So in this case, moisture was trapped under the sealer, causing the white, blotchy haze. Question: I recently applied a two-component, high-solids aliphatic polyurethane sealer to a stained floor in a spa. This polish produces the highest level of shine, similar to glass with high light reflectivity. Always check to see if the sealer manufacturer recommends a specific application tool. Concrete polishing is more labor intensive and costs more than grind/seal or burnished concrete. For cracks much larger than that, install a backer rod first, and then the cementitious filler. Answer: This is a common problem, more often found with water-based sealers. Here are the steps for grind and seal concrete: The process involves grinding the concrete with engineered concrete floor surface grinders to remove any contaminants from the existing slab. When I wash the floor it looks great, but the dull spots show up when it dries, and over time I'm getting more and more spots. 3 Types of Polished Concrete Sealers. Be sure to clarify with your concrete flooring company which system will be used if you are requesting a stained concrete floor. However with sealed concrete and depending on the traffic level, your surface may need to be resealed annually. There are many ways to build a slab-on-grade (or frost-protected shallow foundation), the following is a, Kunos oil from Livos is a natural finishing oil for floors, counters, furniture & decks - enrich wood surfaces safely, protect them from stains & water ingress. Find out more about two-part and one-part sealer technology and application methods from Surtec Inc. Taking the time to put down this final layer of protection not only prolongs the life of your floor, but can also enhance and preserve its appearance. Avoid the temptation to pinch pennies. Because they are not a coating like topical products, stains and spills need to be removed promptly to prevent damage. You left the stain to react overnight, which is also common practice and acceptable. Other manufacturers recommend waiting to apply densifiers until right before the final pass at the highest grit to ensure not too much of the product is removed. If you have in-floor radiant heat, running it after you pour will speed up the drying process. Economical yet functional, wet concrete look. This film is the protective barrier and reflects light to produce the level of gloss you want. This is a large 8,000-square-foot floor in the cafeteria of a local manufacturer, and it receives heavy traffic. is a decorative concrete flooring contractor in Atlanta specializing in polished concrete, metallic epoxy floors and countertops, stained concrete, epoxy flooring, and sealed concrete floors. Most sealers need 12 to 24 hours of dry time before application, especially when a large amount of water is used in the cleaning process. Burnished polished concrete resembles polished concrete but does not require as many steps. This is a very real environmental factor often missed when contractors prepare to seal, especially interior floors. It is always wise to check a home for radon gas contamination and remove it if levels are above recommended safe levels. In other areas, the sealer has saturated the surface of the concrete while leaving the desired film on the surface. When sealer is applied, it fills the valleys, but you may need to apply more than one coat depending on the finish of the floor. Contact us and view our privacy policy, terms & conditions, and press room, Allow recently poured concrete to cure fully, Let stains or overlays dry thoroughly before sealing, Remove baseboards or cover them for protection, Open doors and windows for proper ventilation, Apply a thin coat of concrete floor sealer and let dry, Apply a second coat in the other direction, let dry, Wax the surface of the floor to prolong the life of the sealer, Reapply the sacrificial wax as it wears off, Reseal your concrete floor every few years. Read more in How to Make Concrete Non-Slip. Grindkings will be in touch soon. After the sealer dried, the floor appeared blotchy, with some areas glossy and others not. This floor is on grade, and the concrete is over two months old with a vapor barrier under the slab. The ones that penetrate the least come out shinier but you can't restore them as many times. However, thefinish (either matte, satin, or gloss) is achieved in unique processes. Copyright 2022 Runyon Surface Prep | All Rights Reserved |, 5 Concrete Finishing Tools That Make Your Job Easier, Best Concrete Equipment Investments for Your Rental Fleet, Improve Your Concrete Floor Polishing With This New Tool. However with sealed concrete, the finish is achieved from a topical sealer. We provide decorative concrete flooring solutions for commercial or residential clients throughout the metro Atlanta area including Acworth, Alpharetta, Athens, Atlanta, Brookhaven, Buckhead, Canton, Dunwoody, Johns Creek, Kennesaw, Marietta, Midtown, Milton, Newnan, Peachtree Corners, Rome, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Smyrna, Vinings, Woodstock, and more. For larger spaces, this can ultimately be more expensive than polished concrete. Diamond impregnated pads can be used to mechanically clean and maintain floors. Wait for a dry spell, open as many windows and doors as possible, use a fan to move air across the floor, and take another test after 24 to 36 hours of drying. Question: Four years