How to Maintain Decorative Concrete Floors


Regardless of what type of flooring material you choose, there is always some maintenance work to be done. Even concrete floors, that are much easier to care for than most other types of flooring, require your regular and proper attention. Needless to say, there are many other factors that influence the type and scope of maintenance, such as the amount of traffic.

If you have concrete floors at home, the chances are that they experience light foot traffic and maintaining them is a breeze. Simple, occasional sweeping and mopping will do the trick, although you should also protect the floors with a sealer and a coat of floor finish or wax to help the floor become more resistant to stains, chemicals, and abrasion. So, what are some basic tips for helping your concrete floor last as long as possible?

Protect the floor

Your floor should be protected with a polish or a good floor sealer, which prolongs the life of the floor and improves its visual appeal. Also, in order to keep stains and dirt away, you need to use a quality floor wax for concrete floors, which also preserves the sealer. Finally, you can use floor mats in areas of heavy traffic, such as entrances and foyers.

Maintenance schedule

Each floor, and concrete ones are no exception, should be maintained as recommended by contractors. In order to make the most of your material choice, you should strictly follow their recommendations.

Make sure you only use the cleaning solutions, floor sealers and wax your contractor suggested and don’t apply any harsh cleaning products. This should help you enjoy the benefits of your concrete floor much longer.

How to clean polished concrete

The densification and polishing process make polished concrete floors extremely durable and easy to maintain, since they don’t require sealers and waxing. You just need to clean your floor regularly and you’ll enjoy a great, clean and durable surface for many years.

Periodical dusting, which removes grit, and damp mopping with a neutral cleaner will make the surface shine. However, you can also opt for some special cleaners and conditioners for polished concrete, which both clean the surface and leave behind a dirt-resistant film. Simply apply these products using a mop. In case your floor is no longer shiny, you can buff it with a commercial polishing compound. Some more challenging tasks include re-polishing the floor with a fine-grit abrasive.

Dealing with small problems

Concrete floors are not immune to minor cracks, scratches or gouges, although they rarely appear. Still, in case you encounter such a problem, you can always use some patching material, but if the problem can’t be fixed with it, you need to resort to resurfacing with an overlay.

Discolouration

If your concrete contractor has done everything well, stains and dyes will penetrate deeply into the surface, thus providing permanent colour, which doesn’t flake, peel or fade. Still, acid stains can lead to discolouration. In order to tackle this issue, you can use a tinted sealer or completely change the colour with a coat of a quality epoxy flooring solution. Just make sure that you use environmentally friendly and low-VOC products, which don’t have any negative effect on the health of those living in your home.

As you can see, maintaining a concrete floor is not such a difficult task, but some regular actions need to be taken. With the right choice of materials, you can really enjoy all the benefits that concrete floors provide for many years. The fact that concrete is rarely the first option for a flooring solution should not discourage you from considering it and one of the reasons is definitely easy maintenance.