Concrete Coatings & Restoration
January 12, 2015 
James Maleki 
Concrete Coatings
Without a doubt, concrete has proven to be a highly durable, versatile, and widely-used construction material. That’s why it is used not only in commercial flooring, but also in residential construction and industrial environments. There are many options available when finishing concrete floors. We narrowed it down to two of the best and most popular options: polished concrete and concrete floor coating. To differentiate between the two, it also helps to know their specific functions and pros and cons.
Polished Concrete, also known as “polishing concrete”, involves grinding, honing, and polishing concrete. This process can be compared to the process of sanding wood. It starts with mechanically grinding and sanding concrete using a coarse grit diamond pad that gets finer and finer until one reaches the desired sheen of concrete. During this polishing process, a densifier or sealer is used to allow the pores of the concrete to become smaller. This is an important step that makes the concrete hard and dense.
Concrete coating has options like epoxy and urethane, the most popular being the former. Resinous epoxy concrete coating is also known as epoxy floor paint. This can be used as a clear coat or sealer, or an opaque coating.
Both polished concrete and concrete coatings are universally recognized as durable and strong, and keeping up with industry standards. When it comes to polishing concrete, the polishing process is responsible for keeping the concrete durable and strong for many decades.
In concrete coatings, particularly epoxy coating, it is the epoxy polymers that act as a barrier to the elements. What this does is to minimize damage and wear inflicted on the concrete itself, extending the life of concrete floors for many years without much need for upkeep.
Polished concrete generally doesn’t require any maintenance. That’s because there is no top coat that needs to be reapplied every few years or so.
Concrete coatings require minimal amount maintenance. Dust, dirt, debris, and stains can be easily removed by wiping. The only concern is, there will come a time when the coating or sealant needs to be replaced. But it’s not much to worry about since the quality of coatings has improved in recent years.
In some types of environment, polished concrete may not be advisable because it is very hard, with no cushion or padding. Generally, it doesn’t pose an impact hazard. However, if a polished concrete floor gets dusty, it can become as slippery as a hardwood floor.
Concrete coatings provide more safety and protection by being resistant to heat, fire, impact, slips, even chemical spills.
Applying polished concrete is more labor-intensive than applying concrete coating. Some take up to twelve steps to complete the entire application.
When applying concrete coating, the coating needs time to cure. Depending on the type of coating used, some coatings cure within 2-3 hours, while others require a longer time from 24-48 hours or even 7-10 days.
While a variety of colors are available in both polished concrete and concrete coating, when it comes to color and design, concrete coating takes the cake with its plethora of colors and styles available.
In polished concrete, the color is added before the densifying process. This allows the color to last for many years.
In concrete coatings, color chips are mixed to achieve the desired combination and look. You get to choose the color chips you want as well as the epoxy tint. You can achieve whatever look you’re going for whether it’s a simple finish in solid colors, or an elegant and decorative finish with multiple colors set in an intricate pattern.
Both polished concrete and concrete coatings are considered environment-friendly flooring solutions.
If you want more sheen with polished concrete, you need to apply more grit.
Concrete coatings when applied, easily provide light reflectivity and can increase brightness in a work space.
In both polished concrete and concrete coating solutions, upfront costs are comparable and very competitive. But in terms of long-term costs, the advantage goes to concrete coatings when you take into consideration the strength of its overall performance.
