Winter is the time for snow and joy. However, you want to keep the snow outside the joy inside. The snow is one guest you don’t want to invite into your home especially if you have concrete floors. It can cause some serious damage to your decorative indoor concrete creations. The winter can damage concrete if it is not properly sealed with performance sealers or deniers. The drop of temperature can deteriorate and crack the concrete floors. This winter take the first steps to protect your concrete floors from any damage that could shorten the lifespan of your home’s beautiful flooring.
Pros and cons of polished concrete floors
Polished concrete creations have more benefits than drawbacks when it comes to use and look. It is durable, customizable, economical and easy to maintain. The durability is something that often drives people to look into polished concrete. This allows for high foot traffic, heavy machinery or wear and tear, which can cause problems for other types of floorings. It will also enable the customer to save money when it comes to repairs.
Polished concrete does have a couple of drawbacks but they are easy to solve. It can be hard on the feet when you have to stand for long periods. One easy solution is purchasing cushioned mats that will alleviate the pressure off your feet. Mats are also a great solution for combating the coldness of concrete. Polished concrete gets cold, especially on winter days. It is recommended installing radiant floor heating under your concrete floors to keep your toes cozy.
Tips to maintain your concrete floors in winter
Get your concrete floors sealed.
The winter time can be a curse for your concrete floors. The snow from the outside can make it’s way indoors and seep into the pores of your floor if they do not have any type of sealing. The best way to protect your concrete floors is by having them sealed with a densifier and hardener by a professional. A sealer will not only enhance the color of your concrete and add a shine, it will also preserve it. A densifier & hardener will penetrate your concrete surface and increase the abrasion and water resistance of your concrete floor. Here are the different types of sealers your concrete floor can use.
- Penetrating sealers
- Acrylics
- Polyurethanes
- Epoxies
Have a regular maintenance routine
One of the biggest keys in keeping your polished concrete floors safe and looking good all winter long is to make sure you are always keeping them free of harmful debris as well as chemicals that may harm the polish. This type of schedule should include daily sweeping (preferably with a microfiber cloth) to clear the floor of dirt and salt, which can eat away at the polish and ultimately the concrete. This will prevent abrasions to the polish. You should also consider mopping daily with clean water to remove any dirt or stuck on salt and sludge. Using pH neutral materials is only needed occasionally when there is tougher grime stuck to your floors. Using pH neutral cleaning supplies is important because harsh chemicals like ammonia, bleach or vinegar can deteriorate and discolor the concrete.
Keep your concrete floors dry.
Stopping the trail of snow indoors is impossible during the winter. Your home is filled with people coming in and out during holiday dinners. Unless you tell your guests your home is a no shoe household. The snow from the outside will cause your concrete floors to crack if it’s not properly sealed. You can avoid all this by just keeping your floors dry.
One important thing you want to remember when you have beautiful concrete creations is water can make your concrete floors crack. That is why it’s important you want to do everything possible to keep your concrete floors dry during the winter. Drying your floors will stop water from getting into the pores and causing unwanted cracks. Keep a dry mop handy to clean up heavy wet spots.
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Custom Concrete Creations is chosen to help facilitate projects because we are the preferred custom concrete floor company, not only in Omaha, but for the greater Midwest region. No project is too big or too small for our team of seasoned experts who use state-of-the-art equipment on each and every project. We help you achieve the look of your dreams and do not consider the job done until you are happy with the results. So give us a call or contact us for your custom concrete needs today!