Flooring is a very important part of not just design, but the whole structure as well. Flooring needs to be not just hard and strong, but beautiful and attractive as well. Concrete is commonly used everywhere nowadays, including the streets and driveways. If this concrete is used on driveways and other structures that receive so much stress and heavyweight, then what more if it is used as flooring? Concrete is a great alternative for other materials such as linoleum, carpet, wood, tile, stone, or marble, and it’s so hard it cannot even be scratched.
Concrete is quite versatile, it can be stained nearly any color, resurfaced in a variety of textures and finishes, or polished for a smooth, shiny look. In addition to that, it is widely known to be long-lasting and quite easy to maintain. Applying some decorative treatment on concrete is a great idea, it is affordable and even environment friendly. Turn the boring, plain grey concrete into something more attractive with many decorative concrete options.
If you are having some ideas for installing some concrete that is over a subfloor supported by joints, then it is best to get a structural engineer to determine if your floor can stand the weight. In some cases, it could be that lightweight concrete is the best solution. To get a better idea of concrete, let us determine the advantages of concrete.
Advantages Of Concrete
- Beautiful And Versatile Design. Although previously, concrete was just a simple, boring grey structure, with the rise of modern techniques, concrete has now adapted luxurious designs. These can be achieved by adding dyes as the wet concrete is being mixed in which produces concrete in a huge range of earthy colors.
There are also other techniques such as acid stains, concrete stains, and paint made for concrete floors which create unique finishes that make concrete more beautiful than standard concrete. And naturally, when talking about decorating concrete, getting concrete stamped is an unavoidable topic. There are many ways and options for concrete textures to choose from.
- Low Maintenance. The properties that make concrete floors durable are also the same properties responsible for making the concrete easier to maintain. Concrete may also be needed to get sealed to be maintained. If concrete is properly sealed, then dirt, grit, stains, spills, and hard impacts are no problem. The only type of maintenance needed for concrete would be some sweeping and damp mopping, and you are all set.
- Eco-Friendly Option. For some people that are quite concerned, concrete does not deplete natural resources, requires less energy than other floor types to produce and is typically made locally. In fact, concrete is actually a great option for indoor air quality because it inhibits mold, mildew, and odors.
Cost Of Concrete Floorings
It has been previously mentioned a couple of times already but concrete is widely known for its affordability. Compared to other options and materials, concrete is undoubtedly more affordable with standard concrete only being $2 – $6 per square foot, Mid-Range Concrete for $7 – $14 per square foot, and High-end concrete going for $15 – $30 per square foot.