Polished Concrete versus Other Flooring Materials

By Anne Balogh, The Concrete Network

Decorative polished concrete offers a number of advantages that other flooring materials can't match, particularly when it comes to durability, performance and sustainability. Here, we compare polished concrete floors with some of the alternatives.

	Wall-to-wall carpet	Ceramic tile	Vinyl or linoleum	Wood or wood laminate	Natural stone (such as slate or marble)	Polished concrete
Available in a wide spectrum of design options Learn More See Options with Polishing Concrete Floors	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Unlimited
Longevity and performance Learn More Durability and Resource Conservation	Poor	Good	Good	Good	Excellent	Excellent
Ease of maintenance Learn More Maintaining the Shine	Poor (needs frequent vacuuming; stains easily)	Good	Good (linoleum may need occasional waxing)	Good	Good (linoleum may need occasional waxing)	Excellent
Can radiate heat and store solar energy Learn More Radiant Floor Heating Systems	No	No	No	No	Yes, depending on the material	Yes
Vulnerable to humidity and moisture damage	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
Can harbor mold, mildew, dust mites and other allergens Learn More Easier Breathing	Yes	No	No	Yes (mold and mildew, if the flooring becomes wet)	No	No
Is a sustainable flooring alternative Learn More Project Profile: School Goes Green with Polished Concrete	No	Yes	Maybe (if using linoleum made from all natural materials)	Maybe (if made from reclaimed or FSC-certified wood)	Yes	Yes
Average cost per square foot installed Learn More Polished concrete cost	$3.38 - 6.61*	$11 - 22*	$2.64 - 5.64*	$8 - 10	$20 - 50+	$3 - 7 (for a 3,000-grit finish and the use of an impregnating sealer)
Average lifecycle cost Learn More	High	Low	Intermediate	Intermediate	Low	Extremely Low

*Source: Old House Web

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