White concrete floors have traditionally been thought of as an
option just for industrial or commercial properties, but recently more and
more homeowners have been installing this chic material to give their rooms a
sophisticated, modern edge.
In the past concrete was seen
as the base to cover, whereas now many people are seeing the benefits (both
aesthetically and functionally) of treating it as the flooring itself. The
practical advantages of this material are numerous, and
include:
- Energy
efficiency - Strength
- Durability
- Speed
of installation - Easy to maintain
- Fire
and damp resistance
The above are the very
reasons why concrete has been used for years as the base for lot of other
types of flooring, but what about aesthetics? Well nowadays many companies
offer stylish options to add to the décor of your home or business. One of
the most popular is to have white concrete installed, but there is also a
huge variety of colors and finishes available.
So you have
your beautiful white concrete floor installed, but after a while wear and
tear takes its toll. Concrete flooring is designed to be durable, so if early
on your flooring seems to be in need of maintenance you should speak with
your contractors as it may be a sign something under the flooring needs
fixing.
If you need to make a repair to your concrete
flooring, you can easily find a variety of concrete patchers at your local
hardware store. If you’re unsure of which is best, do some research
beforehand or speak to an employee and see what they
recommend.
Use the following steps to make your repair as
smooth and hardy as possible:
- Clean the area,
removing all grease, loose dirt, grit, and flaking concrete – do this by
using a hammer and chisel. - Use a soft bristle brush to
scrub as needed. - Rinse thoroughly and allow to
dry. - Using a trowel, mix the concrete patcher
thoroughly. - Spread the mixture carefully using the
trowel, ensuring it is level with the rest of the floor. Using a wet trowel
will keep the product smooth. - If the repair is deep, do
not attempt to fill it all at once. Apply in several layers, ensuring each is
dry. - The products tend to take a few hours to dry – even
if it looks dry on the surface it may not be the case. Give the patcher at
least 2 hours to harden.
