hiring different companies for cleaning and resurfacing. With multiple certifications through Certified Building Service Executive (CBSE),
we maintain high standards for all types of cleaning for our commercial clients in the eastern Massachusetts area.