Residential concrete polishing

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Author Message Robert E. Woodburn, CCS, SCIP Senior Member Username: bob_woodburn Post Number: 201 Registered: 11-2010 Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2022 - 06:30 pm:    I would appreciate advice on polishing a garage floor in Houston, 387 SF, 66 years old, uncoated, in relatively good condition. Desire a smooth, shiny, unstained finish (as in many big box stores), for ease of maintenance, to keep it looking "clean." What should I know about densifiers, sealers, anti-slip treatments (if necessary), equipment, methods, selecting a contractor, etc.? (4specs forum searches didn't appear to turn up anything.) Thank you! Ronald J. Ray, RA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: rjray Post Number: 208 Registered: 04-2004 Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2022 - 07:11 pm:    Robert, My experience is that most "big box" stores do not have polished concrete. They have buffed floors that use various reactive densifiers. If this is an approach you would consider, I suggest you contact manufacturers of these products, such as Curerete Distribution (Ashford Formula,) Dayton Superior, Laticrete (L&M Seal Hard) or Euclid. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2022 - 11:08 pm:    Thanks. Maybe I'm using the wrong terminology, but I've seen a lot of publicity about "polished"concrete since it began to be popularized around 2005, but I don't recall seeing anything about "buffed" concrete. If I see individual overhead lighting fixtures reflected (though not a complete "mirror image" reflection), is that "buffed" concrete? Or "honed" (as in stone)? Is that a different process from polishing? Thanks. Ronald J. Ray, RA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: rjray Post Number: 209 Registered: 04-2004 Posted on Thursday, March 03, 2022 - 09:06 am:    "Buffed" concrete is not a term used in the industry. It is just a description of how the sheen can be achieved All I am saying is "big box" type stores are not spending the money on polished concrete. Seeing a reflection in a concrete floor could be an indication that the concrete was either polished, or sealed and then buffed. There has been a lot of articles written describing the difference between the two processes. I suggest you search for these articles online and look at the ASCC's Concrete Polishing Council's website to learn more, especially about the different aggregate exposure classes and the different appearance levels. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1441 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, March 03, 2022 - 12:23 pm:    FYI, from what I recall silicate/siliconate treatments such as Ashford Formula and others tend to increase in sheen over time so the more they are used, the shinier they can become. While more expensive than acrylic sealers that require lifetime maintenance, they chemically bond with the concrete to create pretty permanent application. Polished concrete is a much more expensive process that requires a very flat and level concrete installation to get the appearance you may think you want. My guess is that you won't get a uniform finish in your application. Robert E. Woodburn, CCS, SCIP Senior Member Username: bob_woodburn Post Number: 202 Registered: 11-2010 Posted on Thursday, March 03, 2022 - 01:44 pm:    Thank you all for your input. I've been researching on the internet (4specs listings, trade association articles, etc.), but I value these comments partly because they mention terms or points I might not find elsewhere. I hadn't thought about the flatness issue before, with rigid grinding discs, not making good contact with an irregular existing slab. I'm guessing that "buffing" involves flexible abrasive pads, not rigid diamond grit-faced discs. Steven Bruneel, AIA, CSI-CDT, LEED-AP, EDAC Senior Member Username: redseca2 Post Number: 704 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, March 03, 2022 - 05:21 pm:    If you want a uniform overall appearance and finish on your 66 year old concrete, a third option would be to apply a concrete topping product first, that is then finished the way you want it. One product we have specified is Ardex PC-T. Dan Helphrey Senior Member Username: dbhelphrey Post Number: 82 Registered: 12-2018 Posted on Thursday, March 03, 2022 - 05:31 pm:    I'd start here: https://ascconline.org/Polishing ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1442 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, March 03, 2022 - 06:25 pm:    Do you have a budget in mind? Mark Gilligan SE, Senior Member Username: mark_gilligan Post Number: 969 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Thursday, March 03, 2022 - 11:17 pm:    It is not uncommon for garage floors to have shrinkage cracks which are not normally a concern, but I would suggest that buffing or polishing the concrete would make them more noticeable. Also, would any oil stains on the concrete have an impact. James Sandoz, AIA, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: jsandoz Post Number: 344 Registered: 06-2005 Posted on Friday, March 04, 2022 - 09:35 am:    Bob, I'm not sure what the ultimate use for your garage will be. As you know here in Texas we often pull the cars out of the garage, set up folding tables and have the whole family over for holiday meals in this out-sized "dining room." Gotta love those Christmas days when the outdoor temperature is in the 70's! I bought a house in San Antonio from the estate of a chiropractor about six years ago and inherited a garage floor which had been given a resinous epoxy finish with colored chips. Perhaps the late doctor had some very nice vehicles. Maybe he had a large family that gathered here frequently. When I was a child a chiropractor lived across the street from my parents' house. He had some remarkable rides. He got a new Thunderbird every year in the 1960s which he wrote off as a business expense because he made house calls. At one time or another, he also had two Shelby Mustangs (one was a convertible), an Excalibur (looked like a Mercedes-Benz SSK from the 1920s but built on a modern Corvette chassis), and the first V12 BMW I ever saw. I might have gone into the wrong profession. [grin] Anyway, the floor in my garage has held up well. I wet mop it when "company is coming" to remove the dust and tire tracks. It cleans up nicely. Through your connections you can probably get a reasonable price for a small installation like that (~400 sq. ft.) and, of course, bead blasting or scarifying will be required but it will probably look great and require virtually no maintenance for a very long time. Michael Chusid, RA FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: michael_chusid Post Number: 638 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Friday, March 04, 2022 - 01:02 pm:    I wrote about polishing concrete for Construction Specifier. A while ago, but should still be relevant. https://www.constructionspecifier.com/publications/de/200903/index.html Michael Chusid, RA FCSI CCS 1-818-219-4937 www.chusid.com www.buildingproduct.guru Dan Helphrey Senior Member Username: dbhelphrey Post Number: 83 Registered: 12-2018 Posted on Friday, March 04, 2022 - 02:02 pm:    Mark Gilligan, SE, wrote: "It is not uncommon for garage floors to have shrinkage cracks which are not normally a concern, but I would suggest that buffing or polishing the concrete would make them more noticeable...Also, would any oil stains on the concrete have an impact." Personally, I find the aesthetic of polishing an old slab - stains, crack, and all - really beautiful. You would want to fill any big cracks before polishing, of course, but one of the advantages of polishing over sealing is polishing really doesn't care about the cracks. Robert E. Woodburn, CCS, SCIP Senior Member Username: bob_woodburn Post Number: 203 Registered: 11-2010 Posted on Friday, March 04, 2022 - 04:59 pm:    Thanks for the article reference. Trying to get it to print, with some difficulty. I too like the look of old polished concrete (at least with relatively minor flaws, as these are...) Robert E. Woodburn, CCS, SCIP Senior Member Username: bob_woodburn Post Number: 204 Registered: 11-2010 Posted on Friday, March 04, 2022 - 05:03 pm:    I think a previous post of mine fell through the crack. Did I goof, or is it lost in moderation? (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Friday, March 04, 2022 - 09:35 am:    Thanks; the ASCC glossary (and other material on that website) helps. Looks like "buffing" (not listed in the glossary) may imply "burnishing" (which is) with "abrasive pads" (prresumably flexible), as opposed to "grinding" with "bonded abrasive" (grit embedded in a solid disk that erodes away). As to budget, would like to keep it under $2,500. Not really concerned about the existing minor tight cracks and various stains. Epoxy and aspartic coatings could cover them up, but however glossy they may be, are not really "smooth," and, IMNSHO, are unacceptably "ugly" (another term not listed in the glossary...).