Do you desire to have durable and versatile concrete flooring? But do not like the industrial feel of gray slabs.
So, if you are unsure about the final look of your concrete floor, you should opt for the concrete overlays for your project. With the right addition of this type of flooring option, you can entirely change the look of your space.
Typically, there are four types of concrete overlay-micro toppings, multipurpose overlays, stampable overlays, and self-leveling overlays. All have distinct qualities with which you can achieve different decorative looks.
Each style of the concrete overlay provides you with different choices to customize your floors according to your preferences of designs. However, it is not all that this flooring offers. There are multiple benefits such as a great aesthetic look, long-lasting material, smooth floors, etc.
But before deciding on the types of concrete overlays, you need to consider some factors for the proper installation. Let’s learn about them through this blog.
Table Of Contents
Why Choose Concrete Overlays?
- Effective Tips To Select Concrete Overlays
- Existing Floor Condition
- Traffic Estimation
- Gloss Level
- Decorative Aggregates
- Repair And Installation Cost
- Application Procedure
- Conclusion
1. Why Choose Concrete Overlays?
There are several reasons why to select concrete overlays as a building material. The most preferred reason is its durability, which means your floor will last long for many years without facing any damages.
Secondly, being versatile, concrete overlays are customizable to match the style of footings, pillars, curtains, and many more. In addition, they can be used in a creative way to form different finishes and textures. Thus, offering the freedom to transform a look of the concrete according to you.
2. Effective Tips To Select Concrete Overlays
For the application of the concrete overlays, it is a must to make sure the floors are properly leveled and cleaned. This is because it can prevent cracks or crevices on the surface.
Additionally, always purchase overlay blends of stable and high-quality elements like polymer resins, a mixture of sand and cement, and other additives.
Here are a few factors to consider importantly before deiding to purchase the concrete overlays.
3. Existing Floor Condition
Does your existing concrete show many cracks or scratches? Is the floor surface level uneven? If so, then select a high-building material, such as stampable or self-leveling concrete overlay. The application of both the materials is up to the thickness of 1/4 inch or more.
Unless the surface defects are skillfully fixed or sealed, a thinner concrete overlay like a micro-topping can be applied. Excessive moisture in the concrete surface can create a problem for the application of certain concrete overlays. It is especially with the material that limits the capability of the concrete to release water vapor or to breathe as required.
If you want, you can check the vaporization rate of concrete as a simple test. If it will be very high, utilize a porous concrete overlay that will allow the moisture to escape away.
4. Traffic Estimation
It is very important to consider the condition your floors will face ahead, before selecting any type of concrete overlay. Make sure that the overlay system can confront all the tough situations.
For instance, if you want the installation on outdoor spaces, undergoing extreme weather issues, durable overlays will be the right option. They can resist water, harsh heat, and wear and tear. And, if it’s for indoor applications where there’s high foot or heavy machine traffic, it should be able to withstand stains, chemicals, or oil spills.
Though most concrete overlays can resist wear and tear, chemical spills, and dirt accumulation, some are more promising than others for fighting severe exposure conditions. High-building overlays or those consisting of aggregates can function well in harsh environments.
5. Gloss Level
From high-gloss finishes to low-gloss finishes, concrete overlays are available vastly. If you’re looking the overlays for your small rooms or dark places like garages, or store rooms, a high gloss finish is the suitable one.
The high gloss concrete overlay makes the space look more open and full of lighting. Its reflective surface has the quality of bouncing back natural as well as artificial light, creating a bright ambiance.
On the other hand, low-gloss finishes are the perfect choice for areas where there are too many natural lights like living rooms. When you choose such a type of concrete overlay finish, instead of reflecting the light back, it absorbs the sunlight.
6. Decorative Aggregates
Do you wish to have a more aesthetic appearance on your floor than the traditional concrete floor? Adding different varieties of decorative aggregates to the concrete overlays can be an excellent way to create amazing visuals. Additionally, they incorporate multiple colors into the flooring. This can be as modest or as subtle as you want the concrete covering to be.
Moreover, the addition of decorative aggregates is an affordable way of achieving a smooth and appealing finish.
7. Repair And Installation Cost
Most concrete overlays are very easy to repair and install in comparison to others. Self-leveling overlays are much more challenging to mend, as these materials are so hard to fix in the monolithic concrete surface.
Stencil-grade and stampable concrete overlays are easy to fix to the joints of the surface. Moreover, micro-topping overlays are relatively manageable to repair.
Only the factor that will be really challenging is color matching. If you prefer to use more than one color combination(mixture of a required color with other pigments), it can increase the final cost. So, decide accordingly.
8. Application Procedure
Ease of application procedure also plays a significant role in the selection of the right concrete overlays, especially when you are installing on your own.
Some overlay comes pre-mixed just like a cake mix. All you require is to pour water into it. For other concrete overlays, you need to mix polymer additives and any desired color or dyes with the blend of cement and other dry elements.
Moreover, some overlays are directly spread over the prepared concrete surface while most need primer application before placing the overlay. Porous self-leveling concrete overlay tends to cover the entire floor surface much quicker with a low-gloss finish than the spray or trowel one.
Conclusion
The application of different types of concrete overlays is the best way to add appealing and customizable aesthetic beauty to your space. At a reasonable price, this floor covering offers various designs which can be chosen as per your choices.
So, do consider all the factors for choosing the right overlays and change the complete look of your place.
