Not all “shiny” concrete floors are equal. A gloss finish on concrete can be obtained in three different ways, only one of which delivers the full benefit of a polished concrete floor:
1. Wax Coating
2. Guard-Assisted Polishing
3. Natural Polishing
Wax is the worst offender. This is a coating that is so soft it has to be rebuffed occasionally, and because it traps dirt, it will need to be stripped off completely and re-applied periodically, creating a lot of unnecessary waste. This is a very labor-intensive process. The good news is that one can eliminate this wasteful treatment and convert easily to polished concrete. Coatings can be applied to enhance gloss, but when damaged or worn, they typically require the entire coating to be removed and reapplied, or you will see a difference in sheen between the newly applied coating and the older areas.
There are some anti-graffiti, anti-mold coatings that MARBLELIFE will install when appropriate, but polished concrete is generally the lower-cost alternative. Guard-assisted polishing is when the floor is honed flat to a 200-grit finish, and an acrylic coating is applied that replicates the gloss of a 1500 or 1800 grit finish, providing good clarity and shine. While inexpensive, this finish only lasts a few years, at which point it must be either
reapplied or the floor needs to be properly ground up mechanically to achieve the long-term, low-cost benefits of a polished concrete floor. If specified in a project, MARBLELIFE will deliver a beautiful result, but the best approach for long-term maintenance cost of the building is generally a naturally polished concrete floor (unassisted).
A naturally polished floor has a mechanical shine that derives from the fact that the floor is so flat it reflects light accurately. This requires the concrete to be densified to reinforce it, as untreated concrete can otherwise be porous and brittle. A liquid, glass-like material is applied that allows the concrete to be ground up to a mirror finish. A coating, being softer than concrete, cannot provide the wear resistance of a properly polished concrete floor. When it comes to wear resistance and low-cost building maintenance, this is the best option.