Polishing Concrete Floors

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

"Its really one of those things you have to see with your own eyes."

—Doug Demmert, Demmert and Associates, Glendale, California

Demmert and Associates in Glendale, CA

Retail, warehouse and office facilities are sporting polished concrete floors over marble, granite, tile, linoleum, and coated concrete. And now homeowners are taking note and are seeking these smooth, high-luster floors that can replicate the look of polished stone for their own homes.

Polishing concrete is similar to sanding wood. Heavy-duty polishing machines equipped with progressively finer grits of diamond-impregnated segments or disks (akin to sandpaper) are used to gradually grind down surfaces to the desired degree of shine and smoothness.


Demmert and Associates in Glendale, CA

Almost any structurally sound concrete floor, whether new or old, can be polished. But there are some exceptions. Floors that are wavy, need extensive patching, or are extremely porous may not be good candidates for polishing. An experienced contractor can usually determine a floors suitability.

There are numerous options available with polished concrete, including:

  • Colored aggregate can be applied to the concrete mix or seeded into the top layer of the mix. The polishing process will reveal these aggregate.
  • Integrally colored concrete can be used.
  • Glass can be seeded into the mix. The polishing process will reveal the glass pieces.
  • Nails, bolts, computer chips, or any other objects can be seeded into the mix and polished smooth.

Of course, any of these options can be combined together or into a pattern.

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