5 Reasons Polished Concrete is Perfect for Schools

Expensive terrazzo and maintenance-intense VCT and carpet were once the only flooring options found in schools.  Today’ institutions have another choice: polished concrete.  Polished concrete has the beauty and durability of terrazzo without the expense, and the affordability of VCT without the maintenance hassles.

1. Century Floor Solution – Properly maintained concrete can last for a century.  The surface is hard wearing and is less likely to chip or dent.
2. No Stripping and Waxing – Polished concrete can last for decades with proper maintenance that doesn’t include floor waxing and stripping.  Janitors can spend more time removing gum from the bottom of the desks, and less time running the autoscrubber.
3. Cost Savings – Reducing costs is critical to school operations budgets.  In addition to the reduced maintenance, highly reflective polished concrete improves natural lighting.
4. Allergen Free – Polished concrete does not harbor allergens like carpet, and does not support mold growth.
5. Design – Polished concrete can match any school’s spirit with unlimited design choices to add color and even mascot emblems to the surface.

To see how polished concrete costs compare to traditional carpet or VCT, view our 10 year life cost polished concrete comparison.

Colorado Army National Guard Readiness Center Enlists Polished Concrete Floors

The new Colorado Army National Guard Readiness Center serves as a home station for a National Guard unit, and can house one company of 140 soldiers. New readiness centers are being built in communities across Colorado to increase the value of the National Guard to the local community, and to better support them in times of need. The building is also an asset to the local economy, as it is expected to increase jobs and bring nearly $12 million of revenue to the state.

The 35,553 square foot building construction was overseen by FCI of Grand Junction Colorado and includes over 11,000 square feet of highly decorative polished concrete. “Even the stairways were dyed and polished,” exclaimed Ashley Hamby, Project Manager for Perfect Polish, thepolished concrete specialty contractor tasked with the ambitious flooring work.

Multiple dyes were used to create a basket-weave like pattern onto the corridor floors, meandering down the hallways to meet one of two stenciled logos in the project.  The first logo symbol was that of the Colorado Flag, with its rich red, gold and blue hues representing the deep blue skies, golden sunshine, and red earth the state is known for. The second was the National Guard’s own logo, which included the special placement of white Portland cement poured into the pattern.

“The GC did a great job sequencing the trades and managing the quality of the flatwork,” explained Byron Farmer, Superintendent for Perfect Polish. “The biggest challenge was the porosity of the floor.” The crew densified the concrete before grinding and exposed salt and pepper aggregate throughout the floor.

Farmer worked closely with FCI to keep the floor protected once the polished concrete was completed.  Farmer elaborated, “…once the GC gave us the green light, everyone had to work around the floors.”  As the final finishing step, FCI inlaid Copper plates representing the multiple military branches inlaid into the polished concrete.  The result is a remarkable, lasting floor that will be a landmark tribute to the National Guard and the community, for decades to come.

Click here to learn more about Commercial Polished Concrete by Perfect Polish.