cbm's Profile

My father installs decorative concrete floors for a living and my parents' house has beautiful concrete floors so perhaps I can give you some insight!

First of all, it will eventually crack. Saw-cut joints can prevent the spread of cracks, but as the foundation of the house shifts, the concrete will settle and crack almost for sure... don't expect miracles!

Do you have a basement in your home? People seem to enjoy concrete floors best when they have radiant heat. My parents do not have a basement, so when they build the foundation to their home, they installed a radiant heat system before pouring the concrete floors. Otherwise, they feel pretty cold all the time.

As far as maintenance goes, a coat of sealer every few years. Being indoors, it doesn't take as heavy of a beating as a patio, for example, but eventually heavy traffic areas will need to be resealed. Too much sealer causes cloudiness and is costly and messy to strip off.

Concrete is more versatile than many people think! It can be colored before drying with powdered color hardener, colored after installation with acid stains, cut and stained to look something like tile, and even etched with acid to create beautiful designs.

There's some indoor photos on my dad's website here if you're interested in getting some ideas!

www.victormerlo.com