What does a standard concrete slab mix mean?
The term ‘standard concrete’ can mean actually mean a few different things. The meaning of the term depends on the context of whether you are referring to the
A standard mix throughout Melbourne is generally grey in colour. Sometimes this hue is referred to as ‘a Portland grey,’ and it usually contains a variety of either dark grey/black aggregate (stones), white pebble, or a mix of both.
The alternative to a grey slab is a coloured slab. Coloured decorative mixes are available from producers such as Hanson, Vic Mix, Mentone or Boral. If you are trying to choose between a grey slab and a coloured slab, keep in mind that standard grey slabs are generally less in cost than a coloured decorative mix, so if you have budgetary concerns you might want to stick to a grey slab. Even without considering the cost difference, many clients prefer a standard mix to a coloured mix in any case.
The standard strength/hardness of concrete can be around 20mpa, but this is actually not the correct hardness for concrete polishing. 20mpa is too low for concrete polishing and it’s important to have a minimum of 32mpa. With at least 32mpa or higher, you can achieve a durable, attractive and long-lasting polished concrete floor. Having at least 32mpa also helps ensure the right gloss level. And this level is even higher for nil exposure floors (often considered the ‘industrial look’). Nil exposure floors should have either 40mpa or even 50mpa.
In regards to the way slabs are poured, generally speaking, there are several pour varieties. A standard pour typically refers to on-ground slabs, suspended slabs or a mixture of both. Usually, though, when discussing polished concrete, the term ‘standard concrete slab’ means the colour of the mix and the strength/hardness of the slab, so a standard slab rarely refers to the type of pour in the context of polished concrete.
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Real Stories
Grind and Seal did a terrific job at our property, we knew in advance of building our new home that we were going to have polished concrete downstairs, therefore we contacted Grind and Seal to speak to them about our job and they liaised with our builder/concretor to ensure that we had a concrete slab with the perfect specifications for what were after!When it came time to complete the work the guys were punctual, friendly and very professional. The place looks fantastic and they were only too happy to appease my wife's needs to inspect the job at every step ...
Good service, Happy to recommend Grind & Seal. Our floors look a million bucks and came up just so well. Was a difficult job but their experience really showed and they got around all hurdles. We were so impressed. And as our cheapest quote by far we were happy that we got such a good job. Nice team and made the whole process so very easy.
Our idea to have a “garden party” theme for Christmas last year sounded great but our old mouldy concrete was an eyesore! Within 2 days the grind and seal team transformed our very drab rear and front yard into magnificent useable entertaining areas with minimal disruption to our lives. We have now decided on polished concrete for our extension to merge the indoor/outdoor living areas. The Grind and Seal Polished Concrete team worked hard to deliver a great result, they provided a quality product in a timely fashion, they are honest & reliable – a refreshing change in this day ...
We first used Grind and Seal at our Braeside premises in May 2018 to prepare our concrete floor into a beautiful shiny area for some vintage cars. The area was approximately 230 square metres and the finish was even better than we had expected. Therefore when it came to expanding the area by another 123 square metres in 2019 we had no hesitation in heading straight back to Grind and Seal. Once again Jay weaved his magic ably assisted by Tom to produce another impeccable finish. We would have no hesitation in recommending Grind and Seal to any potential customer. Thank you to everyone at Grind and Seal.
We got Grind & Seal to do the polished concrete in our home. They were incredibly professional and friendly to deal with during the process and the floor looks amazing – they were not the cheapest, but I think you get what you pay for – and we got top quality for a competitive price. Will definitely be recommending their services.
Thanks for our beautiful floors Tim!
We love them!!
Exactly what I pictured in my head..if not better!!
The tradesman were very professional. Polite and respectful. My front porch looks fantastic and I keep admiring it. Never to be painted again.I would recommend them to anyone and the guys even painted between my wooden fence posts.Thank you Grind and Seal
Anyone who hasn't seen polished concrete before should definitely try it! It looks amazing and is so easy to clean - I totally love it. I got Grind And Seal to come and do my home and they were awesome - lovely guys and were really good at explaining stuff to me. Price was really reasonable and now all my friends are jealous of my floors! - Thanks Grind & Seal I will be recommending you to everyone although my floor really speaks for itself.
JAMES, facilities maintenance PROJECT MANAGER for 5 councils Honestly I've never felt as compelled to give positive feedback as I have with this company's services and I deal with hundreds of companies a year in the course of my work, it has been a refreshing experience.
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