ago I covered my basement floor with a patterned overlay (I am in the decorative concrete business). Some concrete sealers are breathable and will let moisture pass through, others are not. Even with the high air temperature, the humidity was not taken into consideration. We would agree with not using epoxy finishes. Thank you for yourresponse. Level 1 - Soft Matte Finish: a Level 1 Polished Concrete floor has a matte finish and will appear soft and hazy with minimal clarity or reflection. With the backing of our vendors, Runyon Surface Prep offers support at any level, to assist in helping you get things done. As a result, it is more resistant to chipping than it would be with just a finishing sealer. Sanding wood floors is a time consuming but relatively easy procedure. This moisture will stay in the concrete until the moisture content of the air above the slab abates. Different products and manufacturers will have specific instructions for the application of their products, so we won't get into too great detail here. For applications where a high shine is not desirable, you can also find film-forming sealers with matte or low-gloss finishes. If this is an interior floor, a wax finish coating can also be applied to fill all the valleys and create a uniform, level layer with consistent gloss. They are non-toxic and very durable. With polished concrete, there are four levels of finish/shine. Lastly, your sealed concrete floor is sealed with a topical sealer. They tend to wet out faster, even on hard-troweled surfaces. They can be applied with a micro-fiber mop, and they dry in a matter of minutes. While applying the primer on the first half of the floor, I could see roller marks and bubbles and the primer started to string up on me. Using a sealer on your new concrete floor prevents a variety of costly problems from occuring. Silicate densifiers are, in the most simple of terms, 'liquid glass' that you spread on floors to fill and seal the pores. In some areas, the concrete is more porous and most or all of the sealer was absorbed into the substrate. Depending on your floor goals (i.e. Softer, more porous concrete may require multiple additional coats of sealer. Of course you should read the manufacturers recommendations before getting down to business, but here are the steps to a finished floor in a nut shell: A certain amount of hairline cracks are natural; much larger than that could be an indication of a structural problem. This polish produces a gloss on the floor that will clearly reflect objects. Answer: This is a case of chemical versus mechanical bonding and solids content. As illustrated by the case in question, an acrylic sealer may chemically bond to a hard-troweled surface, but the surface won't have sufficient profile, or roughness, to mechanically bond with a high-solids polyurethane sealer. For the healthiest floor: just use the densifier of your choosing and no further sealers, as most sealers will contain some level of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). foot traffic, forklift traffic, etc.)? Silicate densifiers will make concrete stronger, and add between 1,000 to 2,000 PSI to the compressive strength. Do a test area before doing the entire floor. It will alsoendlessly release dust into the air through any contact with it. That simple fact means a return trip for installers, whereas potassium and lithium densifiers can be burnished immediately, so they can finish a job in a day and not have to return 3 days later. Also, read the label, because in this case it clearly stated minimum dry times of 12 to 24 hours before application. If interested in polished concrete floor but would like a more affordable option, we recommend to choose from either grind and seal concrete or burnished polished concrete. During this process, the concrete is ground, honed, and polished using finer grits of diamond abrasives until the floor reaches the desired level of shine. Sealing Your New Concrete Floors Not only are exposed concrete floors aesthetically appealing, but exposed concrete floors are also durable, long-lasting, affordable, environmental friendly, and perfect for many applications - including business, warehouses, retail spaces, homes, restaurants, breweries, art galleries, and so much more. The floor looked great at first, but after about a month it began to dull again in spots. In terms of durability and benefits, polished concrete has a much longer lifetime expectancy and is much more durable, especially in areas with high traffic. There is always a trigger mechanism for sealers becoming cloudy or white, and we need to timeline your project to find what it is. The same reason two-part polyurethane sealers don't chemically bond to concrete is also what makes them such good sealers. First apply the densifier and see how it looks; the glass crystals should fill cracks up to .7mm wide. : Grind and seal floors help protect against grease, oil spills, stains, and animal urine. Consider using grit additives that can be mixed into the sealer to improve traction. A second and third coat can be applied if desired. Any sealer will be subject to etching as well. The practice of closing doors and windows to "dry-in" a room or building can actually trap moisture and create a steam room of sorts, making the problem worse or creating a problem where one didn't exist. Grind and Sealed Concrete. The burnishing machinery heats and