Concrete floors - love it or leave it?
Concrete floors tend to polarise opinion. Objectively they do have their perks - they aren’t susceptible to water damage like hardwood flooring is, they are a great choice for those who want underfloor heating and when polished, they can create a high end, elegant look. Others find them too clinical compared to the richness wood grain offers, or too industrial, detracting from the overall warmth of a house.
My love of industrial interiors makes me a fan, but I’m interested to know - concrete floors: love them or leave them? Was anyone opposed but swayed by their practicality?
Comments (22)
PRO8 years ago
PRO8 years agoRelated Discussions
Polished concrete floor with young children
Comments (1)I had one child who could have skinned her knees in a padded room - and her older sister could spend all day on a farm and come home immaculate ! You know your kids best - the juxtaposition of the old and new sounds lovely - if you have accident prone kids - issue slipper socks and elbow/knee pads until they are used to it !!...See MoreConcrete flooring inside/outside
Comments (3)I saw a gorgeous polished concrete floor in a restaurant recently and am considering it myself for an open plan kitchen/living. The staff in the restaurant mentioned that it was a nightmare as it was extremely slippy and dangerous when wet. I too would love to extend the concrete to our outside courtyard - so this scared me. I was under the impression that polished concrete was quite expensive? I would be interested to hear any other feedback on concrete floors....See Morepolished concrete floor, what choices of colour and should I put glass
Comments (4)Hi There - have to say we love polished concrete - so much so we put it in our (kitchen) showroom and its been in situ for the last 7 years. Its so easy to keep and maintain. In terms of colour, we had no choice as we were polishing an existing concrete floor. I have attached a picture below - its a grey colour but there is a huge reflection off it so its by no means dark and also quite warm to the foot. best of luck with the project....See MoreOutdoor Polished Concrete Floor
Comments (7)Hello Heather, apologies for the delayed reply! Terrazzo UK is correct in that a non-slip polished matte finish is achievable with terrazzo. Terrazzo is a highly used flooring material - in supermarkets, hospitals, stations, etc - where slipping would be a big no-no. You can also add treads or corrugations to terrazzo (for example on stairs). If you'd prefer to talk this through with us then please give us a call on 020 7358 0160. In terms of laying terrazzo, there are a few options but the most common are laying tiles or pouring the mixture in situ (as you would with concrete). We have a number of white and grey terrazzo options in our standard range, which you can view here: http://www.diespeker.co.uk/terrazzo/ We also offer a bespoke service for terrazzo, so you can hand-pick everything from the colour of the concrete or resin, the thickness of the terrazzo, and the material of the chippings (this can be anything! Stone, shells, we've even had gold). Hope this is useful. Please feel free to ask any questions....See More
8 years ago
8 years ago
PRO
PRO8 years ago
PRO8 years agoMany clients initially express an interest in concrete flooring. However, when the cost is revealed concrete-effect ceramic tiles become the favoured option.
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PRO8 years ago- 8 years ago
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PRO8 years agoGot to agree with radicalman - there are actually a lot of downsides to a concrete floor. Because they're so brittle and hard they are almost guaranteed to crack - they're also very cold and unforgiving underfoot. We offer a poured resin that is just 3-4mm thick and is so similar looking to concrete a lot of people can't tell the difference. Essentially we pour two pigments at the same time and blend them so you get the same finish/effect - but it's warm, smooth, soft (elastic) and really comfortable so you can walk around your home/kitchen etc. barefoot without worrying about it! Aesthetically though I love a polished concrete floor - such a great blank canvas for any style as it complements contemporary interiors and provides a really interesting contrast with more traditional styles! If you want a warmer finish (in a taupey grey or warmer pigment) that's also possible and stops it looking too industrial...
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PRO5 years agolast modified: 5 years ago
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PRO5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoWe think they look stunning in the right setting.
Concrete floors really worked in one of our recent projects...
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