Mark Atkins, director at LTP details how to protect and maintain concrete toppings
CONCRETE flooring may not be everyone’s cup of tea but in commercial settings and contemporary homes it’s extremely popular. In high traffic areas, it ticks so many boxes; it’s hard wearing, low maintenance, cost-effective and it’s generally considered to have a small carbon footprint. Designers and self-builders have long been fans of its industrial vibe, and, in recent years, it’s become more mainstream.
Much like polished or honed natural stone, polished concrete contains many tiny pinholes which make it porous and prone to staining. Unsealed concrete can also be very dusty. Polished concrete densifiers are used during the grinding/polishing process to improve wear resistance, before applying a sealer or a coating. Before grinding begins, it’s good practice to prepare your concrete surface by washing it with a pH neutral cleaner.
Concrete toppings
The new breed of concrete toppings or ‘micro toppings’ are another option, and they’ve extended the design potential of concrete enormously. Concrete toppings are generally used to upgrade or repair existing concrete surfaces. They consist of a thinner layer of specialised concrete which is applied over an existing surface. Toppings are hardwearing and they come in many decorative colours. Most are honed, but you can also polish them. They don’t require application of a densifier, but they’re porous, so it’s good practice to apply a sealer to improve their resistance to staining.
Protecting impregnators and wax finishes
An impregnating sealer can be applied to both types of surface. If the concrete is sufficiently dense, and a matt finish is desired, then an impregnating sealer can be used without the need to apply a finishing wax. During application, the first coat is spread out evenly using a sealant applicator and once absorbed, a second coat is applied 30 minutes later. Then, 45 minutes after the final coat, the sealer is dry buffed using a rotary machine with a white pad. Sometimes, the surface may look a little patchy after treatment, especially if the sealer is applied to concrete when it’s still slightly damp. The patchiness is caused by retained moisture. This is normal and it will eventually dry out.
An additional wax treatment is very popular for both polished/honed concrete and concrete toppings and is used to provide an extra barrier of protection and enhance the appearance. Options we recommend include a hard-wearing metallised flooring grade acrylic wax that reinforces protection and embellishes the surface. Binding qualities in the seal help to prevent dusting and degradation and facilitate cleaning and aftercare. The protector is applied onto clean concrete and spread out evenly with a sealant applicator. The first coat is then left to dry for 45 minutes and the two further coats are applied using the same method. For a darker aesthetic, up to six coats can be applied.
Ongoing maintenance
Correct maintenance is really important. Although polished concrete is very durable, it can be vulnerable to non-neutral solutions; acidic cleaners will dull the polish and alkali treatments will remove the sealer.
If a satin finish is applied and the traffic is moderate, and the concrete is only washed using a daily pH neutral detergent, signs of wear or evidence of tracking in the most heavily walked areas may begin to show. Routine mopping with a clean and repair product, is recommended here; the detergent lifts the daily dirt and grime and, as it dries, any minor scuffs and scratches are repaired. If the concrete is finished with an impregnating sealer and there’s no wax applied, then we recommend a porcelain floor tile cleaner. This will keep surfaces clean without compromising the protection or altering the aesthetic. Washing routinely with Floorshine is also an option here too, if you want to gradually build a slight sheen.
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