MALLORCA’S POLISHED CONCRETE
7 things you did not know about polished concrete
If you are thinking about renovating any of the rooms in your house with polished concrete, in this article we will explain what polished concrete is, and its differences with microcement, and why they are confused.
At Microcement Mallorca we have been dedicated to continuous flooring for more than 15 years. On countless occasions our clients ask about polished concrete, and its use for their new renovations. They picture a kind of flooring used indoors with an industrial look of greyish colors and organic textures.
Truth is that on most occasions they think what they have seen in magazines and other works is polished concrete, when in fact is microcement.
CONTENTS
What is polished concrete?
Polished concrete is a mixture of aggregates, water, pigments and additives that is only applicable to floors. Its minimum thickness is 5cms and requires the application of expansion joints every 4 or 5 meters.
Why do we confuse polished concrete with microcement?
The confusion between these two types of continuous coatings, microcement and polished concrete, is very common. At first glance, it is not easy to tell them apart. However, if we know what we are looking for, we can quickly differentiate them. One of the main differences between polished concrete and microcement is the need for expansion joints every 4-5 meters.
We could say that microcement was an evolution of polished concrete, which solves many of the problems presented by polished concrete. In addition, it can also be used on walls, ceiling and construction furniture, among other things.
What are the differences between polished concrete and microcement?
1. Unlike polished cement, microcement does not require works
When applying microcement, there is no need of work required nor it is necessary to remove old flooring as we can apply it directly on the existing coating with a 3 millimeters thickness.
On the other hand, to apply the polished concrete, we need minimum height of 5 cms, which will force us to raise the existing floor in order to apply the new layer of polished concrete.
2. To apply polished concrete, you need a polishing machine
For the final finish of polish concrete, we need the use a large and heavy polishing machine. The fact of having to finish the polished concrete with this machine makes it very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to work with this machine on high floors.
By contrast, microcement is worked by hand and the finishes are done by hand, which is why its application is much more versatile and be done anywhere.
3. Polished concrete needs expansion joints
When we talk about the differences between polished concrete and microcement, the need to create expansion joints in polished concrete is certainly one of the biggest disadvantages.
Polished concrete needs expansion joints every 4 or 5 meters, completely eliminating the feeling of continuity. On the other hand, microcement gives an atmosphere of absolute continuity since it does not need joints of any kind.
4. Polished concrete can only be applied on the floor
Polished concrete cannot be applied in walls or ceilings, only on floors. This is another disadvantage of polished concrete compared to microcement, that can be applied to almost any surfaces such as walls, ceilings, kitchen, countertops, stairs, bathrooms, etc.
5. Polished concrete requires a minimum heigh of 5cms
Polished concrete needs minimum 5cm high for its correct application. In some cases, this can be beneficial, as we can cover, for example, plumbing pipes directly. But in most cases, this is a great disadvantage opposed to microcement. The application of microcement only requires a thickness of 3mm, which firstly allows us not to lift the old floor to apply the new pavement. Consequently, we avoid the removal of debris from the old floor. Moreover, there will be no need to change or alter the existing doors. And last, the use of microcement will save time and money.
6. Polished concrete is gray
Polished concrete finishes are extremely limited. Even though you can apply a type of dye, 99% of cases appears more or less dark gray.
With microcement, we have a wide rage of finishes and colors. From classic cement grays, through a whole range of warm colors, or, for the most daring, red or purple colors.
7. What is the price per m2 of polished concrete in Mallorca?
As well as Microcement, the price per square meter of polished concrete in Mallorca can vary depending on the specific features of each application. Depending on whether it is done indoors or outdoors, and other variables, the price may change. Generally speaking, we can say that the price of polished concrete is around 30€-35€/m2
Conclusions
At Microcement Mallorca, we have extensive experience in continuous flooring. That is why we know that in the vast majority of cases, microcement is clearly better in almost all aspects, light, resistant, and provides a feeling of spaciousness and ‘continuous flooring’, is easy to clean and requires low maintenance. If is indicated for high-transited areas and also it can be applied on other coating, together with a wide list of advantages.
On the other hand, we only recommend polished concrete in very specific cases such as cladding for exterior areas or large surfaces where aesthetics are not so important. Or in some cases where we need the ability to cover damage or large uneven floors. Always bearing in mind that weight is not an important factor, just because polished concrete needs a thickness of at least 5cms and that is a great burden.
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As you can see, the possibilities of microcement are endless. At Microcement Mallorca we are specialists in its application and pioneers on the island. Fill in the form and we will prepare a budget without any commitment.