Concrete is highly durable, but that doesn’t mean it lasts forever. If you have concrete flooring in your basement, garage, retail or industrial locations that is starting to look worn, cracked, or pock marked, you can restore it using a process called concrete resurfacing. Here are some answers to frequent questions that we receive from clients about this process.
#1 – What is Concrete Resurfacing?
Concrete resurfacing means many things to many people. For some it may just mean pouring a nice epoxy finish over a concrete surface, but that’s not really what we mean by resurfaced concrete. Resurfacing is a process that deals directly with the concrete slab and results in the slab being stable, smooth and level when done correctly.
In order to resurface concrete, many different techniques may be required, depending on how bad it is. Cracks and pitting need to be filled. The surface may need grinding to level or smooth it out. Professional grinding machines weigh hundreds of pounds and use diamond blades to sand and smooth a concrete surface. They also make quite a mess in terms of dust and such. All that mess must be carefully cleaned up and vacuumed, so that the final operation will be a success.
Often the final step in a concrete resurfacing job will be application of a resurfacing or leveling product. This product is a refined mix of concrete, fine sand, polymers, and other additives. It is poured onto a special chemical coating layer painted on the existing concrete to enhance bonding. The finished product dries within a day and creates an extremely hard wearing, level, and high-quality surface layer. This mix is designed to be incredibly strong once it dries, bonding to the existing concrete to fully restore the surface and protect it against wear, temperature changes, damage, and moisture.
Now that’s resurfacing!
#2 – Why would I resurface my concrete?
The most obvious reasons to resurface your concrete include visible issues such as concrete spalling (areas that have cracked or delaminated from the substrate), flaking, cracks, settling, chipping, holes, divots, and general crumbling. And of course all of this can be a symptom of deeper damage like ice and water damage. Before you resurface you should always consult a professional to assess the situation and make sure there are not deeper issues that need to be addressed first.
#2 – Does Concrete Resurfacing Work?
In short, absolutely! When done the right way (no shortcuts!) your resurfaced concrete will last you many years, even under daily use. This assumes that the surface is suitable for resurfacing and that the slab is viable (most are). Again a professional is really needed to assess the condition of your slab before any resurfacing begins. Skin Coat, Self leveling, Patching.
A good concrete resurfacing could make your flooring even stronger and more resistant to wear, moisture, and stains than before. In fact, it has a compressive strength rating of up to 4,500 psi, making it stronger than most foundation slabs.
#3 – Should I DIY this Flooring Project?
There are certainly some motivated DIYers who might consider doing it themselves. While you can do this as a DIY project if you have the skill, experience, and time to learn how to do it, it’s usually best left to the professionals. This is because it’s not as simple as it sounds. Concrete refinishing is messy, requires all the right tools, and you need to be able to work quickly, as well as very accurately because the product dries rapidly. If you don’t have the experience and skill level, you can easily end up with a floor that is worse than what you had before!
#4 – Is Concrete Resurfacing Expensive?
This is an affordable option when compared to repairing major structural issues resulting from floor damage or replacing a concrete floor with something else. The cost will generally depend on what product you use, the condition of your original floor, and the size of the floor. When looking at a professional service, keep in mind that experience is what will make all the difference. A service provider that offers a very cheap rate and has little experience simply won’t deliver the same final result (and lasting quality) than one that has years of experience and uses high-quality products.
Get the Concrete Refinishing That Your Home Deserves
At Diamond Garage Solutions, we offer services that stand out from the rest. With the best professional products and an experienced team that goes the extra mile, we take concrete flooring to new heights. In addition to concrete resurfacing, we repair your floor and prepare it so that your new surface lasts a lifetime. Contact us today for more information, or see the difference for yourself on our website: