Known as decorative concrete surfaces, concrete floors are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners looking for more flexibility in flooring materials. Concrete is an incredibly versatile material — making it an excellent choice for a variety of decorative applications, such as stains, stamps, exposed aggregate, ornate sawcuts and textured patterns.
For homeowners who love the look of natural stone but just can’t afford the price, a concrete floor is a cost-effective solution.
As a flooring material concrete is extremely durable and easy to maintain. And as concrete does not harbor mold or other allergens, it is also an excellent choice for people with environmental sensitivities.
Here is a brief overview of some of the more popular techniques used in concrete flooring:
Stained Concrete: Stained concrete is concrete that has had color added. Incorporating color is usually done either before the concrete is placed or afterwards. If it is done before placement an integral pigment is added during the concrete mixing process to create a consistent color throughout the finished product. The alternative is to add a stain or dye to the concrete after placement by using dry-shake color hardeners.
Stamping: Stamping is a technique used for both interior and exterior concrete surfaces. Adding patterned or textured mats and templates to the placed concrete creates a stamped surface with many design possibilities, such as the look of natural stone, flagstone, tile or brick. If color is being used a dry shake color hardener may be applied during the finishing process. Almost any pattern or texture can be achieved by using this innovative technique.
Exposed Aggregate: Exposed aggregate uses the texture of the rock or stone in the concrete to embellish the surface. In this very popular technique, concrete is placed and left to set before washing and brushing to remove the surface paste and expose the natural color and texture of the aggregate.
Ornate sawcuts: Sawcut joints are installed by using either an early-entry saw after concrete finishing or a conventional saw after concrete setting. One of the advantages to this method is that joints can be helpful in preventing cracking.
For more information about concrete floor applications check the Portland Cement Association website at www.portlandcement.com. Founded in 1916, the Portland Cement Association represents cement companies in the United States and Canada and conducts market development, engineering, research, education, and public affairs programs.
