Polished Concrete - A nudge in modern office construction design

Polished Concrete is a material that has been used technology to make the surface glossy similar to stone. It is used in the construction process from the office to the housing. It has many outstanding advantages to become one of the common materials. In the offices in our country, grinding concrete is also being thoroughly applied. Join PROCE to find out the details about the nature of this material as well as the process of creating it.

What is Polished Concrete? What are its advantages and disadvantages?

This is not new product line, it is widely used all over the world. The essence of this material is that the concrete mixture has been treated the surface with technology. In it, concrete is no stranger to us. But unlike products of the same type, grinding concrete is treated for a smooth surface. On the senses it can be seen that its surface is almost identical to granite.

During the production process, this line of materials will be coated with some additives such as Hardener. It is thanks to this additive that its surface is filled with no small holes even tiny. Thanks to this, the structure of this material is more durable, smoother, better dust resistant.

Advantages of this material

One of the first advantages is the relatively cheap price. Concrete materials are too popular at very affordable prices. Increase the cost of processing surface treatment with basic additives so its price is not too high. It is a material produced in the country and the line of material that PROCE often uses is different. The same material but PROCE often used is the import line of the leading brand so the price is quite high.

Aesthetics are also the advantages that this material line has. With a smooth surface, shadows and can blend to create color. Especially thanks to being treated with Sithium and Silicate, its surface is more and more glossy with good waterproofing.

The durability of this material is not on the table. With durable properties with high elasticity especially hardness at outstanding levels. This line of materials provides certainty as well as long-term shelf life. Easy cleaning can also be considered as another advantage of this material line.

Disadvantages of Polished Concrete

The color of this material, even if treated, is only in cold tones. This is limited to aesthetic matters especially in the office space.

Another factor is the cracks. It is very difficult to avoid small cracks because of the weather of our country. The cracks cause discomfort during cleaning and also in aesthetics.

How Polished Concrete is constructed in Vietnam

To create the finished product, this material line needs to go through five basic steps including:

Step 1 – Check the floor

The concrete mixture is prepared in advance, oriented towards the finished color. After pouring the concrete and forming the basic status quo. This is the first step that also requires carefulness. The floor will be thoroughly checked to assess the situation as well as come up with a construction plan. The floor for construction needs to ensure flat without defects and few cracks. If there is glue or paint coating, it will have to be removed.

Step 2: Grind the surface

After the surface of the material has been completed the preparation process. The next step is to grind the surface with specialized machinery equipment. Grinding discs with a roughness from low to high specifically from 100-200 grits are in turn put into use. Each grinding dish is sharpened through a minimum of 2 times until the surface is completely smooth.

Step 3: Use hard strength-enhancing chemicals

If the surface has achieved the required flat smoothness and ensure certainty. We will start using chemicals to make the material highly durable, increasing bearing capacity. This is also the process of chemicals protecting the floor against water-absorbent flying colors used.

Each construction unit will have different chemical type regulations depending on their standards.

Step 4: Polish the surface

The process of grinding and using chemicals increases the hardness of the finished material, then polishing is carried out. These special grinding discs have the effect of smoothing and polishing the surface used. The roughness of the disk forever also increases from 100 to 200 to 400 grits depending on the gloss required. Depending on the level of gloss required by the investor, use grinding discs with corresponding roughness.

Step 5: Cover the surface, protect the finished product

The finished product has achieved the gloss as well as the required quality. The finished surface is covered with separate solvents. It doesn’t just work against impurities like grease or dirt. This coating helps the gloss of the concrete sharpen more brightly. Note during surface coverings do not use cover paper as it changes the color of the concrete.

Application in office furniture construction

With its characteristics this material line is often used to create walkways in the office. Having good waterproofing and beautiful durability of Polished Concrete is also used to create tree tubs. Some architects even use it to create outdoor brand identities. And some front desks are using this material.

See more about the materials commonly used in office design here!