Grind and seal polished concrete Available in Matte, Satin or Gloss

You have 2 choices of a grind and seal finish, either a commercial grade durability grind and seal (we call this a Hybrid finish), or a standard grind and seal. Which process you choose will depend on your application needs and budget.

Our ‘Hybrid’ finish grind and seal polished concrete

The Hybrid finish looks very similar to a high-end Hiperfloor polish, without the Hiperfloor price, as it is still technically a grind and seal polished concrete.

This concrete finish is densified (the same densification process as in a mechanical concrete polish) to harden the concrete making it much more durable than traditional grind and seals. We also use further processes which we don’t publicise here, as this finish has been developed by our Director over many years of working in this industry, thus it is unique and is our trade secret. The difference is mainly that it doesn’t require the final steps that a mechanical polish does, as a mechanical polish needs many labour hours spent in polishing up the surface.

Our Hybrid finish is sealed with breathable sealers. This means that although it is technically a grind and seal because it needs no actual mechanical polishing of the concrete (it doesn’t use the big buffing machines and ‘diamonds’), the sealer is breathable, and is very resistant to scuffing and scratching over time. It’s so durable that it is used in domestic and commercial floors.

Our Hybrid ‘grind and seal’ is a different finish to the standard grind and seal, and it’s a really good choice for florist shops, pet stores, commercial premises and any residential and domestic floor where the outlay for a Hiperfloor is too much, but clients still want the high end look with good durability and great water-repellent properties to their concrete floor. It is available in a matte, satin or gloss.

The other type of grind and seal is a ‘standard’ grind and seal.

This is replica polished concrete using a topical sealer, and it copies the look of polished concrete to a degree, but it has a different texture on the surface. It does begin in the same way as all finishes, i.e. by grinding back the concrete until your desired level of stone exposure is reached, but here is where the process differs. The entire process is shorter with less steps.

Instead of using a mechanical action to attain a polish, the appearance of polished concrete is attained by applying coats of a clear topical sealer. The difference this makes is that it is a lesser cost upfront than MPC/Hiperfloor/Mechanical Polish or a Hybrid floor, as it has less steps and does not require the labour and time as when physically polishing the concrete surface. Using a topical sealer to attain a shine means a high gloss will take the same amount of time to attain as a matte. Therefore the price will remain the same no matter which gloss level you prefer.

The long term outcome is that although it is a reasonably durable finish, because the sealer is a coating, like any topical coating it will wear away over time and eventually will require a re-sand or a re-grind and then resealing after approximately 5 – 7 years. However, if you are looking for a form of polished concrete to see you through for around 5 or so years, this is a very economical and attractive finish and can achieve any slip rating required, even on an incline, such as ramps.

Grind and Seal Different Levels of Stone Exposure
Nil/Industrial Exposure
If you like the industrial, modern look of an unpatterned concrete floor, a ‘Nil’ exposure or a ‘Surface Polish’ is the finish you want. This means almost none of the aggregate (or stone) within the concrete mix is visible. This is the most difficult to achieve, as the aggregate placement when the slab is poured is extremely important.

Minimal/Random Exposure
This is often referred to as a salt and pepper look. It is where we grind between 1-3mm off the surface of the concrete. There is often no stone exposure in some areas, and a little or a lot of stone exposure in other areas, depending on how the slab was poured. That’s where the ‘random’ comes into it, and it can be quite a contemporary look.

Semi to Full Aggregate Exposure
Do you love the classic ‘Italian terrazzo’ look? Semi to full stone exposure means we grind down deeply into the slab, in order to expose the full cross-section of all the aggregate at that level. This is similar in appearance to terrazzo and can lend a very European essence to any property, new or old. Actually, older properties look amazing in this level of aggregate exposure!

Grind and Seal – Different Levels of Shine

A concrete floor that has been ground and sealed does not actually have to be shiny, in fact, you can have a matte/satin, semi gloss or high gloss finish. This means how clearly an image is reflected. Following are the general levels of shine:

• Matte/satin finish: low clarity with some distortion, much like a ‘satin’ paint finish
• Semi gloss: a reasonable amount of clarity with good reflective properties
• High gloss: picture perfect clarity with highly reflective properties (mirror like)

Other factors which contribute to the appearance of gloss level are below:

• Focal points: large, interrupted spaces with natural light can give the effect of a semi gloss or high gloss finish, when in fact, it’s a matte finish.
• Natural light: a room with large amounts natural light will always appear glossier than a dark space, especially when standing back and looking along the floor with a light such as a doorway at the end of the room.
• Concrete color: if your concrete is darker, such as black, it is always going to have more shine than a white or cream colour slab.

It’s always a clever idea to keep the design of your premises in mind when choosing your level of gloss.

Please feel welcome to discuss this with us, because due to our many years of being within this industry and around new builds of all types, we can advise on how the light within your design is likely to use the light when finished.

Grouting – What is this, and why do we do it?

We grout to give you the highest quality finish, creating a smooth interior floor surface.

This is a procedure carried out after the grinding of the concrete, where we apply a latex based product to the floor and mix it with the concrete dust created by the grinding procedure to create a colour matched a slurry paste. This slurry is then worked into the surface and fills in the tiny pin holes/ripples in the concrete. This process gives the floor a much smoother appearance.

This procedure is always done by us as we work to deliver a superior product across all finishes. However, for some companies, grouting is an optional add-on and clients are charged extra for grouting, especially with a grind and seal process. So always ask for details on this when asking for a grind and seal quote.

Get in touch and discover more about our concrete grinding, sealing and coating services today

Contact us to find out how we can help you! Give us a call now on 03 9543 5252, contact us via our Contact Us page or send us an email at [email protected] and we can work with you to find the best concrete sealing and coatings options for your individual needs.