How to Polish Concrete Floors to Perfection

Gone are the days when concrete flooring‘s limited to basements, patios, garages, and other utility areas.

With etching, staining, and polishing, concrete can be as beautiful as other decorative flooring materials. Concrete floors are also long-lasting, easy to maintain, and relatively inexpensive.

Now, if you’re considering polished concrete floors, you should know that hiring a contractor isn’t your only option. The polishing process requires a lot of work, but a skilled DIYer can do it.

That said, if you’re thinking about DIYing this home improvement project, you’re in luck. Here, we’ll talk about how to polish concrete floor surfaces.

How to Polish Concrete Floors: The Basics

Polishing concrete floors involves three major steps. The first is preparing the surface. Here, you’ll need to clean the surface with a bristle brush and soapy water.

Before you consider skipping this step, remember that you might miss some spots or cracks. These should be repaired before proceeding to the next step: grinding.

Now, if you don’t have a grinder, you can opt to call a company that offers concrete grinding services. You can also rent a grinder, but you have to choose the correct one based on how hard your concrete flooring is. Also, if you’ve never used a grinder before, be sure to read up on the safety precautions to take, especially the required protective gear.

Polishing Concrete Floors: More on Grinding and Sealing the Surface

If you’re thinking of using a sander instead of a proper grinder, you won’t achieve that residential polished concrete look you’re aiming for. You need one with diamond discs, so it has enough power to grind concrete effectively.

Keep in mind that renting a grinder can be expensive. That’s why some homeowners opt to hire a professional, or they limit its use to a small area.

As for the last step, which is buffing the surface, you’ll still use your grinder. However, instead of grinding discs, you’ll use a burnishing pad. When the surface is smooth enough, you can apply a sealer using a roller or sprayer.

Some Things to Remember Before Polishing Concrete Flooring

While DIY projects have saved homeowners tons of money, it’s best to leave some jobs to the experts if your skills aren’t good enough.

Polishing concrete is a project for DIYers with intermediate to advanced skills. If you know how to use heavy machinery and don’t mind paying the rental fees, completing this project shouldn’t be a problem.

Otherwise, if you feel your skills aren’t there yet, you can always hire a pro. You only need to search “concrete polishing near me” online or other related search terms to find the best contractor.