Rescue of a badly finished polished concrete floor
A polished concrete floor left in a mess
I know we said we wouldn’t come in and fix other’s bad workmanship, however , if we feel we can improve the situation for a distressed client we try our best. This concrete floor was supposed to have been polished to a Bronze finish ie; left with a shiny, smooth surface. A Bronze finish involves cleaning, polishing and sealing the concrete slab. It will show up variations in the concrete. No grinding takes place, therefore no aggregate is exposed.
This floor was unfortunately handed over in a very poor state. There were obvious track marks all over the floor from the machines. There were humps and dips in the floor and the floor was rough to touch in many places. Left in this state this floor would have been impossible to maintain.
Fixing someone else’s mess
We were resistant to come in as it can be very difficult to get a satisfactory result when you are trying to fix problems left by someone else. We knew straight away the only way to improve the floor was to grind down the uneven surfaces and imperfections. This would expose the aggregate and was not the finish the client had intended.
Samples across various locations
We were also unsure of what we would find under the surface once we started to grind. We agreed to carry out samples across a few areas to test for inconsistencies in aggregate dispersal. We also wanted to ensure the client was happy to proceed with the finish we could achieve. We also had to be mindful of levels and saw cuts and ensure grinding off 3 mm wouldn’t affect these. Concrete polishing a bad floor was a choice no one wanted to make but thankfully the various samples revealed a nice dispersion of aggregate underneath which seemed to be consistent across the entire floor. The client was happy to proceed.
Let the Grinding begin
All architraves, skirting boards and doors had to be removed and the walls and glass doors protected. We ground off the top layer of fat rendering the floor smooth and flat with all blemishes removed. A densifier was applied and the floor, once dried , was sealed with a penetrating seal. It turned out to be a stunning rescue job and the floor, now with a Platinum finish looks fabulous. All’s well and that ends well and the client is now delighted with their newly polished floor.
So moral of the story folks, ensure you check out the credentials of any contractor before you commit. Ask for client testimonials if unsure. It is a good idea to get samples done on day 1 across various locations to ensure you are happy with how the floor will turn out.
Get in touch
Our legacy is quality projects we can be proud of. We value the inputs of our customers, our team and our supply chain in reaching positive outcomes. Health and safety to our people and the public is a priority for us and without compromise.
If you are working on a similar project we would love to hear about it. Dont hesitate to call us or send in the details of your project through our contact page at https://pmac.ie/contact-pmac/
PMAC is a registered Heritage Contractor and a link for the site can be found below.
https://heritageregistration.ie/heritage-contractors-listing/
