Polished concrete seems to be all the rage today.  Just how do we go about polishing concrete? We polish concrete using a 40-grit diamond, followed by 100, 200, 400, and 800 resins. Next we apply a hardener and burnish the floor with a 1500 grit diamond pad. We also offer an option of an 3000 grit diamond pad with a polish cream added to the floor.  Doing this will create a high shine floor. Some customers want the floor to have a consistent appearance with all large aggregate showing throughout the floor.  Customers need to know that this is an unrealistic option unless the concrete is consistent while poured and all the stones are on the top.  The finished floor project has a lot to do with the integrity and consistency of the concrete pours.  

A polished concrete floor will be a high shine, easy to maintain floor system. But it is NOT a no maintenance floor.  A polished floor is very durable, but everyday traffic, abrasion, and spills can reduce the shine. Abrasive soaps and the wrong brushes on your scrubber can also reduce the shine. 

So just how do you maintain your investment? First, you need to mop daily. The dust on the floor will get ground in and lead to abrasion.  One needs to mop with clear water or auto scrub on a weekly basis. Monthly, use a mild soap with a neutral ph cleaner on the floor. When soap is used, be sure to clear water rinse as soap left on the floor will attract dirt.  You can also apply a small amount of hardener on a monthly basis. Annually, you need to do all of the above then follow up with a high speed burnish pad using a diamond impregnated pad with conditoner or polish guard. If the floor has really gone down in shine, you can apply one or two applications of stain guard and burnish it with a high speed burnisher and diamond pad. Q&D can also come in once a year to provide this service, or you can purchase the pads and supplies from us and do the maintenance yourself. 

A polished concrete floor is a great floor system in the right environment.  As long as you follow the above maintenance plan, your polished floor can last for years to come.