Concrete Polishing In Orange County. Concrete Polishing Orange County , Polished Concrete Flooring Orange County Concrete Polishing Garage Floor Epoxy Coating or Concrete Polishing Orange County, Concrete Polishing Los Angeles. Polished Concrete Los Angeles, Polished Concrete floors Orange County Polished Concrete Floor Concrete Polishing Los Angeles Garage floor coating or polished concrete Orange County with urethane can’t touch. For Concrete Floors Orange County, Palm Desert also Palm Springs and Concrete flooring los Angeles San Diego Palm Springs Palm Desert Call 800 674-3307 .The best concrete garage floor epoxy garage floor coatings, concrete polishing on concrete floor in Los Angeles and Orange County polished concrete floors garage floor, We spend hours every day researching and applying the latest in lasting durable concrete polishing finish. Click on Photo Gallery above to see pictures of our Garage floor coatings, epoxy garage floors, polished concrete, stained polished garage floor. From Palm Springs to Malibu to the Newport Beach and Laguna Beach With Concrete Polishing Los Angeles and polished concrete West Hollywood we service Shady Canyon also Irvine. The Kings Of Concrete.So we are confident that Concrete Polishing can help you to make the correct choice for Your concrete polishing needs. Concrete Polishing creates a tough durable surface

Concrete Polishing Los Angeles is fast becoming the ultimate no-wax floor material. Thanks to recent advances in techniques, concrete polishing contractors are now grinding concrete floor surfaces, whether new or old to a high-gloss finish that never needs wax or coatings.

Concrete Polishing for home, garage or office los angeles and orange county

Factor in the superior durability of concrete polishing and performance of concrete polishing, and it’s no wonder why more retail, warehouse, and office facilities are opting for concrete polishing on flooring as an alternative to marble, granite, tile, linoleum, or coated concrete. Even homeowners with concrete polishing floors are catching on to the appeal of these smooth, high-luster floors, which can be stained to replicate the look of polished stone with concrete polishing.

Even homeowners concrete polishing is catching on to the appeal of these smooth, high-luster floors, which can be stained to replicate the look of polished stone.

Even with homeowners concrete polishing is catching on.The the appeal of these smooth, high-luster floors, which can be stained to replicate the look of polished stone.

 

Concrete Polishing Floors are a new interior decorating option.

Publish Date: 03/04/2007 0:00

Concrete Polishing

Anyone who has ended up with an unfortunate polished concrete polishing job knows that the selection of right polished concrete polishing products is critical to the job. The finishing touches on a variety of projects can make all the difference.

Your NEW CONCRETE POLISHING FLOOR becomes hard and strong This is the Longest-Lasting Floor Solution Available There is simply no comparison to other floor systems when it comes to the life of a polished concrete diamond saw blades. diamond tools, for stones and concrete cutting polishing and drilling.

Attention: Contractors, Engineers and Facility Managers…

“The Idiots Guide to Concrete Polishing “

Dear Friend,

Thank you for stopping by our website.

By coming here I know that you have an interest in learning about concrete polishing and the process involved.

We have a downloadable course designed for contractors who are interested in getting into this field and also facility managers and engineers who would like to understand the process, pricing and pitfalls of going with concrete polishing .

In this training program we have 8+ hours of audio interview from experienced veterans in the concrete polishing fields. We surveyed to find what were contractors biggest questions in the field and put them to our concrete polishing experts and recorded their responses. In this course you’ll discover…

	The True Potential of Concrete polishing Applications
	The best way to get educated
	How to handle your first job
	The concrete polishing process step by step
	The different types of concrete polishing: Hard vs. Soft
	What machines are best to start out with
	Wet vs. Dry Grinding vs Vacuum Systems
	Enviormental selling points of polished concrete
	Job costs and pricing expectations

Marble Shooters specializes in concrete polishing and surface treatment to existing concrete using many different products and application methods to transform and protect concrete. We focus on using the highest quality materials and expert applicators for various types of commercial and residential projects.

