Titus Restoration Services, Inc., Maintaining Polished Concrete, polished concrete maintenance, understanding polished concrete maintenance, the durability of polished concrete, polished concrete maintenance program, protecting polished concrete

Maintaining Polished Concrete
By Phillip C. Evans
Titus Restoration Services, Inc.

Polished Concrete Maintenance

How to Maintain Polished Concrete

Protecting Polished Concrete	Polished Concrete Protection Materials	Understanding Polished Concrete	What Dulls Polished Concrete
Scratches Also Dull Polished Concrete	The Durability of Polished Concrete	Protecting Polished Concrete from Stains	Maintaining Polished Concrete
Polished Concrete Maintenance Program	Polished Concrete Maintenance Conclusion	Contact Titus for Polished Concrete Maintenance and Care	States and Locations Titus Services

Understanding Polished Concrete Maintenance
Understanding the strengths and limitations of polished concrete will help you in maintaining its beauty for many years. Polishing concrete is nothing more than scratching concrete with diamonds.

How to Polish Concrete
Concrete is ground (scratched) first by coarse diamonds (sometimes as low as 30 grit) and then several steps of finer and finer diamonds grits until it achieves a high shine (1800 grit). Each grit (coarseness of scratching diamond) must thoroughly scratch the concrete until the scratches are uniform throughout the slab and then the next grit is begun. The concrete is thoroughly scratched with higher grits leaving smaller scratches and smother concrete. It is not unusual to start at a coarse 30 grit and stop as high as 800, 1500, or 3000 grit. This polishing process is performed over a short time by heavy rotating or planetary rotating concrete polishing equipment.

What Dulls Polished Concrete
Polished concrete is dulled just as it is polished…by small scratches. These scratches come from people’s shoes, scratches from grocery cart wheels, scratches from office chairs, etc. Instead of coming from over a short time by heavy planetary rotating concrete, this dulling process of polished concrete is performed over a much longer time period and is dependant upon the volume and type of traffic exposure previously mentioned. It is very common that isles and high traffic areas will dull before low traffic areas and it is common that areas subject to heavy wheel traffic will dull before foot traffic areas.

Polished concrete is dulled just as it is polished…by small scratches. These scratches come from people’s shoes, scratches from grocery cart wheels, scratches from office chairs, etc. Instead of coming from over a short time by heavy planetary rotating concrete, this dulling process of polished concrete is performed over a much longer time period and is dependant upon the volume and type of traffic exposure previously mentioned. It is very common that isles and high traffic areas will dull before low traffic areas and it is common that areas subject to heavy wheel traffic will dull before foot traffic areas.

The Durability of Polished Concrete
It is typical that polished concrete is hardened by s silicate densifier to aid in scratch resistance. This densifier will increase the hardness of the surface of the concrete by as much as 400%. Due to the variables of the exposure and volume of traffic as mentioned above, it is impossible to predict the exact rate of dulling of the polished finish. For more information on polished concrete’s durability, see our web page on the Durability of Polished Concrete.

Protecting Polished Concrete from Stains
To aid in maintaining the shine on polished concrete, Titus typically recommends a stain protection over polished concrete. This stain protection not only offers resistance to mild acids, spills, and stains; it provides what we call a nano-film on the concrete surface. This film is a very thin protective layer that goes in and on to the polished surface. It is very hard and protects against scratches. Stain protection can be easily re-applied to restore the shine of polished concrete. It is especially important for concrete exposed to hard wheel traffic or frequent spills.

To aid in maintaining the shine on polished concrete, Titus typically recommends a stain protection over polished concrete. This stain protection not only offers resistance to mild acids, spills, and stains; it provides what we call a nano-film on the concrete surface. This film is a very thin protective layer that goes in and on to the polished surface. It is very hard and protects against scratches. Stain protection can be easily re-applied to restore the shine of polished concrete. It is especially important for concrete exposed to hard wheel traffic or frequent spills.

Maintaining Polished Concrete
The following are some general maintenance guidelines for your polished concrete floor. We hope that the information provided herein will allow you to properly maintain you floor for the least possible cost.

Polished Concrete Maintenance Program
Since each facility has varying traffic and abrasion exposure, the following guidelines are general and provide for the end users adaptation to his specific exposure.

Daily
Dust Mop

Weekly
Mop with clear water
or
autoscrub with clear water.

Monthly
Mop with clear water
or
autoscrub with clear water.

If soap is used, be sure
to rinse.

Titus recommends a neutral pH detergent.

Quarterly
Mop with clear water
or
autoscrub with clear water.

If soap is used, be sure to rinse.

Titus recommends a neutral pH detergent.

