Polished Concrete Basements
Beautiful Floors for Basements and Damp Floor Areas
By Phil Evans
Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Woodstock, Georgia
678-494-6893
www.titusrestoration.com
Serving the U.S and Carribean Islands
In our headquarters service area, Atlanta and the southeast, many residences have damp floors and many other buildings are plagued by moisture vapor transmission through the concrete floor slab. Moisture vapor transmission is particularly troublesome along the coast lines and southern states with sandy soils, high water tables, or water laden muck soils. This moisture can contribute significantly to failed flooring and indoor air pollution if left unchecked. If you are contending with a concrete floor that is damp there are solutions.
Titus is a concrete polishing contractor. We offer polished concrete floors or dyed and polished concrete basement floors as a healthy solution for damp concrete floors. These floors are often characterized by moldy, mildewed, musty carpets or floor covering. If you suffer from asthma, polished concrete floors may simply be the best floor finish for a basement. Read on because we want to provide you with some basic information to help you make better decisions and explain things to look for in other floor finishes.
First of all, it helps to understand some of the basics. Moisture vapor transmission through a concrete slab happens for two (2) primary reasons. Here are a couple of examples: Example 1) Turn on the air conditioner, the ambient atmosphere dries, and moisture migrates through the concrete to equalize itself. The movement of this moisture through the concrete carries salts from the concrete. These salts form on the surface and are called efflorescence. Example 2) The second cause of moisture in a basement is hydrostatic pressure. Basically, hydrostatic pressure can be calculated as one (1) pound hydrostatic pressure for every two (2) feet the basement is below grade (an 8 foot below grade basement has 4 pounds of hydrostatic pressure at the floor).
In the event there is hardwood installed over the concrete slab and the slab is emitting too much moisture it could swell and buckle. Any hard surface floor applied with a mastic is in jeopardy due to the high pH of the efflorescence deteriorating the mastic. Painted concrete floors also fail either due to saponification caused by efflorescence or by lifting caused by hydrostatic pressure. Wet concrete floors are a major problem for floor coverings.
In the event there is carpet installed over the concrete slab and the slab is emitting too much moisture it cause mold or mildew. Any carpet applied with mastic (such as commercial carpeting or carpet squares) is also in jeopardy due to the high pH deteriorating the mastic and carpet. This deterioration released harmful VOC contributing to indoor air polution and compounding problems for those with respiratory illnesses.
In today’s residential building trends, basements are often finished as part of the living quarters and have higher ceilings. It is also typical that they are air conditioned. Combine the drier air of air conditioning and the increased hydrostatic pressure because the basement are deeper and the result is that more moisture vapor passes through the concrete slab and back into the house. As the moisture vapor passes through the slab and so do more salts from the concrete, leading to more efflorescence, more moisture in the carpet, and higher the utility bills from the air conditioning trying to remove it! So how do you put an end to this circuitous process where the air conditioning system creates more work for itself?
We have two (2) answers. One (1) is to seal the floor with a moisture blocking epoxy. This typically requires steel shot blasting of the concrete slab followed by multiple coats of moisture tolerant epoxy coating. Many such systems exist today and offer protection of up to 25 pounds per square foot of moisture vapor transmission. These coatings can then be covered with cementitious overlays, tile, hardwoods, or practically any other floor material. Answer two (2) is to polish the concrete. This is by far the most economical and better solution.
Polishing concrete floors works like water repellent fabrics (Gortex®), the substrate remains breathable but the top portion of the slab is denser and moisture vapor is greatly reduced and passes through it more slowly. Polished concrete eliminates the moldy, mildewed smell associated with other floor finishes in damp areas. When you use polished concrete there is no coating or other hard surface flooring to fail. Many who have asthma or other respiratory illnesses also prefer polished concrete floors to other hard surface flooring as they are easier to clean and keep dust free.
We at Titus believe polished concrete floors are the best floor finish for asthma sufferers (or someone suffering from allergies or other respiratory illnesses). Polished concrete is an asthma friendly floor and a healthy choice.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Polished Concrete Warranties
Warranties. What are they worth?
By Phil Evans
Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Woodstock, Georgia
678-494-6893
Serving the U.S and Carribean Islands
Have you ever seen the 20 to 50 year warranties on caulking? They are plastered all over the tubes of caulk and are the marketing practice of major corporations.
Do you know anyone who has collected on a warranty for a tube of caulking? It is a pretty safe bet that you don't.
Ask me about warranties on polished concrete. Including the "20 year" warranties of the densifier manufacturers. Don't be fooled. Most concrete densifier warranties offer little more than to "warrant against dusting" and offer "to provide enough material to treat the affected area." Even at that, sometimes you have to buy their chemical and follow their strick maintenance routine.
Don't be fooled by meaningless warranties. Read the fine print...think it through...regardless the size of the company. Look closely at the warranty to see if has any real value or if it is just marketing hype. Remember the caulking warranty!!!