The polished Concrete Surfaces difference is in its commitment to understanding the latest technological advances in materials and innovative application methods available today. Whether you’re looking for an upgrade to a large commercial epoxy floor (warehouse, parking area) or a face lift to an old gray polished concrete patio or pool deck, we’ll be able to tailor a solution to suit your need.Polished Concrete

Concrete Staining | Concrete Polishing | Concrete Resurfacing

If you recently ripped out carpet, tile, or linoleum, or your pool deck and driveway are all cracked up, there is a remedy. Concrete staining, polishing, and concrete overlays make your existing concrete beautiful again.

For a mottled, variegated look, concrete staining is the way to go. We have a wide pallete of colors to match any architectural style. Choose either glossy or satin finish. Concrete staining, interior or exterior, is an easy way to add value to your property.

Concrete polishing means grinding your concrete floors with finer and finer grit diamonds. Concrete polishing leaves a smooth, glossy interior floor that lasts for years. Polished concrete can also be stained. Polished concrete is for interiors, only.

Concrete resurfacing is a way to turn your messed up slab into a fresh canvas. We apply a thin concrete microtopping that can be changed to the natural look of flagstone, slate, or marble without the expensive mess. We can also create a sleek, ultra modern look. Every slab becomes a unique, one-of-a-kind bit of art that reflects the personality of its owner.

Whether you want glossy, haute-couture floors or a natural, satin finish, Coolstone Concrete Design and Resurfacing can create it for you. All without expensive tear-out and demolition.

1. About half the cost of tear-out and pouring new

2. Hypoallergenic concrete polishing

3. Eco-friendly polished concrete, with less natural resources used in production

4. Completely customizable polished concrete

5. Easy to clean.

As an engineer, I visualize a commercial floor as a thick concrete slab with lots of reinforcement. I’m thinking of the loads that the slab will need to resist, not the abrasion that it will see on the surface: but concrete in commercial and industrial applications must support heavy loads and resist surface wear.

Some say the surface of concrete is weak and needs to be coated with a more durable finish. Others say that the strength of the concrete is below the surface. According to some, concrete polishing is becoming the universal choice for commercial flooring. I’m going to take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of this process.

Concrete polishing, or “slab restoration” (as Kerry Pauley, president of The Irony Pony, Ltd., refers to it as), is being used throughout the country. Here is why: commercial concrete is often protected from wear and dusting with topical sealers and coatings. These sealers and coatings can range in cost from 50 cents per s.f. for topical sealers, to $10 per s.f. for epoxy and urethane- based coatings. Concrete polishing prices will range from $3-7 per s.f. for a 3,000 grit finish based on size of the project and the number of obstacles. “A 3,000 grit finish includes the use of an impregnating sealer that reacts with the concrete and fills the surface voids,” says Pauley.

Comparative Installation and Maintenance Costs for Polished Concrete FloorsBased on a survey conducted by the National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association, the information
below compares the cost per square foot of commonly used commercial flooring materials and polished concrete floors. This recent examination of flooring costs over a 20 year span illustrates not only some of the hidden costs involved in the purchase and installation of various materials, it also illustrates the dramatic difference in the cost of these materials.

Costs per Square Installed Annual Years Replacement Total Exp. Cost PSF
Foot Cost Maint. Av. Life Cost 20 Years /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 $1.01

Granit-Glaze $6.50 $0.46 20 $15.70 $0.79

PolishedCrete $3.98* $0.00 20 $3.98 $0.19

The installation costs for concrete polishing is half to one third the cost of coatings, but that’s not where the savings really lie. “Concrete polishing improves the overall quality of the floor,” says Poinsettia Byrd with VIC International. The long-term maintenance costs can be astronomical for a commercial floor. Businesses such as manufactures, department stores, restaurants, and car dealers use polishing because coatings and sealers can have issues such as delaminating, staining and wear through. The life of some of these finishes can often be measured in months, resulting in constant up-keep. Polishing concrete produces an extremely dense, abrasion resistant surface that will not delaminate.

The polished surface may lose some of its shine over time in areas of heavy forklift and foot traffic. The shine can be brought back with minimal aggravation and cost. The only maintenance a polished floor will need is the removal of abrasives such as sand. Depending on the use of the floor, cleaning with a light detergent may also be needed. The service life of concrete polishing cannot be determined as of yet since it is a fairly new process. But some existing polished concrete jobs that see heavy forklift traffic are over 5 years old and performing well with minimal maintenance.

