What is Polished Concrete?
Polishing concrete is similar to sanding wood. The use of heavy-duty polishing machines equipped with progressively finer grits of diamond-impregnated disks (akin to sandpaper) are used to gradually grind down surfaces to the desired degree of shine and smoothness. Unlike unpolished stained floors, polished concrete will exhibit a glossy sheen and high reflectivity without the use of a topical coating. Polished concrete is recommended for high traffic areas because of its low maintenance and sheen durability without the need of sealers.
Benefits of Polished Concrete:
The chart below compares the cost per square foot of commonly utilized commercial flooring materials and polished concrete floors. Information on this chart is based on a survey conducted by National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association. This recent examination of flooring cost over a 20 year life span illustrates some of the hidden cost involved in the purchase, installation and life cycle of various flooring materials.
Cost per Square Foot |
Installed Cost |
Annual Maint. |
Years Av. Life |
Replacement Cost |
Total Expence- 20 Years |
Cost PSF/Year |
Vinyl Sheet Flooring |
$2.72 |
$1.39 |
9 |
$3.43 |
$38.14 |
$1.91 |
Vinyl Tile Flooring |
$1.23 |
$1.47 |
15 |
$1.60 |
$32.76 |
$1.64 |
Ceramic Mosaic Tile |
$6.48 |
$1.22 |
20 |
---- |
$30.88 |
$1.54 |
Quarry Tile |
$5.78 |
$0.58 |
20 |
---- |
$30.18 |
$1.51 |
Cement Terrazzo |
$8.50 |
$0.46 |
20 |
---- |
$20.10 |
$0.79 |
Granite-Glaze |
$6.50 |
$0.46 |
20 |
---- |
$15.70 |
$0.79 |
Polished Concrete |
$6.00 |
$0.00 |
20 |
---- |
$6.00 |
$.030 |
Your comparative cost may vary depending on coloring, preparation, desired outcome and square footage.
Additional Polish Concrete information can be found in the links below:
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