Annually
Mop with clear water
or
autoscrub with clear water.

If soap is used, be sure to rinse.

Titus recommends a neutral pH detergent.

Optional high speed burnish using a diamond impregnated maintenance burnishing pad.

3 Years
Mop with clear water
or
autoscrub with clear water.
If soap is used, be sure to rinse.

Titus recommends a neutral pH
detergent.

It is probably time to apply one or two coats of stainguard
and burnish with a high burnisher using a grit diamond impregnated burnishing pad.

5 Years
It may be time to re-polish starting at 400, 800, or 1500 grit diamonds (depending on traffic).

Mop with clear water
or
autoscrub with clear water.
If soap is used, be sure to rinse.

Titus recommends a neutral pH
detergent.

A apply two or three additional coats of stainguard and burnish with a high burnisher using a grit diamond impregnated burnishing pad.

Polished Concrete Maintenance Conclusion
Maintaining polished concrete is simple if you understand the product. Polished concrete floors are dulled over time by traffic. How fast they dull is dependent upon the severity and quantity of traffic. Stain protection can provide an very hard film that protects the concrete and is sacrificial to protect the concrete itself. Floor are extremely easy to rejunivate with either stain protection, burnishing, or by re-doing a couple finishing steps ot eh higher diamonds of the polishing process.

Maintaining polished concrete is simple if you understand the product. Polished concrete floors are dulled over time by traffic. How fast they dull is dependent upon the severity and quantity of traffic. Stain protection can provide an very hard film that protects the concrete and is sacrificial to protect the concrete itself. Floor are extremely easy to rejunivate with either stain protection, burnishing, or by re-doing a couple finishing steps ot eh higher diamonds of the polishing process.Titus’ concrete polishing procedures meet or exceed the ANSI 101.B guidelines for high traction floors when dry but as with any tile or hard surface floor, precautions must be taken when the floor is wet.Dry mop the damp area, provide caution signs, and fans as necessary to prevent slips and fall. Since each facility has varying traffic and abrasion exposure, the following guidelines are general and provide for the end users adaptation to his specific exposure.Maintaining polished concrete is simple if you understand the product. Polished concrete floors are dulled over time by traffic. How fast they dull is dependent upon the severity and quantity of traffic. Stain protection can provide an very hard film that protects the concrete and is sacrificial to protect the concrete itself. Floor are extremely easy to rejunivate with either stain protection, burnishing, or by re-doing a couple finishing steps ot eh higher diamonds of the polishing process.Titus’ concrete polishing procedures meet or exceed the ANSI 101.B guidelines for high traction floors when dry but as with any tile or hard surface floor, precautions must be taken when the floor is wet. Dry mop the damp area, provide caution signs, and fans as necessary to prevent slips and fall.

Titus’ concrete polishing procedures meet or exceed the ANSI 101.B guidelines for high traction floors when dry but as with any tile or hard surface floor, precautions must be taken when the floor is wet. Dry mop the damp area, provide caution signs, and fans as necessary to prevent slips and fall.

States and Locations Titus Will Serve with Polished Concrete

Alabama (AL)
Alaska (AK)
Arizona (AZ) Arkansas (AR) California (CA)

Colorado (CO)
Connecticut (CT)
Distric oF Columbia (DC)

Delaware (DE) Florida (FL)

Georgia (GA)
Atlanta

Hawaii (HI)

Idaho
Illinois
Indiana (IN)

Iowa ( IA)
Kansas (KS)
Kentucky (KY)

Louisiana (LA)
Maine (ME)

Maryland (MD)

Massachusetts (MA)
Michigan (MI)
Minnesota (MN) Mississippi (MS)

Missouri (MO)
Montana (MT)
Nebraska (NE) Nevada (NV)

New Hampshire (NH)
New Jersey (NJ)

New Mexico (NM)
New York (NY)
North Carolina (NC)
North Dakota (ND)
Ohio (OH)

Oklahoma (OK) Oregon (OR) Pennsylvania (PA)
Rhode Island (RI) South Carolina (SC)

South Dakota (SD)
Texas (TX)
Tennessee (TN) Utah (UT)
Vermont (VT)

Virginia (VA) Washington (WA) West Virginia (WV)
Wisconsin (WI) Wyoming (WY)

District or Columbia (DC) Caribbean St Thomas, Virgin Islands (VI) St Croix, Virgin Islands (VI) St John, Virgin Islands (VI) Islands

Aruba Bahamas Bermuda Dominican Republic Grand Cayman

Jamaica Puerto Rico Canada Montreal Toronto

Contact Titus for Polished Concrete Care and Maintenance

Office Phone 678-494-6893
email sales@titusrestoration.com