With the plethora of polished concrete finishes, you will definitely never run out of unique ways to vamp up your floorings — one of which takes shape in the form of salt and pepper concrete floor finish. The salt and pepper concrete floor finish is accomplished by softly grinding the surface of the concrete to expose the fine stone and sand that lies just beneath the area. Scratch marks are then removed one at a time until the concrete floor is completely smooth and polished. This treatment generates a lighter overall finish, which helps to optimise the amount of ambient and synthetic light in the immediate area. The salt and pepper concrete finish is a common pick for polished concrete because of its distinctive character and long-lasting resilience. Not only that, but its striking appearance also makes it the ideal choice for any sort of home. Furthermore, it is an aesthetically compelling concrete finish that is commonly used in commercial settings. Indeed, there are a lot of wonders instilled in salt and pepper concrete floor finish, but even with such, it also bares with it workable downsides. Thus, for starters, here’s 7 disadvantages of salt and pepper concrete floor finish and how you can work.
1. Hard Step
Although this material’s strength and durability are advantageous, the surface is extremely hard and will not cushion or “give” under foot pressure, making it inconvenient to stand on for extended periods of time. Anti-fatigue mats can be placed in areas where employees spend long periods of time on their feet on a daily basis to help alleviate this problem.
2. Collects Moisture
Water can easily permeate concrete when it is built over bare soil if it is not adequately sealed on both the upper and bottom portions of the structure. In humid conditions, the cold temperature of concrete can also induce moisture to condense due to its low surface temperature. Liquid that gets into the crevices of a concrete floor can cause mold or mildew to grow, which can be harmful to the health of your family. If you live in a humid location, you may also have to worry about moisture chilling, expanding, and shattering the floor underneath you.
3. Intolerable to Drops
Dropped objects will not be tolerated on salt and pepper concrete floor finish. Dropping a phone on a carpeted floor may cause it to bounce back, but dropping it on a polished concrete surface is likely to cause it to shatter. A dropped glass, as well as the majority of dropped ceramics, is almost likely gone. Because of this, concrete may not be the best choice for flooring for families with young children or homeowners who are prone to stumbling.
4. Cold Surface
Another disadvantage of salt and pepper concrete floor finish is that they have a tendency to lose their ability to retain heat extremely efficiently. That means that in the winter, the surface of the floor will feel chilly, but not to the extent that hardwood flooring or natural stone flooring will feel chilled. In order to combat this, radiant heating cables can be embedded in concrete floors in order to prevent heat loss. The best part is that you’ll typically pay cheaper utility bills than you would with a forced-air system since concrete floor radiant warming uses less energy to provide the same degree of comfort as a forced-air system.
5. Potentially Hazardous to the Environment
Despite the fact that concrete is an inert and biodegradable substance, the process of producing cement consumes a significant amount of energy and emits carbon dioxide. When likened to other construction materials such as metal, hardwood, and glass, concrete has the highest embodied energy by a significant margin.
6. Slippery
Surfaces that have been highly polished or buffed, as well as those that have been covered with a gloss sealer, can be extremely slippery, particularly when moist. Concrete in restrooms, kitchens, and entryways is particularly vulnerable to this type of damage. Another disadvantage of concrete is that it has no insulating value, making it feel fairly cold on cold winter mornings unless it has been put in association with a thermal floor heating system, which is not recommended. The innate coldness of concrete can be mitigated to some extent by the addition of carpets and throw rugs to the interior.
7. Development of Cracks
Whether you like it or not, even the best-installed concrete will eventually develop cracks. This is due to the fact that a slab’s huge surface area must withstand variations in temperature, moisture, and settling. Cracks can be concealed by using colored concrete mixture and mending supplies.
How to Work Around Salt and Pepper Concrete Floor Finish
To get the right salt and pepper finish, it is unquestionably necessary to have knowledge and experience. It is very important to carefully execute each step in order to achieve 100 percent accuracy in the use of the method. As a result, you should only entrust it to qualified and experienced professionals such as ourselves at RenuCrete Sydney.
Generally speaking, achieving a salt and pepper finish is rather simple to accomplish. It will, however, very probably be determined by the concrete mix. Furthermore, maintaining consistency with this style of finish can be difficult. To elaborate, it is unquestionably dependent on the initial concrete level. As a result, the aggregate exposure may differ throughout the entire surface in such a situation.
RenuCrete, on the other hand, knows just what to do to produce the right salt and pepper finish. For example, we grind the concrete as light as possible in order to expose the fine granules that are hidden beneath the surface. We utilize particular ways to erase each scratch on the surface as a result of our experience. As a result, we will continue until we achieve the finest possible final result for you. That is, by the application of a variety of expert polishing processes at various levels of difficulty. We also offer other finishes of your choice, may it be burnished concrete floor finish, decorative concrete floor finishes, and resin flooring. Collaborate you flooring projects with us today!
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