How do you keep polished concrete floors shiny?

Dust and mop your floor regularly. Placing mats near entry doors can help cut down on your floor's wear and tear.

How long do polished concrete floors last?

Polished concrete floors can last a hundred years or more, even in the harshest environments.

Are concrete floors hard on your feet?

They can be if you're standing on them for extended periods.

Do concrete floors crack?

Concrete can crack, yes. Small hairline fractures in concrete might appear over time if it wasn't properly sealed.

Are concrete floors bad for your health?

On the contrary, there are multiple health benefits to concrete floors. They don't trap allergens, won't support the growth of mold and mildew, and can brighten your space and therefore your mood.

Are concrete floors worth it?

They're durable, easy to maintain, long-lasting, and are flexible when it comes to design. However, they're cold, uncomfortable to stand on for long periods, and can be slippery. It's good to weigh these factors against each other when deciding if concrete flooring is right for your space.

Learn about Concrete Flooring

Concrete flooring is floor made of an overpour of concrete, typically at least 2 inches thick or more. A concrete floor can be used as an effective place to install in-floor radiant hydronic heat distribution. The floor surface can be polished and finished with concrete floor stain to produce colors and patterns.

Look for concrete with a high content of recycled material and fly ash. If you are installing in-floor radiant heating in the floor, that's an additional cost, and if it's on the ground floor it needs to be extra well insulated underneath, because in-floor radiant heat loses more heat to the ground than other heating systems. Seek local concrete producers for lower transportation distance. Choose a low- or no-VOC stain to finish the surface.

Concrete is very durable, only requires a minimal finish, and requires little maintenance. It conducts heat well, so it works well as a substrate for in-floor heating. On the down side, concrete takes a lot of energy to produce, and its production emits high greenhouse gases. But once it is installed and cured, there are no off-gassing emissions in your home and it does not accumulate dust or dirt.

Mortar, a cement made of heated lime, sand, and water, that hardens over time with exposure to air, first made over 7,000 years ago in the Middle Eastern region, was an early precursor to cement, which is a key component of modern concrete.