By Phil Evans
Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Woodstock, Georgia
678-494-6893
Serving the U.S and Carribean Islands
Have you ever seen the 20 to 50 year warranties on caulking? They are plastered all over the tubes of caulk and are the marketing practice of major corporations.
Do you know anyone who has collected on a warranty for a tube of caulking? It is a pretty safe bet that you don't.
Ask me about warranties on polished concrete. Including the "20 year" warranties of the densifier manufacturers. Don't be fooled. Most concrete densifier warranties offer little more than to "warrant against dusting" and offer "to provide enough material to treat the affected area." Even at that, sometimes you have to buy their chemical and follow their strick maintenance routine.
Don't be fooled by meaningless warranties. Read the fine print...think it through...regardless the size of the company. Look closely at the warranty to see if has any real value or if it is just marketing hype. Remember the caulking warranty!!!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Titus Restoration Services, Inc., Home
Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Call 678-494-6893
Contact Phil Evans
Serving the U.S and Carribean Islands
Call 678-494-6893
Contact Phil Evans
Serving the U.S and Carribean Islands
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Acid Staining Concrete - How to Prepare the Concrete
By Phil Evans
Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Woodstock, Georgia
678-494-6893
Serving the U.S and Carribean Islands
The do’s and don’t of acid stains. Acid Stain Color Walk-Off Close Up. Decorative concrete is truly flourishing and seems to be here to stay. Millions of feet of acid staining are done a year and most people (even in the industry) don’t understand the process. They recommend "sample" and "test.” I hope this article does better than that for you. Acid staining concrete has a place in decorative concrete...that is if the industry is not ruined by misunderstanding the product and what is required of the concrete substrate so it will accept acid stain properly. As with all social transitions or advances in technology, there is some catching up to do as the new transition or technology is adopted by a wider segment of the population. Green and sustainable architecture is being widely adapted.
Things Change - But slowlySince 1972 I have been involved in chemical coatings (the industrial term for painting). A couple of decades ago, we used inexpensive block fillers made with calcium carbonate and top coated them with epoxies. Eventually technology gave way to block fillers made more like paint itself...but this did not happen until hundreds of thousands of square feet failed. The high humidity of showers and bath houses drew moisture through the epoxy into the block filler by the dry cement block. When this happened, the inexpensive block fillers re-emulsified like drywall mud and the epoxy coatings failed. Other times cheap fillers sheared when high build epoxies were applied on top of them. A similar fate was in store for acid etching of concrete floors when high build epoxies literally sheered the concrete surface. When failure analysis revealed concrete on the back side of the paint chip, industry standards turned to steel shot blasting to create a profile for high build coatings and banned acid etching as an acceptable form of surface preparation as it weakened the surface of the concrete.
Acid Staining is Not for Everyone
This article is meant to address only one aspect of decorative concrete - acid staining concrete floors with reactive acid stains. There is no shortage of beautiful pictures of acid stained floors in magazines or on the internet. Nor is there a shortage of books, paid training classes, or "how-to" CD’s on acid staining. Neither is there any shortage of people hopping on the band wagon and claiming expertise. In reality, a floor that readily accepts acid stains is dependant upon a properly poured and properly cured concrete slab. As you will read below, I am not so sure that is practical.
My concern for acid stains in particular is that they are now available at the local paint stores. Everyone wants to do an acid DIY project. Maybe acid stains should only be sold only by establishments that sell concrete curing compounds or specialty concrete coatings. Based on my background in coatings for commercial and industrial environments, I am quite convinced that neither the concrete contractor, the local paint store, nor the American consumer is properly prepared or properly equipped to use these products. There is no need to tell customers how uniquely beautiful an acid stained concrete floor can be. There are plenty of people out there doing that. I am therefore taking on the task of concrete coating expert...not decorative concrete artisan. If a beautiful smooth cleanable floor finish is desired, acid staining your concrete could be an excellent choice...or a catastrophe.
The reason I am writing this article is that unfortunately, many people are getting unsatisfactory results...and this is from those who claim to be professionals. I am, therefore, even more concerned when reactive acid stains enter the "retail" market and these products are used by home owners. This article will attempt to help non-technical persons understand the how, when, and where of acid stained concrete...and how to get the desired end product. Begining to Understand Acid StainsAcid stains contain a mild acid, typically hydrochloric acid, to open pores of the concrete slab so the metallic salts of the stain can react with the free lime in the cement paste and a chemical reaction in the concrete produces the color variation typical of acid stains. Reactive acid stains are limited to tans/ browns, greens, and reddish browns. They etch the concrete by eating away the free lime between the sand particles. This etching is both a blessing and a curse. This etching must be understood and properly considered when specifying acid stains. But first, it is important to understand the role that the concrete itself plays in the success of an acid stain project. Since both new concrete and old concrete are candidates for acid staining we will address both.
