Category: NEWS

Of all the elements in a residential renovation, floors add the most life and value to an old property. This was especially true for the custom Pangaea or thin-set concrete and aggregate flooring we made for a homeowner in Dover Heights.

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There are many benefits of resin flooring that make it an ideal choice for your industrial or warehouse floor. For example, did you know that the thicker resin floor types are actually harder than concrete?

This article aims to help you decide whether your particular project will benefit from resin flooring or not.

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While you cannot entirely prevent concrete from cracking, there are certainly strategies to minimise it. Your best defence against concrete cracking is to try to control where the cracks will more likely occur. Prevention starts with creating a predetermined location of joints on the concrete floor.

A concrete specialist can apply “preventive medicine” and precautionary measures on concrete floors to delay the onset of cracks.

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The benefits of polished concrete are many. It is a very popular choice among commercial, residential, retail, and industrial establishments. If you go to the mall, to a restaurant or to your office, try looking down, chances polished concrete is staring back at you.

True to its name, “polished” concrete is what gives concrete floors that polished and shiny look. It also has a reputation of outlasting the rest of the flooring finishes.

But what are the real reasons you should choose polished concrete flooring for your next project?

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Polished concrete floors can last a lifetime if maintained properly because they can withstand wear and tear through the densification and polishing process. But as durable as they come, these floors will eventually lose their sparkle if you fail to maintain it properly, especially if they are placed in high-traffic commercial or retail facilities.

Generally, polished concrete floors are easier to maintain than other types of decorative concrete floors. However, some retail shops still make the mistake of thinking they are all too easy to maintain.

Here are three essential tips for keeping your polished concrete floor in optimum condition:

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Experts say about 40% of the carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change comes from buildings.

Most of us think it results from energy needs such as air conditioning and lighting.

But this is not the case…

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The course of architecture was forever changed the day the ancient Romans developed concrete. This wonderful material is renowned for its strength and durability as well as being abundant.

While the concrete that the Romans used to build their structures is very different from the type that we use today, concrete is still consistently the prime choice for builders throughout the ages.

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Installing a polished concrete floor is not exactly an easy task. It requires a lot of planning and a whole lot of working hours.

Timing is key when installing a polished concrete floor. Getting the timing wrong could involve ripping everything out and starting all over again. This job would normally take 3-6 days depending on the size and the condition of the room.

Getting this flooring looking perfect takes a lot of time and skill. Every step is very important, and making sure that there are no weak links is a priority. If this is not done right, the whole floor integrity can fall apart. Longevity is important when we are dealing with heavy duty floorings.

Here are the steps involved in installing a polished concrete floor:

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Polished concrete floors are an amazing type of floor that will not only look great, but also last for many years. The secret is to look after them properly.

A lot of people make the big mistake of thinking that a polished concrete floor will look great without much effort. While concrete floors are extremely lasting, you still need to do some proper maintenance work to ensure that they remain in top condition.

Here are the biggest mistakes stores make when cleaning polished concrete floors we regularly come across, and how to avoid them.

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Your building floor looks a little worn out in places, and you need to breathe new life into it.

Total removal or replacement seems an attractive proposition, but you realise that doing so would make a serious dent on your budget. So what are your options?

If you want to transform your now-imperfect concrete floor into something seriously fabulous without spending a fortune, then going for decorative concrete overlays may be the ideal choice for you.

Why decorative concrete overlays work so well

Decorative concrete overlays are your best option if you are looking to rejuvenate worn, damaged, or unsightly concrete floors. Whether you need to restore your floor to its original look, or give it a new one, or simply correct elevation problems, you can rest assured that these concrete toppings are up to the task.

With its thin-set character and in situ application, decorative concrete overlays can provide you with numerous design possibilities that would help transform existing concrete floors into spaces of distinction. Take a look at some of the concrete toppings we have provided for some of our clients to get an idea what we at Honestone can do with decorative concrete overlays.

1. Timber inserts can create classy patterns within the floor area.

 

Polished cement floors already look great. Timber inserts, however, considerably up the wow factor with the patterns they create.

2. Free form design without grout lines using multiple colours.

Don’t like grout lines on your floor? Then let our cement toppings solve that issue for you. Let your creativity run wild and go with any design you’ll like, and you’ll end up with a polished concrete floor that is absolutely striking.

3. Use subtle colour variations to identify individual areas within a space.

 

Why use dividers or anything similar to mark areas within a space when you can use decorative cement overlays for that purpose? Very subtle colour variations work just as well, and without putting up dividers or anything that takes up space.

4. Use of corporate logos or colours help reinforce a brand.

Let not the people who walk on your polished concrete floors forget who you are and what you stand for.

5. Create feature panels or strips with a reverse mix.

For example, the main floor area can be white cement with black marble aggregate while features can be black cement with white aggregate.

6. Introduce mirror chip.

Install mirror chip cement toppings–available in natural and a variety of colours–and make your floor sparkle under lighting.

7. Change the size of the aggregates to make feature areas.

 

For instance, an entry may have 10mm white aggregate with corridors at a 3mm aggregate. There may even be no aggregate feature panels if you so choose.

8. Have a door entry mat recessed into the floor.

This would be perfect for a wet area transition on those rainy days. No trip hazards, no slips guaranteed. The best thing about recessed entry mats is that they create highly effective protection against wet and dirt ruining your impeccable polished concrete flooring.

9. Stone tile inserts, motifs or brass will create a focal point or pattern to a seamless floor.

Seamless floors are awesome enough, but stone tile inserts, motifs or brass just make them magical.

10. Bring floor levels together by using the same floor finish on stairs.

Matching polished concrete floor and stairs. Always a win.

The thing about decorative concrete overlays

While decorative cement overlays are great at giving existing cement floors a makeover, it is not an end-all and be-all solution for all concrete floors. Installing decorative concrete overlays, for one, should not be an option when the underlying base is no longer structurally sound. The same is also true if the floor is resting on unstable soil, or if the concrete has huge or very bad cracks. For these conditions, total replacement of the floor is the only real option.

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