When it comes to choosing a finish for your concrete floors, your decision often boils down to two main options: polished concrete and epoxy floor coating.
Although these two may look similar, they differ in many ways that could affect how well they serve your needs.
To help you decide what’s right for your property, we’ve compared each option across the different factors you need to consider when choosing a concrete floor finish.
Surface Texture
Polished concrete is renowned for its smooth and shiny surface that doesn’t scratch or peel easily. It’s the ideal finish if you want your floors to have an incredibly smooth surface with little to no texture. It can also be modified to create the level of sheen you want.
Epoxy floor coating, on the other hand, is known for its rougher surface texture, which provides a more textured and more non-slip surface. This can be useful in environments that require more caution and safety (e.g. industrial warehouses).
With that said, polished concrete can also be designed with some texture for commercial or industrial use, allowing it to meet the demands of many worksites.
Longevity
Both polished concrete and epoxy floor coating can last several years before requiring replacement or refurbishment. Its longevity, however, will depend mainly on where you use them.
Between the two, epoxy coating is often considered to be the tougher surface, since it can increase the load rating of the concrete floor it’s applied on. This makes it ideal for areas that experience heavy traffic from people and machinery. But due to the heavy forces it regularly experiences, many epoxy floor coats often only last between 3 to 5 years.
Polished concrete, however, will last incredibly long in areas that won’t experience industrial levels of foot traffic and machinery. In fact, some polished concrete floors can last up to 10 years before requiring refurbishment.
Cost
Polished concrete typically costs less than epoxy floor coating, making it the more attractive choice if budget is an issue. Aside from its lower installation cost, polished concrete also often costs less to refurbish than epoxy coating, making it the more affordable and cost-effective option for a long-term finish.
Chemical Resistance
If chemical resistance is a major requirement in your floors, then epoxy coating would likely be your better choice.
Epoxy floor coating is known for its resistance to chemicals and chemical reactions, making it the ideal finish for areas that may experience plenty of spills or interactions with chemicals (e.g. hospitals, industrial warehouses).
Standard polished concrete, on the other hand, is known to react with some acids and heavy chemicals, which could damage its surface. Some polished concrete floors, however, can be coated with a special material to make it more resistant to chemicals.
Maintenance
Polished concrete is much easier to clean and maintain than epoxy floor coating, typically requiring just water to clean it and maintain its condition. This makes it suitable for those who don’t want to spend too much time or money cleaning their floors.
Epoxy floor coating, meanwhile, often needs detergents or other agents to clean it thoroughly and remove the build-up of dirt and grime. Cleaning and maintaining epoxy floor coats can also be more difficult if parts of it have flaked or peeled off.
What’s Right for Your Space?
Every property is different, so you’ll need to evaluate your space and assess what you truly need from your floors. It’s all about matching your needs with what the floor finish offers.
If you need help deciding whether polished concrete is right for property, feel free to contact us and talk with one of our specialists. We can provide more information about polished concrete and help you determine whether it’s the right choice for your work or living space.
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