Acid Staining New Concrete - Avoid the Major Problem
Good acid staining begins with proper curing of the wet concrete. New concrete needs moisture to cure. Wet curing concrete makes the concrete stronger. Almost every concrete professional will agree with this. But wet curing is especially important if one is going to acid stain concrete. No membranes are added to the top of the concrete that will inhibit the penetration and reaction of the acid with the free lime. Unfortunately, most concrete contactors do not wet cure concrete as it is more costly. The alternative to wet curing is to use a concrete curing agent. It is inappropriate (like calling a refrigerator a "Frigidaire"), but concrete curing compounds are typically called "cure-n-seals.” But not all ASTM 309 curing agents cure AND seal the concrete. There are those that just cure the concrete. These concrete curing agents typically act to keep the moisture in the concrete long enough to cure it or they also act to seal the concrete. Technically, the latter are called "cure and seal" compounds. Neither curing compounds or cure and seal products work well with acid stains. Almost all the curing compounds that have no sealing capabilities require sunlight to dissipate and in our experience, most curing membranes exist long after the building is built. This is one area in which I fear the consumer may be unprepared in dealing with acid stains. Read my article on curing componds for polished concrete for more information.
It is important to understand that acid stains react with concrete paste, but just not any old concrete paste, acid stains react with calcium hydroxide (herein after referred to as "free lime"). This is the softer concrete paste. Over time, most of concrete’s free lime turns to a harder substance called calcium silicate hydrate. I had a mineralogist tell me that calcium silicate hydrate (herein after referred to as CSH) is what concrete paste wants to be when it grows up. The bulk of the conversion of free lime to CSH takes place within 28 days of placement of the concrete, but the balance of free lime will slowly covert to CHS over the years. This is the reason the surface of some older concrete slabs do not accept acid stain well.
Acid Staining Old or Existing Concrete
Most acid staining is performed on concrete floors that are already in place, therefore, it is very likely that no one will know the history of the concrete slab installation or what methods and materials were used to cure the concrete floor slab. In this case, Titus recommends grinding the slab prior to acid staining. The floor must be ground deep enough to remove all the curing compounds but hopefully not so deep as to expose excessive aggregate. We think floors with more paste and trowel swirls take acid stain better than floor ground to salt and pepper (sand exposure) or exposed aggregate. The problem is that it is difficult if not impossible to tell when all the curing compounds are out of the concrete - especially if they are out of the dips or low spots in the concrete slab. Most floor grinding machines tend to pass over these "bird baths" as we call them. If all curing compounds (or oils, etc) are not removed from the concrete, those spots will accept the acid stain differently. Sometimes these will show up as white or yellow spots.
We are in the business professionally and we always grind every slab we acid stain very thoroughly but sometimes we still miss removing spots of curing compound and have to spot grind or re-grind and re-stain the floor. One customer told us that they had 50,000 square feet of concrete acid stain that had this unacceptable spotting. Whose fault is it? The architect who specified the methods and material for the concrete installation and acid staining? The concrete finisher? The acid stain applicator? Without placing blame, just let me say that I am of the opinion that reactive acids stains are falling prey to misuse.
When to Use Acid Stains vs. When to Dye and Polish the Concrete
Remember that acid stains etch (eat away the cement paste) the top surface of the concrete slab. Something needs to fill those voids so the concrete does not crumble under foot and the color walk off. Material suppliers are getting better at understanding this, but many are still specifying a top coat that is 20% solids that is applied at 300-500 square feet per gallon. This is not a good thing. Based on my industrial coating background, that tells me (mathematically) that at 10% loss factor and 400 square feet per gallon, only .75 mils DFT (dry film thickness) are being applied to the floor. A sheet of typing paper is 4 mils - so the sealer most people are putting over acid stained floors is about 1/5th the thickness of a sheet of typing paper. See Acetone Dye and Bomanite Urethane.
The Sealer is the Key to Durability
I do not consider cure and seals or low solid sealers adequate protection for acid stained concrete. Especially for an etched colored floor that people will be walking on with dirty and sandy shoes. For me, acids stains require more coating thickness, and preferably tougher coatings. Titus recommends a two component urethane that has around 50% solids. We suggest multiple coats (minimum of 2) plus multiple coats of a sacrificial wax (minimum of 3). We believe that to properly seal an acid stain one must apply enough of a low viscosity sealer with a high solids content that will cure to be very hard. This will serve to fill the pores created by acid etching and prevent color walk off and it will also seal the concrete against most food and oil stains - even acidic food stains left on the floor for long periods of time (citric acid, vinegar, the phosphoric acid in soft drinks, pickle juice, ketchup, etc.). Polished Concrete Has Some AdvantagesAcetone dyes put into polished concrete are more color uniform than acid stains, but to me, their main advantage is that they are literally "in" the concrete - not residing in acid weakened cement paste. The dyes penetrate the cement paste down to and around the sand particles of a concrete floor that has been honed with industrial diamonds. Densifiers are then applied on top of the dyes...so before the color walks off, the hardened and polished concrete and sand particles will have to walk off. See my May Newsletter on acetone dyes for more information on dept of penetration of dyes into concrete.
