Concrete indoors isn’t such a strange thing. After all, concrete is one of the primary building materials – in use since time immemorial – and it is sure to feature in any building at least somewhere. But it isn’t just in the form of building materials that concrete is used in interiors. In fact, many stunning interiors are really tied together when certain concrete features are included. And one of the most common places to use concrete is in the flooring of a commercial property such as a shop, bar, or restaurant.
When we think about concrete ground installations, our minds naturally jump to outdoor concrete features such as driveways and patios. However, the latter of these shows how concrete can indeed be a terrific way of adding beauty with ground installations. There is no reason why this cannot also work indoors. In fact, installing concrete features as part of the indoor flooring of a building comes with the added benefit that the effects of weathering – which ultimately lead to everything from slight cracks to gaping potholes – are much less pronounced.
Benefits of Indoor Concrete Flooring
Using concrete for flooring has becomeincreasingly popular in recent decades. If you have spent any length of time in any upmarket restaurant, for example, then the chances are you will have noticed these types of installations adorning the interior flooring. The biggest benefit, therefore, is simply that it looks great.
Parking Lot Pros, concrete paving experts out of Dallas, Texas, say that concrete for flooring has many other advantages beyond the aesthetic. For example, concrete is exceptionally durable and strong, and it can be gripped easily underfoot. As mentioned, you will not have to maintain it as diligently as outdoor installations while cleaning it is also a breeze. If your concrete flooring installationsare made up of slabs or bricks, then some care will have to be taken to ensure there is no buildup of dirt in the separating grooves.This is nothing a vacuum cleaner and a thick, bristly broom won’t be able to sort though.
Top Concrete Flooring Finishing Options
So, having givena run-down of the general benefits of concrete for indoor flooring, here follows some of the most attractive manifestations of that:
Stamped Concrete
Concrete is incredibly hard and durable, but it is also wet for a period before it sets. At this stage, concrete can be stamped with attractive designs. Think about the handprints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to get an idea of the potential here. Concrete stamped in this way is also textured, so your design will also make the concrete more slip resistant.
Epoxied Concrete
Epoxy is very often used with concrete. For example, it is a popular method for repairing cracks. Within the aesthetic dimension, it gives an elegant, glass-like coating to a concrete surface. Concrete flooring treated in this way will also be much easier to clean, as the grooves will be epoxied over, and they will not collect dirt.
Stained and Pigmented Concrete.
…or, in other words, concrete with color. Stained concrete refers to the mix itself being colored before it sets, which will retain the texture and feel of the concrete but in another color. Pigmented concrete has color on the surface, which can also give a new and attractive texture to the concrete itself – one which will also be easier to clean.
There is no doubt you have come across indoor concrete flooring before.It gives an elegant finish to the décor of any number of commercial and even residential properties. It is durable, will not get so dirty and, above all, it looks great.
