concrete floors

Concrete floor repair may seem unnecessary since concrete is one of the most durable flooring materials available. However, if your floor even gets a small crack or chip, moisture can seep into the floor and further erode the concrete. Then, those once small cracks and chips will expand and lead to an uneven floor which can cause employees and visitors to trip and fall.

Maintenance Checks

You can protect yourself and your business by performing regular maintenance checks on your concrete floor. The best way to do this is to get in the habit of checking your floor for small fractures and chips. This should be performed monthly and should only take a few minutes. Catching a small crack early, and repairing it, can prevent it from developing into a large issue that will be more costly to repair down the road. As soon as you notice cracks or chips in your flooring, you should call a professional to further examine the floor and make necessary repairs.

Concrete Floor Repair

A professional can repair your concrete floor by grinding down the concrete to an even surface. Then, a protective coating will be applied to the concrete. There are many different coating options available, some of which can protect the concrete from water or chemicals and some prevent the spread of bacteria. Finding the coating that is right for your business depends on many factors, such as the amount of traffic you receive, industry, the type of equipment you use, and the size of the floor.

A coated concrete floor is an excellent option for any business as it is very durable and can last a lifetime as long as they are regularly maintained. If your flooring is in need of repair or if you would like to get a personalized recommendation on which type of coating would be best for your business, contact the professionals at Smith & Company Flooring.

Industrial floor epoxy coatings are designed for specific industries. Whether you produce microchips or bake snacks, you should find the epoxy that is best suited for your line of work. In this blog, we’ll look at a range of industries and outline the best floor epoxies based on your industry’s needs.

Low Impact Industries

If your industry produces a minimal amount of wear and tear to the floors, such as a small to medium sized warehouse, consider using a broadcast system. These concrete coatings provide a decorative look that’s perfect for light and medium duty floors. They offer a finished product that’s durable, resistant to being slippery, and visually appealing. Another option would be a polished concrete floor. Concrete polishing is a cost-effective way to create a great looking floor that’s also very durable.

Chemical Industries

If you’re in an industry that regularly uses chemicals, such as manufacturing, consider using a Novolac System or a High Build Epoxy Coating. The Novolac System is chemical-resistant and is able to withstand both acids and some chlorine-based solvents. The High Build Epoxy Coating not only handles moderate traffic and chemical spills but can come in a variety of colors as well.

Client Facing Industry

If your industry is visible to clients and needs to look great, such as an automotive showroom, consider using Decorative Concrete or Paint Chip Systems. With a decorative concrete system, you can customize the color, texture, and design to make the concrete floor look like anything you can imagine. The use of a concrete sealer, river rock binder, and metallic powder creates a product that not only looks great but will last a long time. The Paint Chip System works by adding paint chips into the concrete flooring, creating a unique look. The paint chips can be in a random pattern or they can fully cover the concrete flooring.
If your industry doesn’t fall into one of these categories, call the professionals at Smith & Company Flooring for a consultation. We will be able to find the perfect industrial floor epoxy for you.

Concrete floor coatings are not only great at protecting your floor from moisture damage and wear and tear, you can also use decorative concrete coatings to match the style of your home. Customizing a concrete floor is a great way to add character to any residential space.

Decorative Concrete Coatings

If you want to get creative with your concrete floors, here is a list of some design options that range from subtle to breathtaking:

• Colored

  • Going with this reserved style allows you to choose a specific color to match the color palette of the room. You can also go with a neutral color to give yourself the flexibility of changing the color scheme of the room in the future.

• Cloudy

  • This decorative method produces a design that is exciting, but not distracting. This technique is excellent for adding character to an exercise room, entertainment room, or even a bedroom for the kids.

• Stars

  • Known as a paint chip system, this technique starts with a solid color base and then colored flecks are added to create the mesmerizing speckles. Using this style is a great way to turn a boring garage into one with class, without taking attention away from the vehicles themselves.

• Hardwood

  • Though not limited to hardwood, decorative concrete systems can be customized to look like any type of flooring material. If you want hardwood floors in your house, but are worried you might scratch them, this style is made for you. Because of concrete’s resilience, you can get the same look as hardwood without the worry.

• Blended

  • Combining two colors in a blended or swirling design produces a style that allows you to bring together two colors in a room that might otherwise clash.

As you can see, there are many different ways to get creative with decorative concrete coatings. If you would like one of these applied to your concrete floors, or if you have an idea for a design of your own, contact the trusted professionals at Smith & Company Flooring to get an estimate.

Avoiding Cold Concrete Floors

If you are considering getting concrete floors for your home, you may be worried that you’ll have to permanently wear socks or slippers due to the floor always being cold, especially with winter coming. However, in terms of temperature, concrete floors are no different than tile or stone flooring. As long as the temperature inside the house is comfortable, the temperature of the floor should be comfortable as well.

Concrete floors are also able to store heat, so here are some methods for making sure your concrete floors stay warm even in the coldest months:

Install insulation 

Concrete floors can lose up to 80% of their heat through their sides, so to make sure the heat stays in, you can have insulation installed around the perimeter of the floor. The insulation will keep the heat in the floor where it can be slowly released through the surface.

Use Heat Generators 

If your concrete floors are going to be in a room without heating, you can still avoid having cold feet by heating the floors from underneath. This is accomplished by installing heat generators before the concrete floor is poured. Common methods for heating concrete floors use pipes to flow hot water underneath or use electric wires to generate heat. Electric heating works quickly, but is more costly than using hot water, so it’s typically only used in small areas such as a bathroom. These methods can even be used if the concrete floor has an epoxy coating.

Give it access to sunlight

Concrete, unlike wood or carpet flooring, absorbs the heat provided by the sun and then slowly releases it throughout the day. If possible, give your concrete floor direct access to sunlight so that it can absorb as much natural heat as possible.
If you would like to learn more about getting concrete floors installed in your house, contact us and we will be glad to help.