In Conclusion Acid Stained and Sealed vs. Dyed and Polished Concrete
This is a very easy choice when you know how each type of decorative concrete works. Here are the primary systems:
1) If I need chemical or food resistance with low or moderate traffic (such as a restaurant), my vote is for acid stain with a top of the line two component polyurethane sealer. I would use a solvent based sealer for the best protection, water based if I am unsure of the moisture vapor transmission rate of the concrete slab.
2) If I have the same chemical resistance requirements and want colored concrete in a high traffic area, I would hone the concrete with diamonds, apply an acetone dye, and multiple coats of a two component sealer. Again, solvent based for the best protection, water based if I am unsure of the moisture vapor transmission rate of the concrete slab.
3) If I have very high traffic (a school, commercial or retail store, auto service area), if I have an uncertain moisture vapor transmission rate, a high need for low maintenance, or very rugged wear (but very little need for acid or harsh chemical resistance), my choice hands down is polished concrete.
By Phil Evans
Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Woodstock, Georgia
678-494-6893
Serving the U.S and Carribean Islands
The do’s and don’t of acid stains. Acid Stain Color Walk-Off Close Up. Decorative concrete is truly flourishing and seems to be here to stay. Millions of feet of acid staining are done a year and most people (even in the industry) don’t understand the process. They recommend "sample" and "test.” I hope this article does better than that for you. Acid staining concrete has a place in decorative concrete...that is if the industry is not ruined by misunderstanding the product and what is required of the concrete substrate so it will accept acid stain properly. As with all social transitions or advances in technology, there is some catching up to do as the new transition or technology is adopted by a wider segment of the population. Green and sustainable architecture is being widely adapted.
Things Change - But slowlySince 1972 I have been involved in chemical coatings (the industrial term for painting). A couple of decades ago, we used inexpensive block fillers made with calcium carbonate and top coated them with epoxies. Eventually technology gave way to block fillers made more like paint itself...but this did not happen until hundreds of thousands of square feet failed. The high humidity of showers and bath houses drew moisture through the epoxy into the block filler by the dry cement block. When this happened, the inexpensive block fillers re-emulsified like drywall mud and the epoxy coatings failed. Other times cheap fillers sheared when high build epoxies were applied on top of them. A similar fate was in store for acid etching of concrete floors when high build epoxies literally sheered the concrete surface. When failure analysis revealed concrete on the back side of the paint chip, industry standards turned to steel shot blasting to create a profile for high build coatings and banned acid etching as an acceptable form of surface preparation as it weakened the surface of the concrete.
Acid Staining is Not for Everyone
This article is meant to address only one aspect of decorative concrete - acid staining concrete floors with reactive acid stains. There is no shortage of beautiful pictures of acid stained floors in magazines or on the internet. Nor is there a shortage of books, paid training classes, or "how-to" CD’s on acid staining. Neither is there any shortage of people hopping on the band wagon and claiming expertise. In reality, a floor that readily accepts acid stains is dependant upon a properly poured and properly cured concrete slab. As you will read below, I am not so sure that is practical.
My concern for acid stains in particular is that they are now available at the local paint stores. Everyone wants to do an acid DIY project. Maybe acid stains should only be sold only by establishments that sell concrete curing compounds or specialty concrete coatings. Based on my background in coatings for commercial and industrial environments, I am quite convinced that neither the concrete contractor, the local paint store, nor the American consumer is properly prepared or properly equipped to use these products. There is no need to tell customers how uniquely beautiful an acid stained concrete floor can be. There are plenty of people out there doing that. I am therefore taking on the task of concrete coating expert...not decorative concrete artisan. If a beautiful smooth cleanable floor finish is desired, acid staining your concrete could be an excellent choice...or a catastrophe.
The reason I am writing this article is that unfortunately, many people are getting unsatisfactory results...and this is from those who claim to be professionals. I am, therefore, even more concerned when reactive acid stains enter the "retail" market and these products are used by home owners. This article will attempt to help non-technical persons understand the how, when, and where of acid stained concrete...and how to get the desired end product. Begining to Understand Acid StainsAcid stains contain a mild acid, typically hydrochloric acid, to open pores of the concrete slab so the metallic salts of the stain can react with the free lime in the cement paste and a chemical reaction in the concrete produces the color variation typical of acid stains. Reactive acid stains are limited to tans/ browns, greens, and reddish browns. They etch the concrete by eating away the free lime between the sand particles. This etching is both a blessing and a curse. This etching must be understood and properly considered when specifying acid stains. But first, it is important to understand the role that the concrete itself plays in the success of an acid stain project. Since both new concrete and old concrete are candidates for acid staining we will address both.
