Polished Concrete Floors

1. • Family-owned and
operated company
• 1926 - First
manufacturing plant in
Elgin, IL
• Continued growth to
bring regional
manufacturing to all
points in North America
• 13 facilities throughout
North America (3 in
Canada)
Who are we ?

2. Regional Manufacturing and Warehousing Facilities
To Serve Your Individual Market Needs
Seattle, WA
Benicia, CA
Pomona, CA
Goodyear, AZ
Fort Worth, TX
Orlando, FL
Cartersville, GA
York, PA
Lloydminster, ABSherwood Park, AB
Danville, VA
Kansas City, MO
Denver, CO
Hampshire, IL
Milton, ON
Boonville, MO

3. Milton, ON
• Expansion Joint Materials
• Concrete Restoration
• Construction Liquids
• Joint Sealants
• Decorative Concrete
• Building Envelope
• BLUE RIDGE FIBERBOARD
• Soundproofing and
Insulation Board
Meadows’ Family of Products

4. Milton, ON
Polished
Concrete
Floors

5. This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing
professional education. As such, it does not include content
that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or
endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or
any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or
dealing in any material or product. Questions related to
specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed
at the conclusion of this presentation.
W. R. MEADOWS is a Registered Provider with the
American Institute of Architects (AIA) Continuing
Education Systems. Credit earned on completion
of this program will be reported to CES Records
for AIA members. Certificates of Completion
for non-AIA members are available on request.

6. Objectives
• Overview of Polished Concrete
• The Process
• Features and Benefits of Polished Concrete

7. What is Polished Concrete?
• Polished Concrete is a practical, decorative and economical
floor system for any facility.
• Polished Concrete is becoming one of the fastest growing
products to ever hit the flooring industry.
• Polished Concrete is a multi-step mechanical grinding &
polishing process that utilizes industrial diamonds
(tooling) & concrete densifier to level, densify, polish &
finally seal the floor from within the interior of the floor
surface.

8. Where can it be used?
Recommended for use wherever a dense, wear
resistant, architectural pleasing low maintenance
floor is desired.
• Manufacturing • Institutional Facilities
• Commercial • Residential
• Warehouses • Convention Centers
• Sports Arenas • Airplane Hangers
• Airport Facilities

15. The Origin of Polished Concrete
• Discovered in Tunisia by a granite and marble
contractor
• Had utilized wet grinding and polishing on those
surfaces and found it successful on concrete
• Mistake made and concrete was polished DRY
• Contractor using equipment from Scandinavia
• Brought to US in early ’90’s

16. The Equipment

17. Diamond Grinding Segments
(Metal Bonds)
Diamond Polishing Pads
(Resin Bonds)
The Equipment

18. The Process
• Ensure floor is clean and dry
• Concrete must be a minimum of 28 days old
• Minimum compressive strength of concrete
should be 3,500 psi (24 MPa)
• Dry process – no water added during
grinding or polishing
• Certified applicators/contractors

19. Step 1- 80 Grit Metal Bond Grinding Segment

20. Step 2- 150 Grit Metal Bond Grinding Segment

21. Step 3 – Concrete Densifier application

22. Concrete Densifier – Why?
• Silicate technology
– Hydration of concrete produces calcium hydroxide (free
lime)
– Chemically coverts the free lime to calcium silicate
hydrate (CSH) producing a dense surface
• To protect the integrity of the surface
• Does not allow the floor to erode, micro-pit or
scratch
• Maintains the light reflectivity and shine

23. Step 4 – 100 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

24. Step 5 – 200 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

25. Step 6 – 400 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

26. Step 7 – 800 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

27. Step 8 – 1500 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

28. Step 9 – 3000 Grit Diamond Resin Polishing

29. Sealing / Protection
• Cut down version of densifier
• Silane Siloxane mix
• Thin Clear Epoxy
• Silicone impregnators
• Specifically designed proprietary
enhancers

30. Types of Finishes
• 800 GRIT: SATIN FINISH THAT WILL REFLECT
IMAGES FROM SIDE LIGHTING.
• 1500 GRIT: SEMI-GLOSS FINISH THAT WILL
REFLECT OVERHEAD AND SIDE IMAGES FROM
35-45 FEET WITH INCREASED LIGHT
REFLECTIVITY.
• 3000 GRIT: HIGH-GLOSS FINISH THAT WILL
LOOK WET AND SHOW MIRROR LIKE
REFLECTIONS OF SIDE AND OVERHEAD IMAGES.

