Polished Concrete

[Full Size 66]

I just got done with having my floor polished. The end result is very nice, super smooth, and will be shinny with lights. I was wondering why more of us do not do it? Why all the interest in tile, false flooring or deck, epoxy coat? The price was comparable to most of the epoxy systems rated for industrial usage. The reasons I went this route are spark resistance, most liquids will not soak in before you can clean up, it is a single solid material. Depending on how your pour was done you can end up with a very nice look. Because of the defects in my pour and finish I ended up with a Terrazzo style finish, in other words polished exposed aggregate. Since I am computer / I phone illiterate I will try to get some pics up off of my phone.

 

[Full Size 66]

So here is the before.

 

[Full Size 66]

Now to try the during and after shots....

 

[Full Size 66]

So the selected photos prove my illiteracy with computers and all things tech. I don't have any money but my garage floor is really nice...

 

[Full Size 66]

Just as I might have suspected 37 people have viewed and not one response. I have not posted this to be arrogant or "look at me". I want to see why more of us garage people don't use this alternative for the floor.

 

[bdamico]

Just as I might have suspected 37 people have viewed and not one response. I have not posted this to be arrogant or "look at me". I want to see why more of us garage people don't use this alternative for the floor.

Two things: (1) can't see sh*t sideways. (2) the pros and cons of polished concrete have been discussed numerous times. If I could see your pics, I'd probably say it looks good.

 

[Full Size 66]

Yeah as I said before I don't know much about how to modify or change pictures on the computer, I was lucky to post them at all.

 

[drmatera]

I had my garage polished too.

 

[Daddy454]

I like it.My floor finish isn't the best either,and I 've been looking for something to improve the look/finish.How much does something like that cost? say for a 24x48'.

 

[PT Doc]

I had my garage polished too.

Nice.

 

[Justanoldguy]

I had my garage polished too.

That's how things look down under..

Cheers from NZ.

 

[Full Size 66]

My floor was really bad in a couple of places. They had to do some deep grinding. The total is mid 5K. Size is 850sq. Ft. 28x32

 

[OneAkela]

I had my garage polished too.

How did you hang the car on the ceiling? Is it the new "in" thing? Save room for equipment on the floor?

 

[CarbonCrew]

I like the polished look and it is at the top of my list for my upcoming floor finish.

If you don't mind, what was the price of the job?

 

[scratchedup]

How did you hang the car on the ceiling?:

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[rburke65]

Does no one READ the posts before you ask the question? He just told you how much! Is the "full sized 66" an Impala?

 

[Full Size 66]

Yes the full size is an Impala, in the family since 68! Did they make any other full size car??? The price for the floor was mid $5K yes it is a lot to invest to the floor but it has only been a few days and I know it is going to be great for a long time. The difference is this is raw concrete that has been brought to a very smooth, solid surface. There is no coating to wear away or peel, bubble,flake and fail. Nothing to re-do accept a touch up with densifier and buff about 5 years from now! I'm not saying this is the end all but it is a very good alternative if your going to do fab work and mechanical work....

 

[bdamico]

Yes the full size is an Impala, in the family since 68! Did they make any other full size car??? The price for the floor was mid $5K yes it is a lot to invest to the floor but it has only been a few days and I know it is going to be great for a long time. The difference is this is raw concrete that has been brought to a very smooth, solid surface. There is no coating to wear away or peel, bubble,flake and fail. Nothing to re-do accept a touch up with densifier and buff about 5 years from now! I'm not saying this is the end all but it is a very good alternative if your going to do fab work and mechanical work....

So to answer your original question, now that I know what you paid, I went with porcelain tile for one reason because it was significantly cheaper. I'm sure your floor looks great but still can't tell from the pics.

 

[Xception]

Looks really nice Roger. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

 

[JMURiz]

I love a polished concrete floor, great look.

 

[paullie]

Just as I might have suspected 37 people have viewed and not one response. I have not posted this to be arrogant or "look at me". I want to see why more of us garage people don't use this alternative for the floor.

The lack of responses is because most guys dont want to say it and start a ******* match, so I'll say it. My shop is a place to work in, not a show room. I'm not going to have a shop floor that i have to "protect" from a torch, welding splatter, chemicals, ect.

Polished/epoxy floors look great, but it's just not to high on my list of things to do/spend money on.

I'm just thankful that i have a concrete floor and not laying in dirt/mud.

