Or "When Does A Burnished Floor Require Machine Polishing?"
Burnished floors are typically specified by architects for large floor spaces where a low cost, industrial type concrete floor finish is required. When done properly a burnished floor can be an excellent looking and a low cost finish for a factory or other large concrete floor space.
A burnished floor does however require a great level of skill by a concreter because unlike polished concrete there is no machine polishing or grinding involved. This means that any imperfections, foot prints, even small dips or waves that remain in the concrete will be highly visible in the finished concrete floor.
Achieving a Burnished Finished Floor
To achieve a creamy, smooth and level finish that requires no subsequent machine polishing or grinding takes great skill so a trusted and a very experienced concreter should be engaged to pour and finish the floor.
The concreter will use a powered trowel or "helicopter" that glides over the wet concrete to produce a level surface free of imperfections.
The advantage of a large factory space is that a very large "helicopter" can be used. With its greater surface area and large trowel blades the machine can achieve a very smooth finish that will not require grinding.
If the concrete is burnished well by the concreter finishing the floor becomes simply a matter of cleaning the surface, potentially a light polish and applying a penetrating sealer. This part of the finishing process usually requires an assessment.
If the floor finish is too rough or uneven the concrete consultant will then decide whether a mechanical polishing process or light grind is required. When the floor is ready for finishing a penetrating sealer (which has a wax-like component) can be applied and the floor can be used within a few days.
Protecting The Floor During The Process
Note that because little to no grinding of the concrete surface is required it is important to protect the concrete from stains or damage before the burnishing process is completed. The floor can be protected using Ram Board otherwise things like oil or chemical spills or even wet sawdust will permanently stain the concrete and these stains will remain clearly visible underneath the final finish!
Is The Slab Suitable For A Burnished Floor?
In our experience many floors specified for a burnished finish have issues. On inspection the slabs have far too many imperfections and any coating will only highlight this further.
If your concrete floor is located in Melbourne, surrounding suburbs or even regional Victoria and you have an existing concrete slab that is yet to be finished contact us for an assessment. A professional from our team can assess your concrete flooring and advise if it is suitable for burnishing and to provide you with an obligation free quote. If your concrete is not suitable for burnishing we can assess the concrete floor and advise the level of mechanical polishing or concrete grinding to bring it to a standard where the floor can then be sealed.
If you have a new concrete slab about to be poured for your factory or warehouse a burnished floor could be the right fit for a very low cost concrete floor.
Improving A Burnished Floor Finish
And the good news is that where a finished factory concrete slab is not quite as good as it should be, with some light grinding and machine polishing it can be brought to a level where it can still be finished correctly. The amount of grinding and polishing required should be determined by a polished concrete professional. This way you can get the best floor, for the best price, and that meets your specific use case.
If your floor is located in Melbourne or surrounding areas contact us to discuss your requirements further or to get an obligation free quote.
We can help bring your burnished floor up to a level where it looks excellent.
More Info About Burnished Concrete Flooring
- CCC Burnished Finish
- Burnished Floors - Giving Polished Concrete a Bad Name?
- The Specification of Burnished Concrete Finish (CCAA)