buffs the topical coating into a concrete surface. Heres a quick summary of comparing the two processes: Concrete polishing is the mechanical process of polishing the surface of an existing concrete slab using engineered floor grinders fitted with industrial diamonds. Conversely, one-part acrylics bond both mechanically and chemically with concrete and are lower in solids typically 20% to 30%. In the category of film formers, however, you'll find several different types, each with advantages and limitations. Both polished concrete and grind and sealed concrete floors are great flooring solutions, and they can look almost identical. Depending on the type of water-based sealer you used, a thin application of solvent might loosen the sealer enough to allow the moisture to escape. The burnished concrete process involves utilizing a high-speed burnisher that spins at approximately 1,500 rpm to 2,500 rpm to fils the concretes pores with an applied chemical. Decorative concrete expert, and vice president of sales and marketing with ChemSystems Inc, Chris Sullivan, provides in-depth answers to common problems associated with sealing concrete floors. I am not a fan of rolling in general, especially heavier bodied materials like epoxies or polyurethanes. Learn more about checking the VOC content. Some floor sealers form a protective film on the surface of the concrete, while others penetrate into the floor. Have you had your basement tested for radon and found high levels? All rollers produce lines, with more material coming off the ends of the roller as it moves across the surface. The floors you, A wood floor will need to be sealed and protected but many products have a detrimental effect on air quality as they still contain VOC's which are best avoided if possible. If they are applied before the concrete has sufficiently dried or if the concrete is not well-sealed from the ground it will absorb moisture over time and possibly cause problems, meaning they may start to bubble and flake over time. Grind and Sealed Concrete, 3020 Canton Rd Suite 108Marietta, GA 30066, Polished Concrete vs. For example, if a restaurant is opting for polished concrete throughout the restaurant, it would be recommended to install sealed concrete in the bathrooms. Film-forming sealers (those that form a protective film on the concrete surface) are the type most often used for interior decorative concrete work. potassium silicates penetrate up to 2 mm and burnish up more than sodium. You don't want a protective finish that will wear away after only a year or so. You allowed approximately 24 hours of cure time for the overlay, which is standard and acceptable. Need for removing concrete floors, as previous owners applied the wrong product and the floor became toxic and hence the property unsuable. Four key factors to always be aware of when sealing are moisture, temperature, cleanliness, and application method. The speed of rolling, the amount of material on the roller and the weight pushing down on the roller also play a role in leaving roller marks. Rather than perform contract work ourselves, we consult on job sites when necessary. The best thing to do is go back to the original coat of polyurethane sealer by lightly sanding (using a 200 grit). If the air above your floor has a high concentration of water vapor, or humidity, then the concrete will absorb moisture until it contains water equal to what is in the air. Use a diamond impregnated pad in conjunction with a burnisher to eliminate the excess. They come in a variety of grits for a variety of needs. The higher solids content makes them less able to penetrate the concrete surface, thus requiring additional surface profiling to promote adhesion. However with sealed concrete, the gloss is achievedfrom a topical sealer. This is the first time I have done a test like this. Film-forming sealers may be slippery, especially in areas where water is present, like kitchens and bathrooms. Uninsulated basements and poorly insulated basements can be responsible for as much as 1/3 of the, Marmoleum is not just your grandmothers floor anymore, this healthy, durable flooring is an excellent choice for even the most modern of homes. The first thing to remember is that you really don't 'need' a sealer, the densifier pretty much does that already. That being said, you have a slab that should eventually drop below 4 pounds because of the vapor barrier. Polished concrete offers long-term durability and includes benefits of densifying, hardening, and dust-proofing. Its important to note the finished floor is less durable than polished concrete and does require more maintenance. Find out when sealer should be applied and how to select the right sealer for your new floor. Warehouses, garages, workshops for example, or an interior floor that will be covered by a flooring material. First, I applied the primer coat with a roller and then applied the polyurethane, which has a longer pot life, with an airless sprayer. Have a great rest of your day!! Why Use a Sealer on Your Concrete Floor? Polished concrete is the mechanical process of honing and polishing the surface of an existing concrete slab using engineered floor grinders fitted with industrial diamond abrasives. But now roller marks are visible throughout the entire floor, not to mention the bubbles. This finish is popular in areas where a glossy finish is desired, i.e. Runyon Surface Prep