concrete flooring

[Yvonne]

We visited friends recently and they had a really interesting polished concrete floor in their kitchen. It was a smooth texture but was slate grey and slightly polished. the previous owners had had this floor laid. We'd like to try and replicate the look /finish. Does anyone know the technc or products? Is it a pro job?

Thanks,  Abi[:)]

[powerdesal]

I may be wrong but......If you mix the right powder colour in the concrete then float it (polish it) with a steel float as its going off you can get a smooth almost polished finish, of whatever colour is available. I believe it may well end up very slippery when wet though. I dont think it is necessarily a pro job but would probably require some experience / skill in concrete laying.

[Yvonne]

Steve,

Thanks for your comments, I think you may be right, I hadn' thought about the colours that you can add to concrete. I don't know if we have the experience but we will try to find someone who has! The mix looks very fine and smooth - do you know what that would be, is it pure cement ? It actually resembles a waterproof  levelling product  (except for colour) that we recently used before tiling bathroom floors.

Thanks,

Abi

 

 

[powerdesal]

 It may in fact be a proprietry self levelling compound, I have no idea if they come in a range of colours or are usable with a colour additive.

The action of 'floating' a standard concrete floor will bring the very fine surface up thus giving a smooth finish.

I am not a builder but I am sure someone else on this forum will be along to advise you properly.

[LaMDV]

Friends of our have done this and we intend to do the same soon.  We have laid a normal concrete floor in our barn and you can hire a machine form the hire shops that will cut/slice the top layer of concrete and then polish it at the same time.  After this you seal it with a clear sealent - not sure which one, but I will ask for recommendations at the hire shop.  Hope this helps.

[Haventgotone]

If you put marble chips in the mix it will look stunning as they will twinkle and shine after polishing with the machine.

Lots of floors in Italy and Florida are laid like this - it is called Terrazo (spelling may not be accurate).

You should be able to buy the marble chips at a reasonable price and it will lift the floor from 'good' to 'fantastic'

[Yvonne]

thanks everyone - will definately have a go - the mable chips sound like a gret idea.

LaMDV do you know what type of mix you need to lay first? and do you know what the machine is called??

Thanks!

Abi

[Dick Smith]

Do a Google on Terrazzo - I'm not sure it is a DIY job, although it is a beautiful effect. I suspect the grinding involved is a bit serious - but there seem to be lots of alternative techniques.

This is a machine used:

http://www.trelawnyspt.com/floor_grinders.htm

[Haventgotone]

I think for the high polished finish you would need a water fed grinder - don't know if you'd be able to one of these machines though as it's pretty specialised.

For a smallish area ie worktops and suchlike you could use a carborundum spinner followed by wet and dry, going from very course to very fine grade but it is very time consuming and messy. 

[flower]

Hi all,

We've been toying with what to do on the floor of the barn we've just started renovating and this sounds absolutely perfect for us so we'll have a good look into this method. I don't know much about concreting - could we lay the concrete floor, then put in underfloor heating and then lay a concrete screed with this polished surface?

Thanks for any advice [:)]

[flower]

After a bit more research, I think I've answered my own question about the under floor heating heating - I believe this is okay to do. Does anyone know what the grinding machine is called in France or where we could hire one in or around dept 87. Alternatively can anyone recommend a company who does screeding who may even be able to do this effect. I know I can look through Pages Jaune, but I'd rather have a recommendation.

Many thanks.

[cooperlola]

I've become very interested in this thread as we have a concrete floor in our sejour and kitchen (currently covered with lino') and this sounds like a lovely thing to do.  Can you all keep us posted as to how you get on?[:)] 

[londoneye]

i would like to second cooperlola's request.    we have a barn floor which will require a covering at some point.    i have seen the polished concrete flooring in uk (primarily in car sales rooms strangely!) and it is lovely.

