Polished concrete finishes
The finish is set by how deep the grinding goes. A cream finish shows little stone; salt and pepper shows a moderate amount; a deeper grind shows the stone itself. The sheen runs from matt to high gloss.
Free, no obligation. One local polished concrete contractor prices it, not five.
How much stone shows
| Finish | What it looks like | The grind |
|---|---|---|
| Cream | Smooth, little stone showing | Minimal: the top of a good power floated slab |
| Salt and pepper | Flecks of sand and small stone | About 2 mm off |
| More stone | More stone than salt and pepper; matt or satin | Deeper |
| High gloss | The highest sheen | Several grinding and polishing steps |
Contractors name them differently: bronze, silver, gold and platinum, or grade one to three. Ask for a sample on your own slab.
What each finish does to the price
A cream finish is the least expensive, as there's little grinding. More stone and a higher gloss cost more: from €55 to €60 a m² for standard finishes on larger floors, and from €120 a m² for the higher-end ones.
Matt, satin or gloss
Sheen is how far the polishing goes, not a coat of varnish. An impregnating seal doesn't change how it looks; topical or multi-coat seals add to the upkeep.
Picking yours
- Ask for a sample on your own slab. Every pour has different stone.
- More stone means more grinding and a more uneven look; some people want exactly that.
- A gloss floor shows the light from every window. A matt one hides more scuffs.
- Use the photo preview to see the three looks in your own room.
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
What is a salt and pepper finish?
A grind that exposes a moderate amount of the sand and fine stone, so the floor is flecked.
Which polished concrete finish costs least?
The cream finish, which needs the least grinding.
Can polished concrete be coloured?
Colour can be added to the concrete, and it's one of the things that moves the price.
Is a gloss floor slippery?
Dry, polished concrete is as slip resistant as polished marble, granite or porcelain, whatever the sheen.
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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