The Concrete Alternative - October 2008

By Brian Hamilton

In the world of floorcoverings, the use of decorative concrete, especially polished concrete, is relatively new on the scene but has been steadily growing. It began to emerge about ten years ago, first appearing in industrial settings but now it’s a thriving and growing niche industry and is turning up primarily in commercial buildings in everything from schools to large retail stores to healthcare facilities. What was once strictly a subfloor has now come to the surface.

Statistics about the overall industry are hard to come by and it’s difficult to know how large the industry really is. One published report says the use of polished concrete is likely to grow at least 20% annually for the next five to ten years but it’s not clear what that projection is based on.

Designers say they are specifying concrete generally for places where they previously would have covered the concrete with tile, stone, terrazzo, VCT or sheet vinyl. Much of the new interest in concrete is in polished floors, but there are other options such as epoxies, thin overlays, and acid staining that provide almost unlimited artistic options, some of which can be expensive and have differing performance characteristics.

George Holinga, co-owner of Legacy Commercial Flooring, a traditional commercial contractor in Columbus, Ohio, which has a separate two year old concrete division that specializes in polished concrete, said it’s the smallest but fastest growing part of his overall flooring operation but adds, “It’ll never take the place of carpet.” He said the margins are high but the learning curve and investment are both fairly steep to get into the business, and the business comes with its share of headaches. For example, a diamond grinder and vacuum system, used to create the polish, can cost about $38,000. Right now, about half his business is new construction and half is retrofits.

Despite the growth of polished concrete, designers acknowledge there are a few issues to contend with. Concrete is extremely hard, which can create comfort and acoustical problems. It can also scratch, chip and stain, and can be expensive to modify.

Also, unlike the predictable look of carpet, resilient, and other traditional floorcoverings, you don’t buy polished concrete off the shelf and the final look is almost totally dependent on the skill, vision, and planning of the installer, because, as Holinga says, it’s as much an art as a science. It’s a craft that isn’t taught in technical schools or community colleges and it takes some time to learn, for example, how to get exactly the right gloss level, one major selling point of these kinds of floors. So, anyone thinking of hiring a contractor should be sure to visit a finished project or two.

“You need to see facilities with concrete, see what they look like and see what they feel like,” said Tony Nixon, Legacy’s co-owner. It isn’t easy to translate a design into a matching finished product, especially to get the color exactly right. Legacy creates mockups, under the specified lighting, to make sure everything is as accurate as possible, using what amounts to a trial and error process.

The industry has no formal standards but there are a number of patented systems on the market for creating polished concrete.

No matter who is hired to do a job, there is one major wildcard in every project—the quality of the concrete, whether it’s a new pour or an old slab. The quality of concrete can be highly variable from firm to firm, and even on different pours from the same company. The quality of the concrete depends on many factors, especially what are called “admixtures,” the additives that affect everything from the hardness to curing in cold weather.

“There’s no such thing as a ‘good’ concrete floor,” Nixon says. Every slab is different and has its challenges. New floors will inevitably crack, not always in a predictable way, and old floors have probably already cracked, so clients have to be aware that the initial look could change.

Nevertheless, polished concrete in the hands of a skilled artist can be stunning. Everything from ground glass to colored pebbles can be added in a new pour to give the floor a completely unique look. Nixon says a polished concrete floor can cost from $3.50 to $12 per foot, depending on a variety of factors, from the intricacy of the design to the size and complexity of the job.

What’s driving this industry? The lower maintenance cost of polished concrete, which more than offsets its higher initial cost over the life of a floor, is a major factor, especially for big box stores. It’s also getting a big boost from the sustainability movement. And designers love its versatility and the opportunities it presents for creativity.

“The quality of the finish for the right application is fantastic in terms of quality versus cost,” says Dan Fowler of Cromwell Architects and Engineers in Little Rock, Arkansas. “You get a great reflective, glossy surface, especially for something like a museum setting where you might need some sparkle and glitz. Compared to terrazzo, you can’t beat the price. In high-expectation applications, it’s right in there with slate and glass in high quality finish.

Dollar General, like other retail chains, has moved to polished concrete to reduce maintenance costs. These stores had been using VCT but occasionally had problems with the tiles coming unglued due to moisture in the concrete. Likewise, Associated Wholesale Grocers, which designs grocery stores, has seen its members turn to concrete in lieu of VCT. PermaShine, which has a patented process for polished concrete, says maintenance costs run $0.50 per foot or less per year, compared to $1.20 to $1.50 for VCT. 

There’s also no doubt that the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program and sustainability issues in general are having some impact. For example the high reflectivity of a concrete floor can cut interior lighting costs as much as 30%. In addition, concrete is also a thermal mass that can help cut heating and cooling costs. Plus, polished concrete doesn’t require the use of hazardous cleaning chemicals, since it can be cleaned with a damp mop or neutral pH cleaner.

As far as LEED goes, concrete can help accumulate points in several different categories, including recycled materials, indoor air quality, and regional materials. For new construction, concrete can include a significant proportion of materials like fly ash, a byproduct of the combustion of coal in power plants. In addition, much of it is produced with locally extracted materials, mainly gravel and sand. Polished concrete also doesn’t require adhesives or sealers with volatile organic compounds. At the end of its useful life, old concrete can be ground up and reused. And, as mentioned earlier, concrete can help optimize energy performance.

Another big impetus behind the growth of polished concrete is simply its versatility in design. Concrete can easily mimic tile, granite and terrazzo. It can be colored to complement nearly any design.

“It’s something new and different but I think it will be a long term thing,” Holinga says. “Designing with concrete is a good way for a designer to put a unique signature on a project.” 

Copyright 2008 Floor Focus 

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