Other benefits that commercial and industrial property owners see in polishing concrete are reflectance, slip resistance, low VOC’s polished concrete

Polished concrete is expanding and developing many new techniques and products for the Concrete Polishing Industry. The industry is in a crucial point as there are many contractors that do subpar work and call it Polished Concrete .” Thus a need for an independent Polished Concrete technical institute that “IT IS THE INTENT OF THE INSTITUTE to establish standards through accreditation, and to provide quality education and support for Architects, Engineers, General Contractors, Property Owners, Interior Designers, and Concrete Processing/Polishing Contractors/ Polished Concrete

The Concrete Polishing Association of America has also:

1. ✓Defined the processing process and its complexities.

1. ✓Defined the functional and aesthetic advantages and disadvantages of ground, honed and polished concrete.

1. ✓Defined the flooring options available when processing concrete to a desired finish.

1. ✓Brought true craftsmanship and professionalism to the concrete processing industry through contractor evaluations, accreditations and training.

1. ✓Developed written specifications that provide the desired results for the customer to include the concrete mix design, placement, finishing, joint layout, the ground, honed or polished finish to protection.

1. ✓Provided tools for contractors to further develop their business in sales, marketing, estimating, business operations and development, including meeting the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Continuing Education System (CES) credit requirements for concrete polishing.

Progressive Concrete Polishing

Polished Concrete Los Angeles

This retail store’s Laguna beach and Ladera Ranch ocean theme was enhanced with a variegated concrete floor. Using a turquoise acid stain was able to incorporate the aqua color of the store’s logo into the concrete Polishing

concrete polishing
Finished concrete polishing saves energy in several ways. In the summer time, a concrete polishing slab in contact with the ground draws the earth’s own natural cooling abilities into the building. In the winter, if a building has been designed to expose the slab to natural sunlight, it will soak up this radiant heat. Then at night the slab will release the heat into the building to provide a more uniformly warmer interior. Both of these are examples of concrete’s inherent thermal mass capability, which save money on heating and cooling costs.Concrete polishing is concrete that has been treated with a chemical densifier and ground with progressively finer grinding tools. The grinding tools are usually progressive grits of diamond grinding cup wheels and diamond polishing pads. Typically, concrete is not considered polished before 400 grit, and it is normally finished to either the 800, 1500, or 3000 grit level. Stains and dyes are often applied to enhance polished concrete as well as other options such as scoring, creating radial lines, grids, bands, borders, and other concrete polishing designs

Concrete Floors are a reflection of your style and taste – the initial impression created when a person enters your home or business – truly a lasting impression. Do your concrete floors reflect the right impression?

Decorative and Polished Concrete is becoming more popular everyday!

Concrete Polishing Palm Springs

New floors

Concrete Polishing Polished Concrete Slab

Concrete polishing new floors require less work resulting in lower costs, but there are a few things to be aware of before a new concrete floor can be polished. Firstly the slab can contain a decorative aggregate. The two most common aggregates are river stone, granite, and black basalt mix, however the aggregate can be almost anything. The finished surface of the concrete will need to be finished to a high standard to facilitate the polishing process. During the finishing phase any decorative aggregates such as seashells or car parts can be dropped into the surface of the concrete. Builder needs to be aware as early as possible if the concrete polishing is to be polished so that the final finish is of the best quality.

Retrofit floors

Concrete polishing Retrofit floors can be done in two ways. The existing floor slab can be cut or sanded and the natural aggregate will be the feature or a topping slab with a minimum thickness of 50 mm can be added on top of the existing slab.

Concrete Polishing on Floors are a reflection of your style and taste – the initial impression created when a person enters your home or business – truly a lasting impression. Do your concrete floors reflect the right impression?

Decorative and Concrete Polishing is becoming more popular everyday!

When you have a cement pavement and you decide to get it polished, you are ensured that it will definitely last longer compared to other alternatives. When you have a concrete polishing floor, you would only have occasional dusting and its gleam will last for years.
During this process, concrete polishing go hand in hand. This is not done only once. The grinding process itself has stages and even the polishing process gets redone if ever the desired shine and luster has not yet been achieved. Concrete polishing , you can either use a hand-held concrete floor polish or a mechanical one depending on the covered area. For industrial establishments, it is advisable to seek professional help since the larger the area, the more difficult it is to maintain consistency all throughout the concrete floor. A concrete polishing would last longer compared to marble or granite. There is also no need to wax the flooring anymore because it is already glossy. It is even resistant to dirt or abrasion done by extreme working condition like those working in factories, which frequently has high-traffic of people and machinery that are either coming or going. Not to mention that concrete polished floors are indeed attractive to look at.

The kind of concrete polishing to be used – either wet, dry or both is also considered although recent innovations have made dry concrete polishing more popular nowadays because it does not leave a lot of mess like that of wet concrete polishing. This kind could also withstand high temperature and is ideal in large-scale projects.

Concrete polishing

Concrete floors need to be applied with coatings because people walk all over them without much regard to their preservation. In other instances, they are exposed to seepage and moisture intrusion. As a result, these concrete floors would slowly erode because they are not tightly sealed under a waterproof coating, epoxy floor coating or concrete floor coating. Parking spaces and garages need to be applied with garage floor coating since these are always under pressure with cars constantly passing over them. Without quality floor coatings, renovation that should take place in a longer period of time tends to happen earlier than expected. Then, there would be a loss of money and investments.

Another factor that should be considered is the use of concrete polishing and floor coatings. When deciding on what materials to use in constructing your dream house or industrial building, the basic things that you should prioritize is the quality and durability. Constructing buildings that are intended for business or manufacturing should make use of industrial floor coatings. Note that using a lesser kind of coating will greatly affect your investments. So, invest properly and wisely. Not only would these coatings make your building attractive but it would maintain its foundation longer than you expect. Making use of materials that were well-thought of and designed will reinforce your facilities against any industrial hazards or extreme climate and weather changes for concrete polishing

Concrete floors need to be applied with coatings because people walk all over them without much regard to their preservation. In other instances, they are exposed to seepage and moisture intrusion. As a result, these concrete floors would slowly erode because they are not tightly sealed under a waterproof coating, epoxy floor coating or concrete floor coating. Parking spaces and garages need to be applied with garage floor coating since these are always under pressure with cars constantly passing over them. Without quality floor coatings, renovation that should take place in a longer period of time tends to happen earlier than expected. Then, there would be a loss of money and investments.

Another factor that should be considered is the use of epoxy concrete floor coating. When deciding on what materials to use in constructing your dream house or industrial building, the basic things that you should prioritize is the quality and durability. Constructing buildings that are intended for business or manufacturing should make use of concrete polishing. Note that using a lesser kind of coating will greatly affect your investments. So, invest properly and wisely. Not only would these coatings make your building attractive but it would maintain its foundation longer than you expect. Making use of materials that were well-thought of and designed will reinforce your facilities against any industrial hazards or extreme climate and weather changes on concrete polishing

Concrete floor poliahing or coatings are one of the most resilient types of construction material but undoubtedly; it is also vulnerable to destruction. In time, there will be damages on its surface that leaves very unwanted and unsafe conditions. As a natural resort, people will replace it with a new one. But wait, innovated machinery and highly improved technology allows us to do things that were not available and possible before. Now, we can repair and improve damages by simply resurfacing it. With this move, we can economize and have a practical solution that is of high-quality and excellent durability on your concrete floorAt present, establishments in Los Angeles and Orange County are resorting to many innovative methods to preserve their investments. They want every part of their facilities be made of the best materials and installed with meticulousness. Concrete Floorings are very important part of structures because they are constantly exposed to wear and tear. Nowadays, various types of floorings are found in the market and one of the highest in-demand is concrete floor done by concrete polishing

Here is the edited text.

MARBLE SHOOTERS
THE KINGS OF CONCRETE POLISHING
The truth of the matter is to make an informed decision you need two things;
Knowledge and Choices. We can provide you both; with over twenty years of
experience in concrete polishing & stone we have seen it all and tried it all. From
initial concrete design, to color and pattern cuts, together we will design the
perfect floor for you.
With options ranging from concrete Polishing, Stained, Dyed, and Coated Concrete we can
provide the solution that is custom tailored to your specific needs.
Please review our pictures by clicking on the icons below. If you would like a
free estimate or if we can assist in answering any questions you might have
please do not hesitate to call or email. It is our pleasure to serve you.

Options

Concrete polishing:
We transform your existing concrete slab into a high shine, low maintenance work
of art. Using the latest technological advancements such as: Diamond grinders,
concrete polishing consolidators, dyes, stains, and sealers, we can turn your concrete
into a unique work of art. Offering the look and durability of stone without the
extensive maintenance on concrete polishing or high price tag.

Concrete polishing Coatings:
When it comes to coatings, not all flooring is created equal. Many competitors
or big-box stores use low grade coatings that are designed to keep costs down
instead of perform or last. We use all industrial grade products that are
designed to cover, seal, and enhance your existing concrete polishing slab. Our 100%
solids epoxy is the base of our chip system and is sealed with a two-part
solvent based polyurethane top coat that is impervious to UV rays, oil, and even
hot tires. Providing a superior floor covering that is guaranteed to last like concrete polishing.

Stain & Sealed Concrete polishing Los Angeles:
Staining and sealing is the most affordable way of transforming your existing

Concrete Polishing – Getting Your Concrete Polished

When people think of Concrete Polishing, they often picture a drab, grey material used for the foundation of homes, unfinished basements and sidewalks; but consider the concrete floors that you see in large retail stores and in many industrial areas. These industrial strength floors are durable, decorative, and beautiful. With the help of your local contractor your dreams of having an attractive, very low maintenance flooring option is within your reach. When you choose concrete for your floors, driveway, garage or patio, you are limited only by your imagination. These floors can look as intricate as stone, as decorative as tile, and as creative as abstract art.

Homeowners everywhere are beginning to understand all of the advantages that concrete polishing has to offer. With the help of your local concrete polishing contractor, you can take dull and drab concrete and turn it into a shiny and lustrous floor with a long life and durable surface. Your concrete polishing contractor will use his or her tools and expertise to polish your concrete, making it less porous and more beautiful than you ever imagined. Now you don’t have to rip out and replace old flooring every few years – concrete polishing changes all that!

Concrete into a finished floor. Using an acrylic color, dye, or acid stain we
can quickly convert your old dingy concrete slab to a beautiful piece of
decorative concrete. You can even choose your finishes; from matte, satin, all
the way to high gloss. Sealer choices include: Acrylic, Epoxy, Impregnator, or
Polyurethane. Stain & Sealed Concrete polishing is the must have option for all the bare
concrete in your life.

The least expensive way to purchase concrete polishing worthy of large projects is to buy the dry ingredients and mix them yourself at the job site. Of course, this requires a lot of work, and you must either rent or purchase the necessary mixers and other equipment for concrete worthy of concrete polishing

 Using saw cuts and multiple color schemes we can create a personalized work of
art that will have people second guessing on what kind of surface they are
looking at. Patterns and colors can be tailored to make everything from shapes
to logos. Helping re-create the beauty and uniqueness of stone that will no
doubt leave a lasting impression with everyone that views it. Concrete polishing

If the existing floor surface needs to be solidified and densified before concrete polishing, the contractor might apply penetrating hardeners to the concrete polishing. This usually happens after first stage of the grinding process. The hardeners can be used on both existing or and react chemically with the concrete polishing to result in a hard crystalline structure. In addition, the hardeners offer extra protection from staining and water penetration and also prevent the concrete dusting after concrete polishing is complete.

Why Concrete Floors Are Pet-Friendly

Dear Roy, Your clients who have pets consider them to be important members of the family, and will often think about the needs of their four-footed companions when choosing the flooring materials they use in their home. This is a great selling point for concrete, since few flooring materials are friendlier to pets and their owners than concrete. Not only do concrete polishing floors stand up well to claws and muddy paws, they can also contribute to pet comfort and health.