Acid Staining New Concrete - Avoid the Major Problem
Good acid staining begins with proper curing of the wet concrete. New concrete needs moisture to cure. Wet curing concrete makes the concrete stronger. Almost every concrete professional will agree with this. But wet curing is especially important if one is going to acid stain concrete. No membranes are added to the top of the concrete that will inhibit the penetration and reaction of the acid with the free lime. Unfortunately, most concrete contactors do not wet cure concrete as it is more costly. The alternative to wet curing is to use a concrete curing agent. It is inappropriate (like calling a refrigerator a "Frigidaire"), but concrete curing compounds are typically called "cure-n-seals.” But not all ASTM 309 curing agents cure AND seal the concrete. There are those that just cure the concrete. These concrete curing agents typically act to keep the moisture in the concrete long enough to cure it or they also act to seal the concrete. Technically, the latter are called "cure and seal" compounds. Neither curing compounds or cure and seal products work well with acid stains. Almost all the curing compounds that have no sealing capabilities require sunlight to dissipate and in our experience, most curing membranes exist long after the building is built. This is one area in which I fear the consumer may be unprepared in dealing with acid stains. Read my article on curing componds for polished concrete for more information.
It is important to understand that acid stains react with concrete paste, but just not any old concrete paste, acid stains react with calcium hydroxide (herein after referred to as "free lime"). This is the softer concrete paste. Over time, most of concrete’s free lime turns to a harder substance called calcium silicate hydrate. I had a mineralogist tell me that calcium silicate hydrate (herein after referred to as CSH) is what concrete paste wants to be when it grows up. The bulk of the conversion of free lime to CSH takes place within 28 days of placement of the concrete, but the balance of free lime will slowly covert to CHS over the years. This is the reason the surface of some older concrete slabs do not accept acid stain well.
Acid Staining Old or Existing Concrete
Most acid staining is performed on concrete floors that are already in place, therefore, it is very likely that no one will know the history of the concrete slab installation or what methods and materials were used to cure the concrete floor slab. In this case, Titus recommends grinding the slab prior to acid staining. The floor must be ground deep enough to remove all the curing compounds but hopefully not so deep as to expose excessive aggregate. We think floors with more paste and trowel swirls take acid stain better than floor ground to salt and pepper (sand exposure) or exposed aggregate. The problem is that it is difficult if not impossible to tell when all the curing compounds are out of the concrete - especially if they are out of the dips or low spots in the concrete slab. Most floor grinding machines tend to pass over these "bird baths" as we call them. If all curing compounds (or oils, etc) are not removed from the concrete, those spots will accept the acid stain differently. Sometimes these will show up as white or yellow spots.
We are in the business professionally and we always grind every slab we acid stain very thoroughly but sometimes we still miss removing spots of curing compound and have to spot grind or re-grind and re-stain the floor. One customer told us that they had 50,000 square feet of concrete acid stain that had this unacceptable spotting. Whose fault is it? The architect who specified the methods and material for the concrete installation and acid staining? The concrete finisher? The acid stain applicator? Without placing blame, just let me say that I am of the opinion that reactive acids stains are falling prey to misuse.
When to Use Acid Stains vs. When to Dye and Polish the Concrete
Remember that acid stains etch (eat away the cement paste) the top surface of the concrete slab. Something needs to fill those voids so the concrete does not crumble under foot and the color walk off. Material suppliers are getting better at understanding this, but many are still specifying a top coat that is 20% solids that is applied at 300-500 square feet per gallon. This is not a good thing. Based on my industrial coating background, that tells me (mathematically) that at 10% loss factor and 400 square feet per gallon, only .75 mils DFT (dry film thickness) are being applied to the floor. A sheet of typing paper is 4 mils - so the sealer most people are putting over acid stained floors is about 1/5th the thickness of a sheet of typing paper. See Acetone Dye and Bomanite Urethane.
The Sealer is the Key to Durability
I do not consider cure and seals or low solid sealers adequate protection for acid stained concrete. Especially for an etched colored floor that people will be walking on with dirty and sandy shoes. For me, acids stains require more coating thickness, and preferably tougher coatings. Titus recommends a two component urethane that has around 50% solids. We suggest multiple coats (minimum of 2) plus multiple coats of a sacrificial wax (minimum of 3). We believe that to properly seal an acid stain one must apply enough of a low viscosity sealer with a high solids content that will cure to be very hard. This will serve to fill the pores created by acid etching and prevent color walk off and it will also seal the concrete against most food and oil stains - even acidic food stains left on the floor for long periods of time (citric acid, vinegar, the phosphoric acid in soft drinks, pickle juice, ketchup, etc.). Polished Concrete Has Some AdvantagesAcetone dyes put into polished concrete are more color uniform than acid stains, but to me, their main advantage is that they are literally "in" the concrete - not residing in acid weakened cement paste. The dyes penetrate the cement paste down to and around the sand particles of a concrete floor that has been honed with industrial diamonds. Densifiers are then applied on top of the dyes...so before the color walks off, the hardened and polished concrete and sand particles will have to walk off. See my May Newsletter on acetone dyes for more information on dept of penetration of dyes into concrete.
