Are you looking for a concrete floor polish guide? Don’t know how much it will cost to polish concrete floors effectively? Do not worry!
Check out Iconic Cleaning’s guide to jump on the best concrete floor polishing process.
Now! Let’s get started!
How To Polish Concrete Floor?
Polishing concrete floors is a process with steps taken in sequence. We have developed a simple and effective guide to making your life easier. Refer to the step-by-step implementation below:
Step 1: Remove any adhesive material on the concrete surface
The first thing to start the polishing process is to clean the adhesive material on the concrete surface.
You can proceed with mechanical removal, but if the adhesive is stubborn, you can use suitable chemicals.
Note that you should remove anything that sticks to the concrete surface, from glue, ties, mastic, etc.
Step 2: Repair cracks and joints
After removing the adhesive, we must treat the joints and cracks on the concrete surface. For special cracks or dams, polyurea joint fillers can be used to fill them.
Step 3: Concrete grinding
Concrete grinding is done similarly to sanding wood or other surfaces. You can use a concrete grinder or diamond tools that act as sandpaper. The higher the grit, the smoother and shiny the finish, and vice versa.
You can start with a low-grit diamond tool of 30-40 grit, gradually increase it to 80 grit, and end up with 150 grit. If you want a smoother surface, you can continue to increase the grit.
Step 4: Harden the concrete
To optimize the performance and preserve the shiny appearance of concrete, we need to thicken it with the right chemicals.
You should choose chemical hardeners like LS/CS, LS, etc., to make the setting more accessible.
Step 5: Polish the concrete
You can use a concrete grinder to conduct polishing. After inserting the high abrasive diamond tool into the machine, we start polishing.
At the beginning, we usually use around 100-grit to 200-grit diamonds. When finishing, you need to use a diamond tool with a higher grit, between 800-1500 grit.
Step 6: Protect the concrete
The protective layer will keep your concrete floor looking good for longer and easier to maintain. You can refer to some protection classes such as LSGard, polish guard, Concrete Protector SB, etc.
So with just 6 simple steps, you can have the perfect concrete floor polish. If you are concerned about the cost of polishing, you can read the next section for the answer.
Concrete Floor Polish Costs – How Much Does It Cost To Polish Effectively?
You can expect to pay between $3 and $12 per square foot to the contractor when polishing concrete.
The cost of concrete polishing can increase or decrease depending on many factors, such as the condition of the concrete, the desired level of polish, and the size and layout’s floor.
Depending on your polishing requirements, the price of concrete polishing will vary.
To give you an idea of the prices that correspond to different levels of polish, follow the price list below:
| Polishing level | Price | Polishing benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Matte Polish | $2.00 to $6.00 per square foot | – One layer and color of stain – Ground and polished to a moderate shine – Minimal surface preparation |
| High-Gloss Polish | $3.00 to $8.00 per square foot | – Two colors of stain – Simple scoring pattern or other simple design elements- Glossier finish – More extensive surface preparation |
| Concrete Stain Inclusion | $0.50 to $2.00 per square foot | – One layer and color of stain – Ground and polished to a moderate shine – Removes stains effectively |
| Concrete Overlayment Inclusion | $4.00 to $10.00 per square foot | – Multiple stain colors or custom color matches – Elaborate designs, patterns, or stencils – Hand-applied staining details – Extensive grinding and surface preparation |
| Stenciling / Artistry | $8 to $12 and up per square foot | – Custom color retention combination polish – Polish and restore works of art – Extensive grinding and surface preparation |
Best Tips For Concrete Floor Polish
Your concrete floor will be polished better if you follow these helpful tips. It is drawn from many years of concrete polishing experience.
Carefully Check The Condition Of The Concrete
It is best to check the concrete floor’s condition before choosing the polishing level. Each floor with a different condition will require different polishing.
It is possible that this floor does not need too much polishing but needs to fill in the holes. In addition, knowing the condition of the floor will help you choose the proper polishing method.
Do We Need Any Specific Cleaner?
After understanding the condition of the floor, you should rely on it to know if you need to use any more cleaning agents. Each stain and floor condition will require different cleaning agents.
To ensure everything is working properly and efficiently, you should look to a contractor or professional polisher for the great advice.
=> Here is our recommendation: Equipment and cleaner you need for the concrete floor
Choose The Right Contractor
A professional contractor will not only help you complete the concrete polishing but also could make the floor last longer with the specific technic. They know what cleaner to use for stains and what polishing method to use with this concrete floor condition.
=> Referring to the sharing in the article “7 Questions You Better Ask The Floor Cleaning Contractors” will help you have more advantages.
Test One Area Before Doing The Whole Thing
Before polishing the entire floor, you can ask your contractor to polish a part of the concrete first. It helps you have the most accurate assessment of this polishing method and level.
You can make the final decision based on the results of that part of the polished concrete floor.
Last Words
Concrete is a durable flooring material that is inexpensive to install and easy to maintain. It is used as the flooring of many locations, such as laboratory floors or playgrounds.
Concrete floor polish is an indispensable job if you want to protect and maintain the use of concrete floors for a long time.
Professional and experienced floor cleaning contractors should do concrete polishing. Hopefully, the information in this article will bring you beautiful polished concrete floors.
