FAQs

Your Queries Answered

Find answers to common questions about our services and processes. Get the information you need to make informed decisions with Lazor Concrete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions & Answers

Have questions about our services? Explore our FAQs for quick and helpful answers to the most common inquiries about Lazor Concrete’s offerings.

What is mechanically concrete polishing?

‍A mechanically polished concrete floor is a floor solution in which we mechanically grind the concrete to a smooth surface in a multistep process. The quantity of grinding steps depends on the concrete’s condition and hardness as well as the desired finish. For the finish you can define the level of shine and aggregate exposure. With the application of concrete stains a variety of designs can be achieved.

‍Polished concrete provides a smooth surface that is durable, light reflective, and easy to maintain.

‍Not all concrete floors can be polished with satisfactory results. Quality and density of the concrete, as well as floor levelness and its condition may impact the desired result. To find out if your floor is a good candidate for polishing call us for a free consultation. If your floor is not a good candidate for polishing there are other options to consider like an Epoxy coating.

‍Our team can patch all cracks and holes within the process of polishing the floor. Small cracks or holes will then blend in while grinding the floor. Depending on the patch’s size it might be visible after. However, this gives the floor its organic look people are going for when choosing the polished concrete solution.

‍The price per square foot depends on the finish and design. Compared to other high-end floor solutions concrete floors often are an economical alternative. Another factor that needs to be considered is maintenance and cleaning costs. Those being low can save you money in the long run.

‍Polished concrete floors are not any more slippery than other hard flooring surfaces like marble or ceramic tile floors when kept clean and dry. Official tests to determine the coefficient of friction (DCOF) have shown that regardless of the level of shine all test results significantly exceeded the required DCOF of 0.42 for tiles in indoor areas that may get wet in use.

‍Polished concrete floors are easy to maintain. The use of a concrete densifier helps to harden and dust-proof the surface. The extent of maintenance depends on the traffic the floors are receiving. Residential floors with light foot traffic have different needs than commercial spaces with high traffic. With low traffic, simple cleaning like dust and wet mopping keeps the floors looking like new for many years. Also, we are only using high-quality sealers and top coats that better protect the floors from stains and abrasion.

‍Every concrete is a mix of cement, sand, water, and gravel. These rock fragments is what we call aggregate. The aggregate exposure class denotes the surface exposure after the grinding and polishing process.

‍The level of shine defines the sharpness of images of objects produced by reflection at a polished surface, sometimes called image clarity. It is determined by the grit we polish the concrete floor up to. The process’ last step of applying the impregnating sealer and burnishing the floor will refine the sheen even more. 
Already at a matte finish (400 grit) you can see some sheen to the floor, especially from a distance looking at the floor as a whole. With every polishing pass after that the shine, but mostly the clarity of the reflection, will increase. A highly polished finish (3000 grit) has a high degree of shine, so that when standing directly over the surface you can see your reflection with clarity.

‍Since you know that you want to get your concrete slab polished, you will want the contractor to be extra careful and pour it to an even finish.  If you can, specify a stronger concrete – maybe commercial grade. Market recommendations are concrete mixtures with 4,000 psi and higher. Generally, the denser and harder the concrete, the better outcome we can expect when polishing the floor. The slab should be in place at least 28 days before we can begin polishing the floor to ensure adequate curing.