In Conclusion Acid Stained and Sealed vs. Dyed and Polished Concrete
This is a very easy choice when you know how each type of decorative concrete works. Here are the primary systems:
1) If I need chemical or food resistance with low or moderate traffic (such as a restaurant), my vote is for acid stain with a top of the line two component polyurethane sealer. I would use a solvent based sealer for the best protection, water based if I am unsure of the moisture vapor transmission rate of the concrete slab.
2) If I have the same chemical resistance requirements and want colored concrete in a high traffic area, I would hone the concrete with diamonds, apply an acetone dye, and multiple coats of a two component sealer. Again, solvent based for the best protection, water based if I am unsure of the moisture vapor transmission rate of the concrete slab.
3) If I have very high traffic (a school, commercial or retail store, auto service area), if I have an uncertain moisture vapor transmission rate, a high need for low maintenance, or very rugged wear (but very little need for acid or harsh chemical resistance), my choice hands down is polished concrete.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Polished Concrete Maintenance
Maintaining Polished Concrete
By Phillip C. Evans Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Woodstock, Georgia
678-494-6893
Serving the U.S and Carribean Islands
(Protecting the Slab. To see pictures of what not to do before or after polishing click here)
(For Recommended protection materials before and after the polish click here)
Understanding Polished Concrete Maintenance
Understanding the strengths and limitations of polished concrete will help you maintain its beauty for many years. Polishing concrete is nothing more than scratching concrete with diamonds.
Scratches Polish Polish Concrete
Concrete is ground (scratched) first by coarse diamonds (sometimes as low as 30 grit) and then several steps of finer and finer diamonds grits until it achieves a high shine (1800 grit). Each grit (coarseness of scratching diamond) must thoroughly scratch the concrete until the scratches are uniform throughout the slab and then the next grit is begun. The concrete is thoroughly scratched with higher grits leaving smaller scratches and smother concrete. It is not unusual to start at a coarse 30 grit and stop as high as 800, 1500, or 3000 grit. This polishing process is performed over a short time by heavy rotating or planetary rotating concrete polishing equipment.
Scratches Also Dull Polished
Concrete Polished concrete is dulled just as it is polished…by small scratches. These scratches come from people’s shoes, scratches from grocery cart wheels, scratches from office chairs, etc. Instead of coming from over a short time by heavy planetary rotating concrete, this dulling process of polished concrete is performed over a much longer time period and is dependant upon the volume and type of traffic exposure previously mentioned. It is very common that isles and high traffic areas will dull before low traffic areas and it is common that areas subject to heavy wheel traffic will dull before foot traffic areas.
The Durability of Polished Concrete
It is typical that polished concrete is hardened by s silicate densifier to aid in scratch resistance. This densifier will increase the hardness of the surface of the concrete by as much as 400%. Due to the variables of the exposure and volume of traffic as mentioned above, it is impossible to predict the exact rate of dulling of the polished finish. Titus typically recommends a stain protection over polished concrete. This stain protection not only offers resistance to mild acids, spills, and stains; it provides what we call a nano-film on the concrete surface. This film is a very thin protective layer that goes in and on to the polished surface. It is very hard and protects against scratches. Stain protection can be easily re-applied to restore the shine of polished concrete. It is especially important for concrete exposed to hard wheel traffic or frequent spills.
Polished Concrete Maintenance
The following are some general maintenance guidelines for your polished concrete floor. We hope that the information provided herein will allow you to properly maintain you floor for the least possible cost.
The Do’s and Don’t of Polished Concrete Maintenance
Since each facility has varying traffic and abrasion exposure, the following guidelines are general and provide for the end users adaptation to his specific exposure.
Daily - Dust mop
Weekly - Dust mop, *optional auto scrub with soft brushes *optional burnish with soft pad or 3000 grit diamond maintenance pad
Monthly - Dust mop, Auto scrub with soft brushes, *optional burnish with soft pad or 3000 grit diamond maintenance pad
Quarterly and Semi-Annually - Dust mop Auto scrub with soft brushes. Re-apply 50% solution of stain protection. Burnish with 400, 800, and 1800 grit diamond pad.
Annual - Dust mop, Auto scrub with soft brushes. Re-apply 50% solution of stain protection. Burnish with 400, 800, and 1800 grit diamond pads.
