What is a burnished concrete finish?

Burnishing is the term applied to the finishing of concrete to provide a hard-wearing, durable finish with a surface lustre. It has been used for many years in industrial buildings, carparks and warehouses, but is now increasingly also being used in residential and commercial buildings.

Does burnished concrete stain?





Burnished floors are sealed at the end of the building process so can be susceptible to staining.

Is burnished concrete slippery?

Generally speaking, it is no more slippery than other hard flooring surfaces. Add water to it though and like any other hard surface it will be slippery. That is why we recommend for outdoor use to do either the Honed finish (matte only) or the Grind and Seal finish (matte or gloss).

How do you make burnished concrete?

To achieve a great-looking burnished floor, the concrete slab must be poured impeccably. Then it’s a matter of thoroughly cleaning, buffing and coating the floor with a sealer. That’s why it pays to only work with an experienced concrete installer. Better yet, use one that both pours the slab and burnishes the surface.

What is the difference between polished and burnished concrete?

Burnished finish concrete is often mistaken for polished concrete as the processes appear superficially similar. Both are mechanized, but the main difference between Burnished Concrete and Polished Concrete is that concrete Burnishers are not as powerful as the diamond-bonded abrasives used in concrete polishing.

What is burnishing a concrete floor?





Burnishing concrete is a system that utilizes a high-speed burnisher that spins at approximately 1,500 rpm to 2,500 rpm. These high-speed burnishers are designed to heat, melt and buff a topical coating into a polished concrete surface. In the maintenance industry, the chemical is typically a wax-based product.

How do you clean burnished concrete floors?

For mopping, use warm water and a microfiber-style wet mop. Never use cleaners such as Pine-Sol, ammonia, vinegar, or bleach as they will dull, discolor or etch polished concrete and stained concrete floors.

What are the different types of concrete finishes?

It’s Not Finished Until It’s Finished. Here Are 7 Kinds of Concrete Finishes You See In The Construction Industry.

  • Concrete Basics. …
  • Troweled Finish. …
  • Broom Finish. …
  • Exposed Aggregate Finish. …
  • Salt Finish. …
  • Stamped Concrete Finish. …
  • Stained Concrete. …
  • Polished Concrete.

How do you burnish polished concrete floors?

How to Burnish Concrete:

  1. Apply a concrete densifier. The concrete densifier will increase the strength and density of the concrete substrate before polishing.
  2. Polish the concrete.
  3. Burnish the surface using a burnishing machine with a certain level of grit pad.



What is the purpose of burnishing?

Burnishing is a method of polishing and hardening the surface of a workpiece. It is often used to smooth the surface of a workpiece that has previously been cut, evening out the microscopic peaks and valleys left behind by the machining process.

How do you burnish a floor?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Always start with a floor that's been dust mopped and dent mopped. First mount the burnishing pad to the burnisher. And adjust the pad. Pressure.

Can you burnish old concrete?



The concrete needs to cure for two weeks before we start working with it. If you use a higher MPA this can reduce the time however we recommend using a minimum of 32MPA for a burnished finish. It is important that the concrete is protected before polishing.

What does concrete Densifier do?

A concrete densifier is a liquid chemical spread evenly across the floor that penetrates the top surface layer of concrete. Its purpose is to fill the porous holes formed from water evaporation during the curing process, similar to how water fills the pores of a sponge.

What is honed concrete?

The term ‘honed concrete’ is used to cover a level of grinding that produces an even and smooth matte finish. Honed Concrete offers a great flooring solution to your concrete in outdoor areas. Polished Concrete Floors Australia grinds to the desired exposure of aggregate and applies a penetrative sealer.

How do you buff a concrete floor?

Grind with an 80-grit metal-bonded diamond. Grind with a 150-grit metal-bonded diamond (or finer, if desired). Apply a chemical hardener to densify the concrete. Polish with a 100- or 200-grit resin-bond diamond, or a combination of the two.

How can I make my concrete floor shine without wax?



Regular sweeping and weekly cleaning with a mop and mild solution of dish soap and water should help concrete keep its shine. Every few months, use a pressure washer to clean dirt and debris from crevices. Make sure the concrete can handle the high-pressured stream of water before you tackle the entire project.

What is the difference between polished concrete and epoxy?

Epoxy flooring is water resistant, provides a non-slippery surface and will not be damaged as a result of a chemical spill. This is also the most common type of flooring commercial flooring. Concrete polishing is a smooth and clean surface that does not peel or scratch as compared to epoxy flooring which can scratch.

Can you polish old concrete floors?

Almost any structurally sound concrete floor, whether new or old, can be polished. However there are some exceptions, for example with new floors no special mix design is required to achieve good results – although the floor should be in place at least 28 days before polishing begins to ensure adequate curing.

What do you put on concrete floors to make them shiny?

After you stain your concrete floor with the color of your choice, you should apply a concrete sealer. A glossy sealer creates a shiny surface, and an acrylic wax adds an additional protective coat.

How do you make a concrete floor smooth and shiny?



If the concrete floor is sloped, self leveling cement can be applied to make the surface even. Ardex or other similar self leveling cementitous mixes can be applied and poured on to the surface and then ground afterwords just like regular concrete to get a smooth shine.