Decorative concrete floors aren’t something that can only be installed in a new home. In fact many homes already come with a concrete subfloor that is the perfect canvas. Often times, homeowners cover the subfloors up with carpets or hardwood floors. Carpets will stain and hold odors while hardwood floors are susceptible to water damage.
Overall, when you choose a decorative concrete floor, you’re choosing an option that will hold up over time and save you valuable time and money.
1. Not Prone to Scratching
Vinyl floors and even the most durable hardwood floors are prone to being scratched from simple wear and tear. This is a little less likely with carpets, but everyday foot traffic will absolutely wear them down. When you have decorative concrete flooring that is great quality, it will be very difficult to scratch with high foot traffic or everyday use. When you choose to invest in concrete flooring now, it will save you a lot of time and money further down the road on repairs, maintenance, and replacements. There’s a reason that concrete is used in subfloors—it stands up to the test of time and will be there when carpet and hardwood need to be replaced because they have seen their own demise.
2. Low Maintenance
There are a plethora of acrylic and epoxy coatings to choose from to seal your decorative concrete floors, and all of them will ensure a level of waterproofing. There are many patterns, colors, and textures to choose from with these coatings that you will find something that will fit your taste and overall décor. Concrete flooring is moisture proof, so you will never again worry about unsightly stains soaking into it and destroying it. You will also never have to worry about concrete floors warping due to moisture either. In short, the work it takes to maintain concrete flooring is as simple as sweeping whenever you see fit, or even investing in a floor cleaning robot and letting that do all of the work needed to keep the floor clean.
3. A Green Solution
Concrete flooring is one of the most eco-friendly options available on the flooring market. Most homes will already have a concrete subfloor that is used to support the flooring material chosen to cover it (carpet, etc.). Rather than installing more materials over the concrete floor, you can opt to simply treat the concrete floor by staining it in your desired pattern and then sealing it. This makes for an attractive yet comfortable surface for your home. In the long run, choosing to have simple concrete floors will save materials like carpets and woods from being used for a short period of time and then being tossed into a landfill.
4. Affordable
In addition to the plethora of other benefits of decorative concrete floors, you can actually get them in your home or business for a low cost. It is not expensive to install, and is extremely durable while being resistant to most damages. The low maintenance requirements combined with the low cost make it one of the most affordable flooring solutions available today. When you opt to keep the floors a simple concrete, you are eliminating the cost of materials and labor that it would take to cover the floors in carpet, vinyl, or hardwood. They are not expensive to clean, and have no running cost for maintenance.
5. Flexibility in Design
There is so much flexibility in decorative concrete as far as design that you just can’t get with other types of floor finishes. You can create your own polished look, stamped pattern, acid etch, or an all-over stain—something that you can’t do with other floor coverings. Decorative concrete floors are used in many public spaces because they are easy to maintain, reflect light perfectly, and are durable. You will be able to choose the finished look, making this option completely customizable and able to fit any style or type of décor.
Featured photo credit: decor.pinklette via decor.pinklette.com