Rental & Supplyis a full-service sales and rental facility uniquely dedicated to the concrete polishing industry. You will probably find that residential floor finishers prefer to work with potassium or lithium densifiers for one main reason - the deeper penetration with sodium densifiers means that it will not be cured by the heat generated during burnishing. With polished concrete, the finished look can vary from concrete to concrete because a different canvas is presented and extraneous factors can affect the final finish, such as the level of hardness or imperfections. Softer acrylic sealers usually require regular maintenance with several coats of a sacrificial floor finish, or wax, to prevent wear and black heel marks. Next, cracks and divots in the floor are patched with patching material as necessary. Typically when we see a floor that has blotchy areas of gloss, this means that some areas do not have sufficient sealer to fill the valleys. Copyright 1999-2022 ConcreteNetwork.com - None of this site may be reproduced without written permission, Answers to common questions about applying concrete floor sealer. Answer: According to the ASTM standard for conducting a calcium-chloride test (ASTM F 1869), a reading above 4 poundsthe amount of moisture flow in pounds per 1,000 square feet over a 24-hour periodis considered a no-go for sealing. Is 4 pounds a strict guide, or are there some tolerances? Meet, This is one place where you can safely save some money. If the HVAC system in the building is operational, run the air conditioner to help remove moisture. My suggestion is to try sanding out the marks and then reapply your topcoat. At about a 100 feet distance, you can start to see slight overhead reflection. Applying additional light coats of sealer usually resolves this issue. protector. Normally you would just apply it to the floor and buff it with a high-speed burnisher and 3000-grit or hogs hair pad. Drywall mud, paint and rainy or hot, humid weather can cause high moisture contents indoors, which will cause concrete to absorb moisture. lithium is the shiniest but only penetrates to the thickness of a sheet of paper. There will be good light reflectivity. A densifier willprotect concretefrom impact damage, and mostimportantly, it will eliminate the dusting you would experience with an untreated floor. Choose from a wide variety of colors, from neutral, earth tones to colorful concrete dyes. This may be beneficial for those looking to match sealed concrete floors throughout their space. Before applying a high-solids sealer, be sure to consult with the manufacturer and perform an on-site adhesion test. Now that weve defined both polished concrete and sealed concrete floors, lets breakdown the main factors of their differences, including appearance, durability, lifetime, and cost. Dec 27, 2017 | Advice & Tips, Industry Trends, Stain protectors, guards and sealers are vital for ongoing polished concrete floor maintenance. For a decorative interior floor, a high-build sealer with good resistance to scuffs and staining, such as a polyurethane or epoxy, will generally provide the best protection and be easier to maintain, especially in a high-traffic retail environment. Protects from water, staining, and abrasion. More information on sealing stained concrete is available in Bob Harris' Guide to Stained Interior Concrete Floors, as well as from most reputable stain and sealer manufacturers. This is the most popular floor finish for polished concrete. One of the top flooring trends in both commercial and residential spaces is polished concrete floors. If the slab is currently polished, then I would think in your case, repairing the divots would be a much easier way to get to a finished floor you are happy with rather than grinding the entire tops surface. When it comes to sealers, you get what you pay for, says technical expert Chris Sullivan. Epoxies and urethanes deliver the best long-term performance and can last years before the need for reapplication. Each has its own features and benefits and its own required upkeep schedule. What do you recommend to fix the issue? In addition, the desired finish of your refinished exposed concrete can vary from low sheen to high gloss that resembles glass. What is your advice and possible correcting the problem. If the concrete is soft, porous or free of contaminants, a second pass may not be necessary. Even some contractors may have trouble first distinguishing between the two systems. When the moisture readings drop low enough for you to seal the concrete (at or below 4 pounds), apply the sealer in the afternoon or evening, when humidity is lowest. A new cement block manufacturing process developed by an American, A comeback for foam radiant floor ICF forms heated with air tubes. Many densifiers have no VOCs; theywill seal the floor, so additional sealers aren't absolutely necessary. Due to their similar appearances, many consumers are not aware of the differences between polished concrete and grind/sealed concrete floors. Concrete is a sponge, and if conditions are right it will absorb and hold moisture, both in liquid and gas forms. Two-part polyurethane sealers form only a mechanical bond with concrete. Many people opt for having their floors professionally sealed. Now you have multiple layers of different sealers, all of which seem to be wearing.

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