5 Years – Evaluate for Restoration per the Following: Dust mop. Auto scrub with soft brushes. Diamond grind with 400, 800, or 1500 grit as required. Re-apply 50% solution of stain protection. Burnish with 400 grit diamond pad. Re-apply 50% solution of stain protection. Burnish with 400 grit diamond pad. Re-apply 50% solution of stainguard. Burnish with 400, 800, and 1500 grit diamond pads.
Conclusion - Maintaining polished concrete is simple if you understand the product. Polished concrete floors are dulled over time by traffic. How fast they dull is dependent upon the severity and quantity of traffic. Stain protection can provide an very hard film that protects the concrete and is sacrificial to protect the concrete itself. Polished concrete floors are extremely easy to rejunivate with either stain protection, burnishing, or by re-doing a couple finishing steps of the polishing process.
Titus’ concrete polishing procedures meet or exceed the federal guidelines for slip resistance when dry but as with any tile or hard surface floor, precautions must be taken when the floor is wet. Dry mop the damp area, provide caution signs, and fans as necessary to prevent slips and fall. Polished concrete is more durable to abrasion by walking and requires less maintenance than acid stained (or dyed) and sealed concrete.
A sealed concrete surface offers more stain and chemical protection than polished concrete but the sealer dulls quicker and must be waxed or re-applied. It is consideraly more maintenance intensive. Titus ALWAYS recommends that acid stained or dyed concrete that is sealed receive at least 2 coats (3mils) of urethane coating.
By Phillip C. Evans Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Titus Restoration Services, Inc.
Woodstock, Georgia
678-494-6893
Serving the U.S and Carribean Islands
(Protecting the Slab. To see pictures of what not to do before or after polishing click here)
(For Recommended protection materials before and after the polish click here)
Understanding Polished Concrete Maintenance
Understanding the strengths and limitations of polished concrete will help you maintain its beauty for many years. Polishing concrete is nothing more than scratching concrete with diamonds.
Scratches Polish Polish Concrete
Concrete is ground (scratched) first by coarse diamonds (sometimes as low as 30 grit) and then several steps of finer and finer diamonds grits until it achieves a high shine (1800 grit). Each grit (coarseness of scratching diamond) must thoroughly scratch the concrete until the scratches are uniform throughout the slab and then the next grit is begun. The concrete is thoroughly scratched with higher grits leaving smaller scratches and smother concrete. It is not unusual to start at a coarse 30 grit and stop as high as 800, 1500, or 3000 grit. This polishing process is performed over a short time by heavy rotating or planetary rotating concrete polishing equipment.
Scratches Also Dull Polished
Concrete Polished concrete is dulled just as it is polished…by small scratches. These scratches come from people’s shoes, scratches from grocery cart wheels, scratches from office chairs, etc. Instead of coming from over a short time by heavy planetary rotating concrete, this dulling process of polished concrete is performed over a much longer time period and is dependant upon the volume and type of traffic exposure previously mentioned. It is very common that isles and high traffic areas will dull before low traffic areas and it is common that areas subject to heavy wheel traffic will dull before foot traffic areas.
The Durability of Polished Concrete
It is typical that polished concrete is hardened by s silicate densifier to aid in scratch resistance. This densifier will increase the hardness of the surface of the concrete by as much as 400%. Due to the variables of the exposure and volume of traffic as mentioned above, it is impossible to predict the exact rate of dulling of the polished finish. Titus typically recommends a stain protection over polished concrete. This stain protection not only offers resistance to mild acids, spills, and stains; it provides what we call a nano-film on the concrete surface. This film is a very thin protective layer that goes in and on to the polished surface. It is very hard and protects against scratches. Stain protection can be easily re-applied to restore the shine of polished concrete. It is especially important for concrete exposed to hard wheel traffic or frequent spills.
Polished Concrete Maintenance
The following are some general maintenance guidelines for your polished concrete floor. We hope that the information provided herein will allow you to properly maintain you floor for the least possible cost.
The Do’s and Don’t of Polished Concrete Maintenance
- Mop with clean water.
- Do not use abrasive cleaners.
- It is best to uses clean water and vacuum recover the dirty water (this is the reason auto scrubbers are recommended).
- Use neutral pH based cleaner as needed.
- Do not use citrus cleaners, ammonia, or alkaline base cleaners. Do not use oil soaps, vinegar, furniture polish, wax, or household dust treatments.
- Use cleaners only as needed as all soaps leave a film.
- Dry mop often using rayon or micro-fiber mop.
- Do not use treated mops or mops that have been used to clean up spills or for other purposes. Small dirt particles dull the floor over time. Use dedicated mops.
Do not use mop heads that may contain residual chemicals that will damage the floor
Mops used for spills and other applications may contain chemicals that will dull or damage the floor. - Use felt pads on chairs. Do not scrape or drag steel or sharp objects over the floor
Prevent scratches by using felt pads on furniture feet. Lift heavy furniture when moving.
