How to polish concrete floors?

Would you like to share some photos of your concrete floors so members can assess their condition and be in a better position to advise of next steps?

Please let us know if you need a hand uploading some images.

Thanks,

Jason

Thanks Jason and EricL,

I studied those links but I still need to rip off the carpet. I will start from an angle. Is there anything I see that should tell me - leave the carpet? I will do this in a couple of weeks and will update the pictures.

I plan to get the whole job done over a weekend, is this possible?

Thank you,

EricL

Hello @Nadiadima

I propose lifting the corner of your carpet layout so that you can have a peek at the condition of the concrete floor. If it is unfinished, rough and uneven it might be necessary to put on self-levelling cement onto the unfinished surface in order to get a flat, level finish.

In regard to your proposed timetable, I would suggest adding a few extra days. The amount of time you'll be using to polish the surface area will depend on the existing floor size. Plus, you'll be using more time if you are planning to seal the surface as you'll need to provide time for the product to cure properly.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

I just wanted to clarify that polished/smooth concrete floors are typically poured with that in mind. What you'll have under your carpet is a standard concrete slab. To turn a concrete slab into a polished slab could take several days and is certainly not a project that can be completed over a weekend. Potentially, you could have a company that specialises in this work come in, grind down the concrete (which could take a full day even for professionals), fill the concrete pores, and then, when cured, re-grind to a smooth surface. You'd then need to have the floor sealed.

Turning a standard concrete slab into a traffickable surface is not particularly common and those concrete slabs designed to be exposed are typically constructed to a higher standard. Have you considered something like a light-coloured Hybrid flooring, which you could lay yourself over the concrete? You could possibly have the laying done over the weekend, but I'd add additional time for removing carpet and finishing.

Here are a couple of helpful step-by-step guides: How to remove carpet and How to lay Hybrid flooring.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Mitchell, would this be the case even if they have laid carpet on top? I don't feel like I have the skills to add any hybrid flooring to be honest. I watched some videos on youtube where it seemed pretty straightforward to paint the indoor concrete - wrong??

Just about all concrete slabs are constructed in the same fashion, as sub-bases, not finished surfaces, @Nadiadima. As they will never be seen, little to no work is typically done on their surface finish, apart from levelling. So, you might pull back the carpet and find a very rough surface, which would not be pleasant to walk on in bare feet, or you might find a surface that is relatively smooth. If you are happy with the texture, then you can certainly paint it as is.

Initially, you mentioned polished concrete and that you wanted it to be shiny, but I note you've now mentioned painting. Those are quite different in approach. My response above was more specifically about polished concrete. To achieve a shiny, polished look, you need to start that process with an ultra-smooth concrete/cement surface, not a concrete slab. From there, the polishing process begins, and even for professionals, this can take several days of stepping up through grades of grinding medium and industrial machines to achieve a polished look.

I just wanted to point out that a polished concrete surface is not something you can achieve in such a short period of time. Painting a semi-smooth concrete, on the other hand, is totally achievable over a weekend.

Mitchell

OK sorry for the confusion, my plan is to paint it as in this blog/video: https://homewithstefani.com/paint-concrete-floors/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQdklJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe42LIQx5hMUY-ZO4fQd-wlUPsOYKH3xHjcYVEScWq1cY1rWNzBHK2FWSNjDE_aem_XM7hW3LSsqGvGxmtXfj7rw

I will buy the products this week … I will go for a light grey colour.

Thanks

Awesome @Nadiadima! Just take a quick peak at the smoothness of the concrete first, to ensure you're happy with it.

Mitchell

I removed the carpets just with my hands 😁 but I am left with these bits so I'll go get the tools tonight. If you have any adviseabout the metal pointy things let me know, I assume I can just pull them out and leave the transition as is! The cement is not hard so I won't cover it just paint once clean ...

Great progress getting the carpet up.

Those metal strips are carpet tack strips. You can remove them completely by undoing the screws and then using a pry bar or hammer. Jjust be careful as they’re very sharp.

Either try to pull out those protruding nails or cut them flush to the concrete with nippers or a hacksaw so nothing sticks up.

Next, focus on the surface:

Scrape off any glue or foam with a floor scraper
Sweep, vacuum, and mop thoroughly
Fill any holes or cracks with concrete filler and let it dry

For doorways or edges, you can leave them bare if they look neat and level, but a transition strip can give a cleaner finish if needed.

The smoother and cleaner the concrete is now, the better your painted result will look

Looking forward to your results.

Mitchell

The colour is amazing!!! But one thing. ... I scraped, put acetone, sanded, but can still see the shadow of the glue. Maybe additional layers will help?

JacobZ