Floors
This kitchen is a masterclass in warming up a sleek design in a grown-up way. The pale pink hexagonal tiles on the back of the island both zone the breakfast bar and introduce warmth and character into the scheme – and using them here rather than in the more obvious splashback position adds a design twist. The tiles aren’t shouty, but they feel more fun than plain tiles or a painted surface might. The designers have nodded to the pink colour in the copper fittings and sofa textiles for a cohesive look.
Keep a hallway looking smart A sealed, polished concrete floor is very easy to maintain, just needing a sweep and damp mop, which makes it ideal for a high-traffic hallway. For extra protection, you could always add a good floor wax designed for concrete floors. This type of floor is a particularly good choice for pet owners, as it won’t harbour dander and muddy paw prints can be quickly mopped away. TELL US
Be bold in the boudoir The bedroom might not be the first room that springs to mind when considering a concrete floor, but think again, because it’s sure to add some sass and statement to a boudoir. In its natural state, concrete is grey, but special stains can be applied to the material if you want something different, from orange to blue to rusty red. The surface can also be ground to expose the aggregate, as here, for a more mottled effect
You’ve got the metro tiles, tick, and whitewashed brickwork, tick. So now all you need to complete your 21st-century, industrial-style bathroom is a silky-smooth concrete floor. For any wet or damp areas in the home, make sure your concrete has been sealed properly, as it’s naturally porous, and treat it with a hardener for extra wear- and scratch-resistance.
Another way to add warmth is to lay down a rug. It also helps to define spaces or the functions of different areas in a large open space. As for the concrete in this house, designer Jasmine McClelland explains: “The balance of textures and colours in the aggregate of the polished concrete flooring were chosen deliberately to soften the effect of the concrete.”
Variety of concrete floors Polished concrete flooring is measured by grade and finish – the higher the grade, the larger the exposed aggregates; and the higher the finish, the shinier the polish. This structural concrete slab has selected aggregates and a natural oxide colour. It has been left exposed and polished to a level that makes the aggregates clearly visible.
Maintaining concrete flooring • Concrete floors are easy to look after – just sweep and mop with soapy water or a neutral cleaner. • Seal or wax the floors regularly in high-traffic areas in order to maintain the protective layer over its surface. • Re-polish floors as needed to maintain the desired gloss.
The level of polish will effect the overall aesthetic of the floor as well as the budget. A light polish or matt look is less expensive, gives a more natural look and doesn’t show many of the stones inside the substrate. In comparison, a heavy polish is more expensive and will expose the stones and provide a more colourful finish. • Other finishes can include stamping, dying, embossing, staining and more.
We had a black concrete mix with Bachus Marsh river rock put in for aggregate, it looks tremendous with the different aggregate colours coming through. I used Steve Blake concreting as he is very experienced with exposed aggregate concrete and an experienced contractor is needed.
The most expensive method of polishing will achieve the most hardwearing and long-lasting result and can produce a look of such high polish that it can almost resemble marble. Once a floor is polished to this degree it will no longer require any further coatings.
There are many choices for the final finish and look of your concrete flooring. High-gloss or matt looks can be achieved according to preference. There are also many different levels to the concrete floor ‘polish’. It all depends on personal taste and budget. If you like, you can simply grind back and cover with a polyurethane, which will be less expensive but will require more ongoing maintenance as it will need to be re-done every few years.
It’s all in the mix This floor took lots of forward planning – the slab was finished 12 months before the rest of the building but was worth the wait, according to Moloney. The exposed aggregate is a mix of 60% bluestone and 40% quartz with a black oxide added to the concrete mix. The surface was finished with a semi-gloss water-based polyurethane. “It’s not all about colour and gloss levels, though,” says Moloney. “We’ve found it’s important to think about how the mix is prepared and how the builder approaches the construction sequence around the grinding process. “When using a feature aggregate such as the quartz, we find that we get better results if the aggregate is mixed through the entire mix rather than ‘seeding’ it in by hand during the pour. We also like to grind the entire slab prior to erecting any of the walls. This way we get an even finish all the way to the edges.”
Soft ash colour polished concrete floor
Soft ash colour polished concrete
Nice colour polished concrete floor
7. Make the grad(ation) Hexagonal tiles are a fun way to add a little ombré to a space. This selection, moving from charcoal through mid and pale greys to almost white at the top, draws attention away from the narrowness of the room. It also gives a sense of the space opening out higher up. The designers have mixed up the colours a little in the middle for a contemporary pixellated feel.
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