Use pads under rolling chairs. Do not use a rolling desk or office chair on a polished concrete floor without a large pad. - Prevent scratches which cause dulling by using proper floor protection.
Use scrape off mats outside doors and clean them regularly. Do not track sand or mud on the polished concrete floor. Foreign materials on a floor are the primary cause of slips and falls. Water may stain the concrete. Dust and dirt will dull the finish. Use walk off mats inside doors and clean them regularly. Do not let mats curl at edges or become trip hazards. - Scratches dull the polished concrete. Sweep then vacuum water and dirt form floor.
Do not leave dirt or water standing on polished concrete. Foreign materials on a floor are the primary cause of slips and falls. Water may stain the concrete. Dust and dirt will dull the finish. - Set potted plants in saucer on breathable pad. Do not set potted plants directly on the floor. Extended exposure to moisture may leave a stain. This is especially true if the concrete is dyed. Plant fertilizer may damage the shine.
- Re-treat solvent spills as needed with stain protection.
- Do not use solvent to clean the floor. The use of solvents may stain, dull, or alter the colors of the dies.
- Clean acid spills such as citrus, colas, soft drinks, vinegar, and wine ASAP. If you own a grocery store or a liquor store, apply additonal coats of lithium stain protection in isles where acidic food items such a pickels, vinegar, wine, or colas may be spilled.
- Do not use polished concrete without stain protection in areas subject to acid spills such as citrus, colas, soft drinks, vinegar, and wine. We advise using a silicate densifier with a silane additive PLUS stain protection if you expect exposure to these spills. Acids will etch and dull polished concrete. Concrete without stain protection may be stained, dulled, or otherwise damaged immediately and will not provide even a short window of time to allow for cleaning up the spill.
- Mop up water puddles on polished concrete ASAP. Do not let water puddle on polished concrete. Water puddles may leave a mark on a polished concrete surface. It may also penetrate the stain protection and permanently discolor dyes or natural concrete. They are also a slip hazard.
- If tape must be applied to polished concrete, it should grey natural concrete and it should be the 3M Blue Painter’s Tape and not left longer than 2 hours. DO NOT EVER, FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME WHATSOEVER, APPLY ANY TAPE TO DYED, COLORED, OR STAINED CONCRETE AS IT MAY LIFT THE COLOR! DO NOT APPLY TAPE TO POISHED CONCRETE! TAPE MAY MAKE A PERMANENTE MARK IN THE POLISHED FLOOR FINISH AND LIFT DYE COLORS.
Since each facility has varying traffic and abrasion exposure, the following guidelines are general and provide for the end users adaptation to his specific exposure.
Daily - Dust mop
Weekly - Dust mop, *optional auto scrub with soft brushes *optional burnish with soft pad or 3000 grit diamond maintenance pad
Monthly - Dust mop, Auto scrub with soft brushes, *optional burnish with soft pad or 3000 grit diamond maintenance pad
Quarterly and Semi-Annually - Dust mop Auto scrub with soft brushes. Re-apply 50% solution of stain protection. Burnish with 400, 800, and 1800 grit diamond pad.
Annual - Dust mop, Auto scrub with soft brushes. Re-apply 50% solution of stain protection. Burnish with 400, 800, and 1800 grit diamond pads.
5 Years – Evaluate for Restoration per the Following: Dust mop. Auto scrub with soft brushes. Diamond grind with 400, 800, or 1500 grit as required. Re-apply 50% solution of stain protection. Burnish with 400 grit diamond pad. Re-apply 50% solution of stain protection. Burnish with 400 grit diamond pad. Re-apply 50% solution of stainguard. Burnish with 400, 800, and 1500 grit diamond pads.
Conclusion - Maintaining polished concrete is simple if you understand the product. Polished concrete floors are dulled over time by traffic. How fast they dull is dependent upon the severity and quantity of traffic. Stain protection can provide an very hard film that protects the concrete and is sacrificial to protect the concrete itself. Polished concrete floors are extremely easy to rejunivate with either stain protection, burnishing, or by re-doing a couple finishing steps of the polishing process.
Titus’ concrete polishing procedures meet or exceed the federal guidelines for slip resistance when dry but as with any tile or hard surface floor, precautions must be taken when the floor is wet. Dry mop the damp area, provide caution signs, and fans as necessary to prevent slips and fall. Polished concrete is more durable to abrasion by walking and requires less maintenance than acid stained (or dyed) and sealed concrete.
A sealed concrete surface offers more stain and chemical protection than polished concrete but the sealer dulls quicker and must be waxed or re-applied. It is consideraly more maintenance intensive. Titus ALWAYS recommends that acid stained or dyed concrete that is sealed receive at least 2 coats (3mils) of urethane coating.
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