Personalizing Your New Concrete Floor

Adding a concrete floor to your home can be an excellent option.  These floors can make excellent use of technology like radiant heating, can be customized for your needs and can provide long lasting benefits in a wide variety of situations.  The question of customization is one in which you may have some questions.  How can concrete be customized?  What options do you have in this area?  Below, you will find a few tips just to give you an idea of the versatility and customization possible with this type of flooring.

Colors – Concrete was once relegated to cold, gray lifelessness.  However, the story has changed today.  Concrete can be warm and vibrant, filled with color, texture and life.  One of the best (and easiest) ways to customize that new concrete floor is through the use of color.  Your concrete floor can be almost any color you choose, though different dyes and dyeing methods have different limitations.

For instance, dye can be added during the mixing process, which gives the concrete the same color throughout the material, or color can be applied to the concrete once it has been poured, prior to sealer being put on.  In addition, reactive and nonreactive dyes offer different color ranges and other benefits, as well.

Textures – Concrete is an ideal medium for texturing. It can be textured in a number of different ways.  For instance, it can be scored while still wet to make it look like a different type of flooring.  Wood grain can be added to make it resemble wood floors, while "grout lines" can be added to make it resemble tile or stone flooring, as well.

Of course, there are other ways that you can texture the floor.  Perhaps you prefer the beauty of geometric designs.  These can be stamped into the concrete with ease, giving you a unique look.  Stamping can also be combined with textures to create a floor that is as unique as the home it supports.