People are quick to dismiss concrete flooring as cold and unwelcoming. Others relegate concrete flooring only for the basement or the garage. This attitude is due to longstanding misconceptions about concrete as a building material and concrete flooring. You will be pleasantly surprised by the flexibility and design options concrete offers you for your flooring needs. Whether you are a designer, homeowner or contractor, concrete flooring offers enormous advantages over other materials. Read more about the mind blowing benefits of concrete flooring and you may soon turn to it for future projects.
#1: Concrete Floors Last Longer
A properly polished and well maintained concrete floor can be expected to last for 100 years and more. Once poured, concrete can withstand heavy traffic for years on end. No wonder it is said that the best attribute of concrete flooring is its durability. This is exactly why concrete is the material of choice for flooring in busy warehouses, stores and garages. Since concrete has natural strength and resilience, it is very difficult to damage and chipping or scratching from dragging furniture, falling objects or pet claws is rather rare.
#2: Concrete Floors Cost Less
Are you aware that the cost to seal and shine regular grey concrete floors is extremely low, about $2 to $6 per square foot. Using concrete for flooring also gives you stone like, natural finish and look. It is also possible to go for a high gloss seal to make you floor look like limestone or pick a silicone-based penetrating sealer for a wet look. You can go for more intricate finishes too, which will cost slightly more, possibly around $17 per square foot. Some of the popular finishing choices with concrete floors are stained concrete or decorative concrete. Using different colors and application techniques, homeowners can create unique looks and variations for their floor. The one time installation cost may be a little more but with concrete floors, you save money in the long-term too as you will not have to replace it. Moreover, during the cold winter month, they absorb heat from the sun to keep the floor warm.
#3: Concrete Floors Need Little Maintenance
Besides being durable, concrete flooring can be easily maintained. All it requires is mopping with soapy water once a week and re-staining once every couple of years to protect the flooring. Spills and messes can be swept away easily and cleaning solutions can get rid of stains easily too.
#4: Concrete Floors Are Sustainable
Concrete floors are a green and sustainable option since most floor surfaces already have an existing concrete slab or subfloor placed underneath. Installing a concrete floor generally involves removing the surface on top, and no additional materials are wasted. No new materials need to be used so it has zero carbon footprint. When concrete is sanded down, polished or sealed it looks stunning.
#5: Concrete Floors Offer Versatility
Concrete floors offer adaptability to a huge variety of design options. Far from being grey or boring, modern concrete flooring provides the ability to mimic different natural materials and design and decor versatility. Once concrete is poured, it can be shaped into any kind of pattern and lots of textural changes can also be made. Concrete floors can be made to look like wood, stone or marble. Concrete flooring can be stained for any color finish as the color can be mixed directly into the concrete before being placed. Alternatively concrete floors can also be painted with a water proof latex paint. Concrete flooring is suitable both for indoors and outdoors too and it is no longer limited to just basements and garages. Concrete floors are perfect for the kitchen, bathroom, hallway or in the transition areas like patios or porches.
Besides being cost-effective, durable and easy to care for, concrete gives you amazing flooring choices, and it can complement any décor in your home. For any concrete flooring jobs, look no further than Davis Concrete, with over 60 years of concrete work experience in the Tampa Bay Area. If you have any questions of projects in mind, please call us!