1) They resist pet stains and odors. When the pores in concrete are sealed with a protective film-forming sealer or floor finish, pet urine can’t seep into the floor and leave behind lingering odors and stains. 2) They are easy to clean. When family pets shed fur or race through the house with rain-soaked or muddy paws, cleaning up after them is no sweat if the floors are concrete. Tell homeowners that they can simply give the floor a few swipes with a broom, towel or mop, and the mess is history. See Caring for Concrete Floors.3) They won’t trap pet dander, fleas or mites. In addition to fur, pets shed animal dander that can aggravate allergies in people who are sensitive. Smooth floor surfaces like concrete won’t trap this dander the way carpet will, making the dander easy to remove during routine cleaning. Concrete floors also won’t harbor fleas or mites that pets may carry into the home. (For more information, watch the video Controlling Allergen)4) They are nontoxic. Synthetic carpets can emit volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, as can some carpet adhesives and padding. Some of the adhesives used under vinyl sheet goods and linoleum can also emit VOCs. Concrete floors, stained with nontoxic pigments, do not release VOCs that can be harmful to homeowners as well as their pets.5) You can heat them. Because hot air rises, many homes tend to be colder at floor level. And since that’s where pets spend most of their time, the ability to warm up concrete floors with radiant heating will keep them comfortable while saving the homeowner big money on energy bills.6) They are scratch resistant. Rambunctious pets and their claws can really scratch up hardwood flooring. Concrete floors are inherently scratch resistant, and when protected with a good sealer or floor wax, they are virtually scratchproof. View this chart comparing the performance of concrete sealers.

Concrete Polishing for concrete floor is a process for turning a concrete floor into a highly abrasion resistant, incredibly dense, smooth and visually appealing surface.

Polished Concrete Floors

Concrete has long been known for its durability and cost-saving features. With modern technologies, homeowners and business owners are finding they can harness these advantages of concrete in their floor along with many other added benefits. Polished concrete is a popular alternative to other flooring materials because of three noteworthy benefits: lower total cost, lower maintenance, and aesthetics.

Polished concrete’s superior durability and performance have made it a top finish for retail stores, warehouses, office facilities, and municipalities. Homeowners, as well, are selecting these smooth, high-luster floors that imitate the look of polished stone.

Concrete polishing on concrete floors is very economical. Unlike many other floor surface materials, a polished concrete floor can last up to ten years or longer before it needs to be refinished. Maintenance after concrete polishing is also minimal, thereby reducing costs associated with keeping floors clean, durable, and traffic-friendly.

Polished concrete floors are striking in appearance. The exposure of the aggregate in the concrete polishing process unveils a look of stone. There are a variety of colors available on the market to stain or in some other way modify the color and look of the polished floor. There are also various levels of sheen depending on the degree of reflectivity and shine that is desired.

1. Construction of a structure with a stained concrete floor is really no more difficult or demanding than the case of any other flooring as long as a few common sense rules are observed to preserve the natural beauty of the concrete.

2. Do not mark or discolor the floor with paint, siliconeoil, plumbers glue, purple primer, masking tape, gasoline, sheetrockmud, red or blue chalk, grease pencil, magic marker, ink pens, and anything else you would not get all over a hardwood floor.We do have techniques that can remove some of these blemishes, however, this will not yield perfect results, it is costly and should be avoided.

3. Driving nails into the floor for wall braces will result in big ugly holes when you remove the nails. Plan “A” do not drive nails into the floor, plan “B” if you drive a nail into the floor “DO NOT REMOVE IT!!!” We can remove them without making the big ugly holes. We suggest bracing the walls by nailing the foot of the brace to the baseplate of the opposite wall.

4. Never pour acid of any kind on the floor. Acid will neutralize the lime in the concrete making it inert and unstainable.

5. Avoid cutting plywood,siding, USB etc. on a 2×4 laying on the concrete. The blade can strike the concrete when the plywood flexes making ugly irregular scoremarks on the concrete.

6. Never put tape on the floor! Tape will pull up tiny particles from the concrete surface when it is removed. When these areas are stained they will be darker than the rest of the floorand shaped exactly like the piece of tape that was on the concrete.

7. Do not leave nails or other metal objects on wet concrete. The nails will rust and leave nail shaped dark red spots on the floor. Similar blemishes can occur if lumber is left lying on the concrete in wet conditions.

8. Orange chalk should be used to srike lines for laying out walls etc. The good thing about orange chalk is that water washes it away completely. Never use blue chalk as it cannot be removed and can easily be seen through most concrete stain colors. Red chslk is also permanent and should be avoided.