 

[darkmetal]

Hi to answer 1st question

if laying the concrete floor from scratch you will need a powerfloat

1st lay the floor and level to required finish hight do this by hand, steel floats

2nd now this is the crucial stage is when you can walk on the floor with just an inprint of your boots say 5 to 10mm

then lift the power float on to the slab then walk with the powerfloat (you have to adjust the angle of the blades to a slight angle)

 all over the slab to bring up the cream after this hand float again then wait till the floor is hard (very slight marking when walked on)

powerfloat again (blades just about flat) this time with a paint brush just to sprinkle some water when floating

3rd cover with plastic sheeting straight away to a) keep the shine and b) to stop it from drying out to quick

also a good idea to soak with water and keep covered for abot 5 to 8 days

ps powerfloats are quite heavy and when running tend to pull you when they rotate.

[bejay]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]Do a Google on Terrazzo - I'm not sure it is a DIY job, although it is a beautiful effect. I suspect the grinding involved is a bit serious - but there seem to be lots of alternative techniques.

[/quote]

Best description I've heard for a operating a concrete grinder is "its like dancing with a big woman"

What else would you need to know.

bj

[Collywobble]

There are some really nice things that can be done along the lines of using a concrete to appear like slabs of stone.

Basically it is done like this:

Pour/finish concrete. Do not colour.

Wait until the concrete has cured - say a month or better still, a few months if in winter as concrete stays 'green' for a very long time and is likely to chip when cut.

Cut small grooves say, 12mm  deep (1/2") using a masonry blade in a powersaw. The norm is to cut perpendicular or diagional lines. These can be  any width, from a couple of feet to 10 feet. It's down to the desired look; tiles, flagstones, massive slabs etc.

As a saw won't be able to reach all the way to the edges of the room - because the front of the saw will hit the wall before the blade can get to it, leaving a gap - you can cut a 'border' around the perimeter of the room first. This finishes the effect neatly.

Now you can 'grind' it perfectly smooth if you wish, then spray various colour dyes to get a 'stone' finish.

This look is enhanced with various type of sealer, again depending on the look that is desired.

This reasonably cheap method is used in many night clubs, restaurants etc.

Auto dealer Pic

Huge range of pics from a NZ company

[Dick Smith]

Many of the more interesting patterns are laid down with rubber moulds before the concrete has fully set. I saw it done on 'This Old House'...

[Collywobble]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]Many of the more interesting patterns are laid down with rubber moulds before the concrete has fully set. I saw it done on 'This Old House'...

[/quote]

Yes, I'm a fan of T.O.H. also.  The moulds are great, but only if you can get someone with them [:)] Most companies tend to be franchised and this can limit the availability, as there aren't many placed to buy them.

[flower]

Thankyou all for the replies - you've all been great.

Darkmetal, that was a super description of how it all works. Do you know what a powerfloat is in french? We are almost ready to start the floor and were hoping to lay the concrete floor, and then at a later stage do a screed which we can use the powerfloat on, basically so as not to damage the finished floor whilst all the other work is going on. Do you think it is okay to do this on a screed of around 5cm? And lastly, how much will the machine grind off (just need to confirm floor heights to be able to order doors that are made to measure).

Thank you again in advance [:D]

[darkmetal]

Hi flower ?? now i feel strange

Sorry but that would not work  the  float would just dig in it's very heavy 

what we used to do was buy hardboard to cover the floor and if you just leave the P/sheet as well it will help to keep the shine 

[tegwini]

We have a terrazzo floor in our sejour in the Vienne - I am trying to get it cleaned & buffed up, it's ok - not damaged in any way, it was put down as tiles & the grout is grubby in places, & has lost its gloss where it was walked  on- under where there were carpets it's as new.   I think it was put down as tiles about 25 years ago & I am struggling to find someone to clean/buff/seal it.

I did get someone in who specialised in cleaning marble from Poitiers, he didn't know what it was & I have awaited a price from him since July - obviously doesn't want the job.   No problem in the UK, but France too far for this job!

Any help really appreciated- great forum this one- one of the best I have seen.

NB Terrazzo= concrete (tiles) stained & mixed with marble chips