How to Make Concrete Smooth and Shiny Like Glass

Please find the original post on our blog!https://paradigmconcretefl.com/how-to-make-concrete-smooth-and-shiny-like-glass/2021-11-02T12:00:58

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1" _builder_version=”3.22" global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25" background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4" _builder_version=”3.25" custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.4" background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]A new piece of concrete takes a lot of time and effort. To make it look its best, smooth and shiny is the way to go. Lots of clients ask us how to make concrete smooth and shiny — so let’s take a closer look at what that requires.

First Things First — Achieve a Smooth and Level Concrete Surface

Before you can make a concrete floor shiny, it must first be smooth. And regardless of what your desired final look may be — a smooth surface makes all the difference.

To get the best quality surface to work with, you must level, float, and trowel the surface before it cures. Only when you’ve got a smooth surface and it has fully cured can you move on to the polishing methods necessary to achieve the glass-like sheen.

Make Sure the Concrete Floor is Level

Use a screed board (a strip of aluminum or flat board) and push it across the surface. The screed fills gaps in the surface while removing excess concrete.

Follow up with a darby (a large towel designed to cover a big area at once) to smooth out the surface even more. For the best results, move the darby in an arc-like pattern and keep it level — otherwise, you may end up with surface imperfections.

Complete this step before the water from the concrete mix rises to the surface.

Allow Excess Water to Bleed from the Slab

Here’s a fun part. Extra water in the concrete mix will rise to the top of the concrete naturally. You need to wait for this to happen and provide ample time for the excess water to evaporate before you can move to the next step.

Unfortunately, there’s no clear-cut answer as to how long it will take for the water to rise to and evaporate from the concrete surface. It depends on the concrete quality and your local environmental conditions. The natural heat and humidity in Florida make it easier to bleed the concrete faster than in colder climates.

If you don’t allow for bleed water evaporation, you could run into issues with scaling, dusting, and delamination later — which degrades concrete quality and shortens its lifespan.

Floating the Concrete

The screed and darby help you get a relatively smooth surface, but this is a can’t-miss step that ensures you get rid of imperfections, compacts the concrete, and helps get it ready for your finishing steps.

It’s possible to load the concrete by hand with special tools or with machines. Machines get the job done in less time. When working by hand, a bull float is best for larger surfaces. When using a machine, make sure the concrete is fairly firm — because if it’s too soft, you won’t achieve the desired results.

To make sure the surface is dry enough for you to start using the machine, press your shoe into the concrete. If the resulting is only a couple of millimeters deep, it should be strong enough to withstand the machine’s weight.

Troweling the Concrete

If you’re working with indoor concrete, you shouldn’t skip troweling. There are a few tools you can use for this: a float trowel, a flooring trowel, or a finishing trowel.

Repeatedly move the trowel in consecutive sweeps, with increasing pressure as you move along. Do not tilt the trowel as you go, or you’ll develop a “chatter” texture, which will prevent the surface from being as smooth as you need it to be.

Don’t Forget Edging and Jointing

Edging involves using a small trowel along the edges of your concrete to ensure it has a clean edge along the perimeter.

Joints are used at specific points in the concrete to help reduce cracking as a result of natural expansion and contraction that occurs as a result of temperature changes.

Typically, jointing uses a concrete jointer tool with a blade 1/4 of the depth of the concrete slab. You can also use a spacer to create grooves in the slab.

Let the Concrete Cure

After the finishing steps are done, you can allow the concrete to cure. This process can take around a month. Once the concrete has fully cured, it will be at its max strength. Then, you can handle the polishing. Polishing is the step that makes your concrete floor so shiny it could even look wet.

Polishing for a Glass-Like Shine

After the concrete is completely cured and dry, it’s time to get the finish exactly how you want it. Most of the time, getting the shine just right isn’t the result of a sealer. It’s the sealer, along with a quality polish.

When it comes to polishing finished concrete, generally there are two options: mechanical or chemical.

If you want to get the shinest surface with the least amount of effort, opt for mechanical polishing.

Diamond polishing is one of the most common methods used to get a shiny glass-like surface. It uses industrial diamonds to smooth, grind, and ultimately polish the surface.

The grit you use determines the level of sheen you’ll get on your floors. The finer the abrasive grit, the better. The higher grit you use the finer the finish will be. Common choices are 800, 1,500, and 3,000.

Want Smooth and Shiny Concrete in Florida Without DIY?

DIY concrete finishing is time-consuming and may lead to a disappointing result. Remember, the finish affects both the texture and durability of your concrete.

If you’re located anywhere within the state of Florida, let the team at Paradigm Concrete help you achieve the smooth and shiny appearance you’ve been looking for. Get in touch for your free consultation and design evaluation today. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.7" _module_preset=”default” box_shadow_style=”preset4" global_module=”4831" saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4" _builder_version=”4.9.7" _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_slider include_categories=”current” use_manual_excerpt=”off” _builder_version=”4.9.7" _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_post_slider][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]