Polished concrete floors cost

We would like to help you understand the fundamental aspects to calculate the costs of a polished concrete floor. Everything from the materials to the workmanship.

First of all, you must understand what a polished concrete floor is and the differences to normal concrete. For this reason, we leave you our guide to polished concrete.

Before going into detail about the costs and prices of concrete and its finish, we must know the initial conditions of the project, for which we will present 3 different cases:

  • Case A, installing a new polished concrete floor.
  • Case B, polishing a concrete floor which is in good condition.
  • Case C, a complete renovation of an existing concrete floor.

If you are looking for is a quick answer to the question: How much is a polished concrete floor?

You should know that a surface treatment for vast industrial floors is around 10 to 19 pounds per square meter. If you are looking for decorative finishes or small surfaces, the price can rise to 50-60 pounds / m2.

If a completely new concrete floor is required, the price can increase by 21-30 pounds / m2 depending on the area and the price of concrete and steel for its reinforcement.

Basic parameters to calculate the cost of a polished concrete floor

Regardless of the characteristics of our project, there are a few basic aspects to consider in order to calculate the costs:

  • Total area to be treated.
  • The initial state of the existing floor.
  • If the area to be treated is industrial or decorative.
  • The required type of finish.
  • If the area to be treated is clear of obstacles or if only small areas should be treated.
  • The requirement of displacing the work team.
  • Project execution deadlines.

Case A – Installing a new polished concrete floor

For this case, we will estimate an area of 800 square meters of an industrial nature intended to be used as a warehouse.

  • Price to install a 20 cm thick reinforced concrete slab. Approx. 21-30 pounds.o
    • Smoothing and leveling the concrete slab.
    • Quartz surface layer.
    • Liquid curing compound.
  • Surface polishing treatment. Approx. 13 pounds / m2.

The total for installing a new polished concrete floor on 800 square meters for industrial use comes to approximately 38 pounds/m2 and to a total cost of 30,000 pounds.

The following aspects that could increase the price must be taken into account:

  • Does the new concrete slab require excavation works or is it already prepared?
  • Can the concrete be poured directly from the truck or is a pump required?
  • Does the slab need to be thicker than 20 cm?
  • Will the slab be built with reinforced concrete or will it be fiber-reinforced?

Case B - Polish a new or in good condition concrete floor.

This is the best case, both for the client and for us.

When it comes to a new concrete floor or, one which is in good condition, repair works and surface preparations are not necessary. This means a better deal can be offered.

When a floor is in good condition, polishing can be carried out with the complete BECOSAN treatment, ranging between 7-10 pounds/m2 and providing maximum performance.

In addition, the BECOSAN CONSTRUCTION treatment can also be applied, designed to eliminate porosity and seal the surface, at a lower cost of around 4,5-6 pounds.

The price range is due to factors such as:

  • Total area to be treated.
  • Location of the work.
  • Hours available to perform work.
  • Free space within the work area.
  • Deadlines.

Case C - Complete renovation of an existing concrete floor.

This is the worst case of all, where the flooring is in very bad condition. Sometimes, the option of demolishing and installing a new one is considered, but this option is ruled out due to its high economic cost and time process.

At BECOSAN, we propose this type of work to be done in several phases: 1. Repair the existing floor. 2. Prepare the base 3. Apply the treatment and polish. The final finish of these floors isn’t as aesthetic as a new floor, but it is just as functional, and the floor acquires a new life.

  1. Repairing the concrete floor: patches which are in poor condition, delaminations, cracks, fissures, etc. The costs vary depending on the amount of damage, but usually it affects 2-3,5 pounds / m2
  2. Preparing the base, isn’t always necessary, but sometimes it must be carried out to eliminate defects, overlaps in the joints, eliminate old layers of epoxy or paint, etc. It usually has an impact of between 2,5 and 7,5 pounds / m2
  3. Lastly, the floor is polished with the BECOSAN treatment with an estimated price of between 7-10 pounds / m2.