Installing Concrete Floors in the Home

While the term “concrete floor” generally brings thoughts of warehouses and factories, a surprising number of homeowners are now installing concrete floors in many of their everyday living spaces. This is because many new and innovative techniques for coloring, staining or even embedding it with other materials have been created within the last decade. Such treatments remove the “utility” appearance of a concrete floor and instead make it a colorful and fully customized installation.

Of course pouring concrete requires professional skills, tools and knowledge and should not be undertaken as a “do it yourself” project. The selection of finishes and other options however is completely in the hands of the homeowner.

What kind of finishes can be applied to a concrete floor? It is amazing to look at even a brief listing of what can be done with concrete flooring; it can be:

·         Painted – this requires a pre-treatment as well as a finish sealant to be applied in order to create a durable surface

·         Acid-stained – traditional stains will not be absorbed by concrete, but acid staining is a safe and affective method of permanently coloring concrete

·         Overlaid – this provides depth or textures to the existing surface, such as giving it the appearance of large areas of tile

·         Have micro toppings installed – this is one of the most popular finishes to concrete flooring and involves colored polymers applied and sealed to the concrete

·         Stamped – when done while the concrete has not yet set, stamping provides a texture or “faux” finish to the surface of concrete

·         Colored – colored concrete is actually pre-colored before pouring and requires a knowledgeable professional to perform in a consistent manner

Such treatments will quickly convert the traditional “grey” of the material into whatever personalized statement is desired.

It should also be noted that most homeowners who opt for a concrete flooring installation will have the benefit of the material’s low maintenance requirements, and its inability to create allergens of any kind. This means that homeowners with concrete floors will not be required to use any heavy cleaning agents, nor will they suffer from the issues created by many other flooring options.