 

[Full Size 66]

Exactly Paullie, I did the polish to fix the problem of the cream coat of the concrete coming off. The showroom effect is a happy ending to an otherwise frustrating situation. This thread was not started to instigate a ******* match or any squacking about what floor is better than the others. The company that did this floor told me right off to "not use epoxy" because of the type of work I will be doing. They sell epoxy jobs and other floor repair and preparations. The owner flat out said it would be slightly cheaper to do an industrial epoxy about 1/8 - 1/4 thick but not for hot work or mechanical. As for the pictures I am limited on lighting and my own knowledge...

 

[Xception]

I love everything about it. Except the price.... Did you end up finishing with 1500 grit ?

 

[Full Size 66]

The grit was supposed to be a series of "25 metals" - "150 metals", then "100 resins" - "400 resins" The difference is the way the grit is bonded to the pad. After the 400 they did the densifier then another series of pads up to 800, then more densifier and 1500 and up to 3000. The entire show was 3 days long. They did the seam filler today and it brought the floor together, I chose black and it looks great. I'll try to get a picture up tomorrow

 

[PittsS1]

I just got done with having my floor polished. The end result is very nice, super smooth, and will be shinny with lights. I was wondering why more of us do not do it? Why all the interest in tile, false flooring or deck, epoxy coat?

I think the reason is that an 800 ft^2 garage cost you mid $5ks to polish, and most people can't get the equipment or have the know-how to polish as a DIY endeavour.

That same garage in a very good epoxy (Legacy, EpoxyCoat, etc.) with grinder rental might run you $1000 to $1500 if you did it yourself. I see the overwhelming majority of people here doing their own epoxy jobs, but there's no way I'd pay even close to $5k for epoxy on a garage that size even if I had somebody come out and do it- that's a big chunk of change!

That said, I'd love to have a polished floor, and yours looks great, but for my 1000 ft^2 garage, based on your prices, it would cost more than the 4000psi, 6" thick slab cost in the first place!

 

[bchee]

the look of the exposed aggregrate

 

[Full Size 66]

I think the reason is that an 800 ft^2 garage cost you mid $5ks to polish, and most people can't get the equipment or have the know-how to polish as a DIY endeavour.

That same garage in a very good epoxy (Legacy, EpoxyCoat, etc.) with grinder rental might run you $1000 to $1500 if you did it yourself. I see the overwhelming majority of people here doing their own epoxy jobs, but there's no way I'd pay even close to $5k for epoxy on a garage that size even if I had somebody come out and do it- that's a big chunk of change!

That said, I'd love to have a polished floor, and yours looks great, but for my 1000 ft^2 garage, based on your prices, it would cost more than the 4000psi, 6" thick slab cost in the first place!

I get that most people don't want to spend that much money, and the equipment is not available in the rental market for the DIY guy. I just see some of the places that have come on the scene here at GJ and thought it strange that not many splurge in this area. As I understand it the technology for this product and application is not really that old (12-15 years)...

 

[Xception]

Did you have any shrinkage cracks that this process removed ? Or if you did are they as noticable ?

 

[Full Size 66]

Not entirely sure what you mean by shrinkage cracks? There is some small spider web type cracks that are visible, however when they floated the floor with a filler compound those and the tiny pits are entirely flat. The only thing that exists now are micro pores, the floor is basically smooth with no rough spots.

 

[PittsS1]

I get that most people don't want to spend that much money, and the equipment is not available in the rental market for the DIY guy. I just see some of the places that have come on the scene here at GJ and thought it strange that not many splurge in this area. As I understand it the technology for this product and application is not really that old (12-15 years)...

Yeah, I see what you're saying, and I guess I'm surprised more people don't do it as well. I really do like the look and hope that in the future the rental equipment is more readily available for it, as it seems pretty labor intensive so a good deal could be saved if a guy did it himself. Let us know how it holds up in the future- I'd be intersted in a review after some use.

 

[Full Size 66]

No problem, if anyone will be hard on the floor this is where I will brag! I have a dump truck and brush chipper that constantly need work. I weld, work on cars, bikes, saws and do wood work. All of these things I have done in one form or another for many years and now it is time to use the garage for the purpose of advancing my hobbies! CHARGE!!! I only hope the whole building will reward me for many years to come. This project has been a whole new learning experience. Thanks to everyone who checked in on this thread and to everyone on the GJ for inspiration and ideas.

