Why Polished Concrete
What Ever Concrete Was, It Isn’t Anymore
Polished concrete is an exciting alternative in flooring for industrial, commercial, institutional, government, and residential applications. It offers the strength and versatility of concrete, yet has the beauty of natural stones such as marble or granite. The TPS process of polishing the concrete hardens the floor, reduces its porosity and seals out contaminants. It’s easy to install and maintain and is very economical. Polished concrete will increase ambient light reflection and slip resistance. Did you have any idea that polished concrete had so much going for it? Let the experts at TPS walk you through some of the benefits of our polished concrete, and see for yourself how this exceptional surfacing solution can meet your flooring needs.
Life Cycle
The average TPS polished concrete floor only needs to be refinished once every five to ten years, and these are heavy traffic years at that. In contrast, epoxy coated floors last two to five years and floors coated with an industrial sealer generally go six to twelve months before they need to be refinished. Polished concrete is made to last and keep its good looks.
Lower Maintenance
Time is money and the less time you have to spend maintaining your floors, the lower your overhead costs will be. TPS polished concrete is one way to reduce the costs associated with maintenance and overhead. By flattening and leveling the profile of the concrete surface less maintenance consumables are required to maintain the surface. Its long lifespan, non-porous surface and high slip coefficient make it an excellent choice for any large floor area, high traffic or not.
LEED
LEED or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design is a program developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is a set of guidelines to help building owners and design teams determine and achieve green project goals. This program takes the various aspects of a building’s environmental impact into account and then rates the building on a standardized point scale system resulting in a LEED building certification of either Platinum, Gold, or Silver.
TPS is proud to be able to help our customers earn LEED certification points. Our polished concrete can help you acquire points in both the “Materials and Resources” and the “Indoor Environmental Quality” categories. Our Business Development professionals can give you further guidance in this endeavor.
Ambient Lighting Increases
Did you know that polished concrete increases ambient light reflection by up to 100%? That means greater visibility, fewer overhead lights, a higher safety factor and a shine that can’t be beat. Of course, the level of shine and the reflective properties are up to you. Many of our customers have been able to eliminate up to half of the lighting requirements due to the ambient characteristics of polished concrete.
Slip Coefficient
TPS believes that flooring systems should provide a safe walking surface whether they are dry or wet. Safety professionals refer to the Co-efficient of Friction (COF) as the quantitative number that measures the degree of slip resistance a floor exhibits. The COF is usually measured from a resting position and is officially called the Static Co-efficient of Friction (SCOF). Although it can also be measured when the surfaces are in relative motion (Dynamic Co-efficient of Friction), this is relatively difficult.
A surface becomes less slippery as the SCOF number gets higher. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) initially set a guideline of 0.50 SCOF or higher for polished surface and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends a 0.50 SCOF for flat surfaces.
>In our experience, TPS polished concrete has a slip coefficient exceeding .50, making it a safe flooring system choice.
Aesthetics
TPS polished concrete is shiny, beautiful and striking. It’s also quite functional. The design is found in the smooth exposure and polish of the aggregate in the concrete. Concrete can be polished in many levels of shine and the concrete can be colored if desired. It looks expensive and elegant and has a natural stone appeal. TPS polished concrete solutions offer function, and beauty.
Latest News
- Total Polish Solutions receives Excellence in Construction Award
- Total Polish Solutions was recognized for their craftsmanship of polished concrete flooring by The Associated General Contractors of Tennessee, and Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