31. 800 Grit
Satin Finish
1500 Grit
Semi-Gloss Finish
3000 Grit
High Gloss Finish
Types of Finishes

32. Benefits of Polishing
• Elimination of Dusting
– Due to free lime (efflorescence)
– Vapor drive from below forces free lime to
surface
– Can cause adhesive and specialty floor failures

33. • Stain Resistance
– Reduces the porosity of the floor in conjunction
with densifier
– Densification process is a chemical reaction,
stain resistance not immediate
– Slows down penetration of water, oil and other
contaminants
Benefits of Polishing

34. • Restoration of Older Floors
– Rain damage, spalling, pitting, delamination,
floor failures
– Removal of top surface and harden the concrete
below
– Deteriorated concrete can be strengthened
– Impact and abrasion resistance of the concrete
can be increased
Benefits of Polishing

36. • Better Lighting
– Reflectivity of the floor
– Can reduce lighting costs
Benefits of Polishing

37. • Slip Resistance
– Measurement of coefficient of friction and slip
resistance
– Exceeds OSHA standards for floors
– Exceeds ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
– Higher degree of polish is not directly related to
slip resistance
Benefits of Polishing

38. • Less Maintenance
– Reduced penetration of contaminants, remain
on surface
– Tire marking significantly reduced
– No sealing, waxing or stripping of floor required
– No aggressive scrubbing required
Benefits of Polishing

39. • Reduced Tire Wear
– Smoother concrete surface can significantly
reduce tire wear
Benefits of Polishing

40. • Timing of Installation
– Applied after 28 days – no extended time frames
between finishing and applying as with
specialty coatings
– Non-toxic – can be applied while building is still
occupied
– Densifier used in process – approvals through
CFIA for use in food handling facilities
Benefits of Polishing

41. • Cost Effective
– Relatively inexpensive application costs
– Low maintenance costs
– One time application – no replacement costs as
with specialty flooring systems
Benefits of Polishing

42. Cost Comparison of Various Flooring Treatments
Vinyl Sheet
Flooring* Carpet*
Vinyl composite
Tile*
Epoxy
Terrazzo*
Epoxy
Coating
Polished
Concrete
Cost / square foot Installed $2.72 $1.93 $1.23 $9.10 $4.00 $5.00
Annual Maintenance Cost /
sq ft $1.39 $1.53 $1.47 $0.46 $0.50 $0.50
Replacement Cost $3.43 $2.24 $1.60 $0.00 $7.00 $0.00
Frequency of Replacement
(years) 9 10 15 20+ 6 20+
20 Year Cost $37.38 $39.39 $34.06 $18.30 $24.29 $15.00
Annual Cost / square foot $1.87 $1.97 $1.70 $0.92 $1.21 $0.75
20 year cost for 10,000
square ft. $373,800 $393,900 $340,600 $183,000 $242,900 $150,000
*information taken from commercial flooring life cycle cost analysis as provided by The National Terrazzo and
Mosaic Association. The 20 year cost includes initial cost, replacement and maintenance costs

43. $ 0
$ 50,000
$ 100,000
$ 150,000
$ 200,000
$ 250,000
$ 300,000
$ 350,000
$ 400,000
$ 450,000
1
Vinyl Sheet
Car pet
VCT
Epoxy Ter r azzo
Epoxy Coating
Polished Concr ete
Cost Comparison of Various Flooring Treatments

45. Benefits of Polishing
• Long Lasting
– One time application
– Minimal maintenance required to preserve the
appearance of the floor

46. • Polished Concrete is developed to be a part of
your sustainable design.
• Meets low emissions – no VOC
• Virtually dust-free process
• Increases ambient light – saves energy
• Local manufacturing of materials
• High Performance System
• Meets ADA/OSHA/CFIA requirements
• Earn credits towards LEED
Sustainable Design

47. LEED
• Assist with LEED credits/points
• Areas:
• MR (Materials & Resources)
• IEQ (Indoor Environmental Quality)

48. LEED
• How does it assist with LEED credits?
• This process:
– Reduces the amount of construction waste
– Reduces the cost of building maintenance
– Reduces the cost of operation
– Reduces the amount of construction materials
– Preserves the recyclability of concrete
– Reduces airborne dust particulates
– Safe for the contractor and personnel
– Does not off gas
– Contains no VOC’s
– Extremely long-lasting

49. This concludes the AIA portion of this presentation.
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