Concrete floor polishing on an existing slab
On an existing concrete floor, the grinding and polishing is the whole cost: usually €90 to €150 a m². Whether your slab polishes well depends on the concrete, what's been stuck to it and its cracks.
Free, no obligation. One local polished concrete contractor prices it, not five.
What to check first
- Is it concrete? Many Irish ground floors have a screed laid over the slab. A test grind tells.
- What was on it. Tile adhesive, carpet glue, paint and old self-levelling compound all have to come off.
- Cracks and holes. They can be filled with a grout or filler, but they'll still show in the finish.
- The levels. Doors, thresholds and the kitchen plinth were set to the old floor height.
- Damp. An old slab with no membrane under it can bring moisture through.
Ask for a test area. It's the only honest way to see how your slab will look.
Can every floor be polished?
No. A sound slab can be polished; a poor one can't. If yours can't, microcement or a new topping are the usual alternatives. See polished concrete vs microcement.
How the grinding is done
- A coarse grind with industrial diamond grinding machines.
- Finer and finer diamond grits.
- A densifier to harden the surface.
- The final polishing passes to the finish you've picked, and a sealer.
The machines grind wet or with dust extraction. Ask which, and how the rest of the house is protected while it's done.
What floor polishing costs
| Job | Typical price | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Polished concrete, most floors | €90 to €150 a m² | The finish, how much stone shows, the edges and joints, and the size of the floor. |
| A large floor, standard finish (over 100 m²) | from €55 to €60 a m² | Bigger floors cost less a m²: the machines and the set-up are the same. |
| A small floor (under 100 m²) or a high-end finish | from €120 a m² | More grinding passes, more stone showing, a higher gloss. |
| Unusual work | over €200 a m² | Colour, inlays, steps and awkward access. |
| Rural jobs, far from the contractor | add €20 to €30 a m² | The travel with heavy machines. |
Polished concrete in your own room
Take a photo of the room, pick a finish and a sheen, and see the floor polished before anyone quotes. Free, in under a minute.
- Upload a photo, or answer 4 questions.
- We pass it to one contractor that covers your county.
- They ring you with a written price.
Preview of your photo, not a guarantee. Your photo goes to Google's Gemini service to make the picture and isn't kept.
A photo that works
- Daylight, lights on if it's dull.
- From the doorway, so most of the floor is in the shot.
- A building site is fine: the slab, the plaster, the lot.
- Hold the phone level, not pointed at your feet.
Questions people ask
Can I polish my concrete floor myself?
Hire shops rent grinders, but a polished finish takes heavy machines, a run of diamond tooling, a densifier, dust control and experience. A test grind by a contractor costs less than a ruined floor.
Can a polished floor go over old tiles?
No. Polished concrete is the slab itself. The tiles and adhesive come up first. Microcement can go over existing tiles.
Will the old cracks show?
Yes. They can be filled, but a polished floor shows the slab's history. Many people like that.
Is floor polishing the same as polished concrete?
On concrete it's the same job: grinding and polishing the slab.
Get a price in 4 taps
Tap what you need and leave your number. It goes to one polished concrete contractor that covers your county, and they ring you back to look at the floor and give you a written price.
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