Concrete flooring is quickly gaining popularity amongst home and business owners for its affordability and durability. Unfortunately, many people decide to leave the floor uncoated (bare) for cost savings or a truly industrial look and feel.
It is important to recognize that once concrete flooring is installed, it is not easily removed like other types of flooring. If you decide concrete is the right choice for your design, coating it will prevent some of the major issues bare concrete presents.
Before you move forward with concrete floor installation, consider these eight issues that could make you regret your choice to leave it bare.
Concrete is not a superhero. Bare concrete is uncoated. This leaves it susceptible to the negative impacts of moisture. Cracking from freeze and thaw cycles are common in bare concrete. The influence of moisture can lead to the corrosion of rebar, leaving your concrete floor vulnerable to permanent damage.
Bare concrete in an industrial setting is doomed. If you are pouring concrete floors in any type of warehouse or heavy commercial setting, leaving them bare is asking for trouble. Vehicle traffic, chemicals, temperature changes, and other common industrial impacts can quickly damage bare concrete floors.
If appearances are a concern, bare concrete is the wrong choice. Let’s face it. Bare concrete is ugly. Ugly floors are not ideal for any setting, including industrial spaces. It is certainly displeasing to encounter bare concrete in a residence. Concrete coatings allow for the addition of color, texture, and shine.
Concrete finishes have more than aesthetic impacts. There are many concrete finishing substances available today. Coating concrete is important to more than looks. Some finishes offer safety mechanisms, like extra grip in wet spots or antistatic properties around electrical installations.
Bare concrete limits versatility. By coating concrete floors, you can add in elements of safety or wayfinding that are otherwise impossible on bare concrete floors. This property is ideal in commercial and industrial settings where safety is a concern.
If you value clean floors, bare concrete will disappoint. Bare concrete is porous. Dirt, dust, and germs love permeable services, as they become difficult to remove once settling into the floor. Coating a concrete floor makes it impermeable, making cleaning and disinfection possible.
Coated concrete floors are hypoallergenic. Commercial and industrial settings are known to be polluted environments. One way to cut down on airborne allergens is to keep floors dust-free. An unsealed floor allows dust to settle and will result in more dust being created by vehicle and foot traffic. Sealed floors allow for proper cleaning and will keep the concrete from breaking down and turning into dust.
No one likes shopping in the dark. If you have ever been in a warehouse with bare concrete floors, you probably thought it looked like a scene from a scary movie. This is caused by the lack of reflectivity. Coating a concrete floor leads to a brighter, more inviting space.
If you plan on installing concrete in your home, business, or warehouse, it will benefit you to invest in sealing it. While there may be some short-term savings by leaving concrete bare, the odds are you will need some form of extensive maintenance in the future.
