The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
Polished concrete is a process of progressive mechanical grinding, honing, densifying and polishing a concrete surface. This is done to achieve an aesthetically pleasing, highly durable, light-reflective finish.
The polished concrete industry has seen growth, especially during the past three years, that is both encouraging and depressing. Whenever one has been part of an industry since its birth, he tends to be a little territorial. So, when change occurs, especially if it’s not in one’s own best interest, one often gets protective and possibly a little jaded. This doesn’t have to happen.
There are as many variables in manufacturing diamond tooling as there are diamond manufacturers. So which specific variables should you concern yourself with and why?
There are new profit opportunities in polished concrete for the decorative concrete contractor. This is a fact, and every decorative concrete contractor should look into polished concrete. However, nothing ever caused more people to go broke than too much optimism and too little planning.
Although a good grinder/polisher will take other types of pads besides diamonds, the industrial version of the gemstone is a must for a wide range of tasks. And, there’s the rub: just as with jewelry, these diamonds are seen as being expensive.
Our economy has taken a dive into the deep end, affecting some regions more than others, but generally affecting us all. So now is a good time to reflect on what exactly polished concrete is, and where polished concrete came from.
We’ve grown up, and now we have to act accordingly, and in unison, for our industry to reach its true potential. We all need to truly understand the process.
Polished concrete has a large learning curve. It is important to know what you are up against and how different techniques can result in different outcomes. This article is a great place to start when learning your craft.
Anthony Allen, owner of the largest winery in Maryland, knew he wanted a very special floor for his newly renovated wine-tasting and banquet rooms, located in a former dairy barn.
There are ways to evaluate a floor for polishing before quoting it. You will need to develop benchmarks (on test floors you’re currently polishing) before you can accurately predict how a future floor will polish and what densifier to use on the floor.
I went through this transition as a polishing contractor, so I thought that I would give you a few helpful tips and things to think about before you embark on this journey.