Concrete polishing

Acid stain works by penetrating the concrete surface and reacting chemically with the concrete. This makes it a permanent part of the concrete. The stain does not wear off the surface like a concrete sealer or a concrete paint does, eventually.

All concrete floors accept stains differently. This creates natural color variations that are unique to each floor.

Most acid stains mimic earth tones like tan, brown, terra cotta, blues, and green. They are also translucent, meaning the condition of the concrete they are applied to has to be taken into consideration before concrete polishing

One of the most difficult (if not the most difficult) problems in the industry is edge work. Anyone who has done any concrete polishing will tell you that there is still no good solution for edges. Oftentimes, the edge work will end up being done by hand, and it is an art in itself to learn to blend the edges in with the rest of the floor. Many contractors won’t take jobs with relatively small amounts of square footage if there will be a great deal of edge work. You definitely want to take into consideration the amount of time you will spend doing edges in relation to the square footage of the job. Also, make sure the customer understands the nature of the beast with edges, their impact on price, and what to expect as far as aesthetics. Installing epoxy on the edges is often a great alternative to polishing them, but even with epoxy, you will still have to do some light grinding on the edges and prep them.

Most existing concrete has been abused. Chips will not go away entirely unless you grind away a great deal of concrete at a great deal of expense. Concrete in poor condition will require more labor and will have more flaws. Concrete in poor condition will also be rough on your tools. These flaws won’t necessarily look bad. They are what I consider to be part of the natural element in concrete, like the natural elements in a slab of marble or granite. However, the customer needs to know exactly what to expect, and you can’t price these jobs too low.

The waviness of the concrete will very much affect the ease of polishing and the outcome of your job. Wavy concrete floors are nothing rare. Some spots will be hard to reach, and your floor will require more work to be finished and will still not have an even look at the end. Unless you have a controlled pour, let the customer know that aggregate will vary a great deal throughout the floor. Expect to see large aggregate pieces in the joints and high spots and smaller aggregate in the rest of the floor. Make sure the customer understands this before you agree to do the job. The higher your high spots, and the more you need to grind them down, the larger the visible aggregate will be in those areas. Steer away from dealing with exposed aggregate on wavy Concrete Polishing floors.

Laser-leveled concrete is much easier to polish. You can charge less for these floors. Most of the new concrete poured for industrial or commercial use now is laser-leveled. It is in renovation work that you are more likely to run into wavy floors.

Some of the concrete floors poured now are also power-troweled to the point of being overtroweled for polished concrete. Some concrete is so overtroweled that it is almost burned, and it is either extremely difficult to polish or cannot be polished. Make sure you don’t make a commitment to polish a floor that cannot be polished.

When VCT (vinyl composite tile) is taken up, it often leaves ghost lines. These lines may not go away. Your customer will need to be aware of this ahead of time.

Soft concrete will cost you more to polish than hard concrete. You should perform a hardness test before pricing any job. Soft concrete will require hard metal-bond diamond tooling. That tooling will still wear out faster, so you’ll go through more of it — in some cases, a great deal more of it. This holds true for your metal-bond and your resin-bond diamond tooling, adding cost to your job.

If your customer is requesting an exposed aggregate floor, make sure they understand the aggregate will not be evenly exposed. What already lies within the concrete, as it lies there, will be exposed. Also make sure you charge considerably more, as more labor and tooling will be required. If the concrete floor is uneven or wavy, this will become even more of an issue. If it were me, I’d have a customer sign off on such work. In today’s environment, it is wise to make sure that everyone is on the same page. You don’t want to end up in a lawsuit over unrealistic expectations. It’s always better to underpromise and overperform.

Take into consideration dust as well as possible labor expenses for cleaning. Whether a vacuum system can make concrete grinding and polishing 99 percent dust-free is questionable. There will be dust, and quite a bit of it. In a setting such as an airport, retail store, or anywhere else where the public will encounter the dust, you must make sure you minimize this issue. You may have to clean at the end of every day. Understand that the last thing the end user needs is a lawsuit, not to mention the appearance of a very dusty environment. Also make sure your employees have dust masks available to them. Concrete dust can cause silicosis.

These are all good things to keep in mind while you are pricing your first concrete polishing jobs. You will get better and better at it as you gain experience. Just as it is true that concrete polishing is an art that has to be learned with experience.