 

[Xception]

Not entirely sure what you mean by shrinkage cracks? There is some small spider web type cracks that are visible, however when they floated the floor with a filler compound those and the tiny pits are entirely flat. The only thing that exists now are micro pores, the floor is basically smooth with no rough spots.

Yes to the best of my knowledge shrinkage cracks are the little tiny spider cracks that meander along. Reason I ask is because I have a bunch of them and was told the cracks are only in te surface and don't go clear through the slab and I was wondering if grinding would take them out.

 

[Full Size 66]

OK so your floor is similar to what mine looked like. The only way the small cracks go away is to remove the entire cap. This can be time consuming. My cap came off quickly in some areas and some were tough. I have a few small areas where they are still there. The rock that is exposed during grinding is at variable levels within the concrete so you don't always get the same amount after polishing.

 

[KPSquared]

Holy ****. . . I don't think I could spend $5000 for a floor that cost me the same. I'm looking at about $1000 to use Legacy's clear epoxy/urethane top coat. I've been told it will hold up to all the work I intend to do. I just have to be a little more careful with the welder and torch. I'm willing to do that to have a floor that salt, brake fluid, and diesel won't mess up.

That's the thing I don't get about the money spent on a polished floor. . . the standard fluids that mess up, break down, and stain concrete are still going to aren't they? You spill a bunch of oil, won't it just soak in and stain the floor?

Either way, I love the look of your floor, just not sure that unprotected concrete would work for me.

 

[64 lane]

I like it. I was looking into a more natural finish for my shop. The expense is more than I would like to spend, but I was wanting to the work my self. Very nice

 

[Full Size 66]

KPSquared, I was in a position where the floor was not sound. My original goal was what the finisher called burned in. The problem was in a couple of areas there was chipping or delamination. Every contractor consulted, web sites, industry experts etc. said there is no way to permanently patch the areas. It would continually be an issue of either the patch or more of the cap coming up. My floor presented a "catch 22" if you will. I would have to grind one way or the other, so as painful as it was I decided to go all the way. Yes the price of the concrete was less than the polish. The showroom finish is not a vanity thing it is just a happy result of a very expensive correction. This cost me the price of the doors. Another thing that cost me was at the beginning the hole was dug one foot too deep.

 

[hardhat]

5k is expensive but it's the going rate. I still don't get why it's twice as much to paint a 800sq ft garage floor as it is to paint and caulk a 4k sq ft 2 story house. Oh I know, it's a niche trade.

 

[LegacyIndustrial]

Price one of the machines that are used to do this and it will all make sense.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Exactly Paullie, I did the polish to fix the problem of the cream coat of the concrete coming off. The showroom effect is a happy ending to an otherwise frustrating situation. This thread was not started to instigate a ******* match or any squacking about what floor is better than the others. The company that did this floor told me right off to "not use epoxy" because of the type of work I will be doing. They sell epoxy jobs and other floor repair and preparations. The owner flat out said it would be slightly cheaper to do an industrial epoxy about 1/8 - 1/4 thick but not for hot work or mechanical. As for the pictures I am limited on lighting and my own knowledge...

These comments are interesting. I work on my race car in the garage. Jack it up, put it on jack stands, slide stuff across the garage floor. Right now I have bare unfinished concrete, building a new 1,000sf shop this fall/winter.

Your comments lead me to think that "epoxy" is not a good solution when your sliding jacks, jack stands, transmissions, heavy Ford 9" gear sets, steel drive shafts, etc. across the floor. Is that right?

Does the polishing "seal" the concrete surface to oil and grease? How does it do that? What is put on the surface as the final treatment?

Thanks for all the information. (You'll eventually figure out how to manipulate the pictures, don't dispair.)

 

[Full Size 66]

Grinding and polishing DOES NOT seal the concrete, neither does the application of any densifier. There are petroleum resistant products you could apply to slow down the absorption rate, but they do not "seal" against petroleum products. This is where epoxy would be a better application. The surface of a polished floor is so smooth that it resists absorption of liquids. There are still pores to let stuff in. As far as durability goes it can be more durable for welding and heavier mechanical work. My friends have not wasted a second giving me a hard time about pulling my dump truck or brush chipper in on the "showroom" floor... I need to remind them it is only a happy result to a problem.