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Concrete Polishing Process

Exposure

Exposure refers to the aggregate Strong Bond customers would like to see in their finished product, but the floor's flatness or FF number often dictates the consistency of the aggregate exposure one can achieve.

The floor flatness is controlled by the concrete finisher and how well they lay and trowel the concrete.

This is why it is essential for the general contractor, finisher, and polisher to be on the same page and understand exactly what the desired outcome the owner is looking for. 

These are the 3 most common aggregate exposure classifications:

Smooth Polished Concrete

Class A

Well known as the “no aggregate look” or cream finish. This is the most basic of polished concrete floor finishes. Minimal surface of the concrete is ground, leaving a smooth, natural concrete polished finish but no aggregate/stones exposure.

Exposed Aggregate Concrete

Class B

Well known as the “salt and pepper look.” It requires more grinding to expose small amounts of the aggregate/stones in the concrete.

Terrazzo concrete

Class C

Often referred to as the “terrazzo look.” This will expose large aggregate/stones, making it possible to replicate the look of stone or terrazzo. It is typically the most expensive of the polished concrete finishes because it requires various steps of concrete grinding.

Sheen

The level of sheen is essentially how shiny you want your floor to be. In some cases, the floor's longevity can be attributed to the degree of polish or level of sheen. The higher the level of sheen, the more dense and abrasion resistant the floor is. For floors that have a lower sheen, we recommend the application of a sealer.

Floors with a high level of sheen can often last 10-15 years before needing any rejuvenation with a proper maintenance system in place. Strong Bond can help set up and recommend floor maintenance programs to keep your polished concrete looking and performing at its very best.

Matte Concrete Sealer

Matte(Full Aggregate)

Semi Gloss Concrete Sealer

Semi-Gloss(Full Aggregate)

Satin Concrete Sealer

Satin
(Cream Aggregate)

Full Gloss Concrete Sealer

Full Gloss
(Salt And Pepper Aggregate)

Concrete Colour Stains

Staining

Concrete staining is the process by which we apply a colour stain to the concrete. It is important to note the quality of the concrete significantly impacts the appearance of the stain. A cream floor will have a more consistent stain than a full aggregate floor.

We have many colour options available and can recommend which stains will work for your application.

Control Joints

Control joints help to prevent cracks in your concrete slab by accounting for the small movements.

Strong Bond grinds and fills control joints, and we match the product rigidness to the application (vehicle traffic, people traffic, forklift). This results in control joints that are easy to clean while still allowing for expansion and contraction.

Concrete Expansion Joints
Concrete Control Joints
Concrete Grouting

Grouting

Grouting is the process of filling any pinholes that can result from either air in the concrete or small holes left from aggregate due to the course grinding stages of the process.

Grouting is not always required on every finish, but in many cases, it can increase the floor's clarity and gloss readings.

Spall Repair

Atlantic Canadian winters can be hard on concrete. Harsh contaminants like salt and ice melting products can cause damage to the surface, exposing the aggregate in the areas affected by the contamination.

To properly remedy spalling, Strong Bond can shot blast and remove surface contaminations, apply an appropriate grout material to fill the spalls, and then polish and seal the area to bring it back to life.

Spalling Concrete Repair

Densifying/Dust Control

Proper densification can provide an abrasion-resistant, non-dusting, harder concrete surface. Not only does this reduce the need for re-application of treatments like coatings or sealers, but more importantly, costly downtime. This process also creates a healthy, clean-breathing working space.

Our densifier hardens both new and existing concrete slabs and is proven to provide long-term performance at lower costs than traditional treatments, keeping money in your pocket.

Densified vs Non Densified Dust Control Bolts

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