Concrete Polishing

Concrete polishing is a surface finishing technique that involves the use of diamond-embedded abrasive tools to grind and polish the surface of a concrete floor. Polished concrete is quickly becoming the ultimate flooring solution.

Yankee Fiber Control can polish concrete floors, whether new or old, from a matt finish to a high gloss finish that never needs waxes or coatings. Due to the superior durability of concrete, more and more commercial, industrial, warehouse, and office facilities are choosing concrete floor polishing as a preferred alternative to other options such as marble, granite, linoleum, tile, and carpeting. Yankee also restores and repairs concrete floors and installs epoxy coatings.

The photo above illustrates the floor of a 100,000 square-foot industrial building before polishing of the 50-year-old floor, while the image below shows the finished low-gloss polished floor for manufacturing service with new injection molding being installed.

The benefits of polishing concrete include:

  • Durability: Polished concrete is extremely durable and can withstand heavy traffic and use. The surface is resistant to scratches, stains, and damage from chemicals making it an ideal choice for industrial and commercial facilities.

  • Low maintenance: Polished concrete requires minimal maintenance as it does not require waxing or coatings to maintain its shine. Regular cleaning and an occasional burnish is all that is needed to keep the surface looking clean and new.

  • Improved lighting: Polished concrete has a high level of reflectivity which improves lighting and can help to reduce the need for artificial lighting and can save energy.

  • Aesthetics: Polished concrete has a sleek and modern appearance that can enhance the aesthetics of the facility. The surface can be customized with different levels of shine, colors, and patterns to suit the design and style of the facility.

  • Environmentally friendly: Polished concrete is an environmentally friendly flooring solution as it does not require the use of harmful chemicals or produce harmful by-products. The process of polishing concrete uses minimal water and creates little waste.

    Additional benefits include:

  • LEED Certified – (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

  • Polished concrete is not affected by vapor transmission or high moisture in concrete as carpet floor tile and some epoxy coatings are.

  • CHPS Certified – (Collaborative for High Performance Schools)

  • NFSI Certified – (National Floor Safety Institute: High Traction)

  • Meets or exceeds OSHA & ADA slip coefficient requirements

  • Recognized as a “Green” building product

  • Requires no stripping or waxing

  • Little or no airborne dust during polishing

  • High reflectivity - Up to 30% reduction in lighting costs

  • Polished concrete repels water, oil, and tire marks

  • There are no hazardous or noxious chemicals when polishing concrete

  • Polished concrete has the lowest total expense over 10 years when compared to other flooring systems.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are Polished Concrete Floors Slippery? - Polished concrete floors are safer and much harder to slip on than a non-treated concrete floor. When a concrete floor is polished, even if it looks like glass, it has a higher friction co-efficient rating than ordinary concrete. All polished concrete surfaces exceed OSHA and ADA (Americans with Disability Act) standards, even when polished up to a 3500 grit level.

Can All Concrete Floors Be Polished? - Almost any concrete floor, whether old or new, can be polished, with a few exceptions. Existing floors will typically require surface cleaning and preparation to remove existing coatings, oil, dirt, or mastics before polishing. Concrete floors requiring extensive patching may not be a good candidate for polishing, however, Yankee's knowledgeable technicians can help determine a floor's suitability.

Can Polished Concrete be Dyed? - Any concrete floor can be dyed. There is a wide array of dye options and color selections available. Yankee offers more than 20 dye colors to choose from.

How Do I Maintain Polished Concrete? - Polished concrete floors require cleaning just as do any other floors, however, do not need to be replaced as do, for example, carpet which often needs to be deep-cleaned several times per year, or vinyl tile which requires wax stripping, in high traffic locations which require frequent attention.  Most floor systems, even ordinary concrete floors, require aggressive scrubbing and constant cleaning. Oil, paint, and other staining spills can leave lasting impressions on ordinary surfaces, but a polished concrete floor system doesn’t require such intense scrubbing – the surface is so tightly compacted that it actually repels oils and other substances, making cleaning much easier than with other floors.

Yankee recommends a maintenance program for polished concrete floors that includes a routine schedule of dust mopping and sweeping the floor, vacuuming and cleaning the floor mats at all entrances, and wet mopping the floor using a neutral Ph soap and clean water.

Finished polishing process of 45,000 square feet of concrete, all polished during the store’s third shift with no disruption of operations.