Improve Your Minneapolis Home with Concrete

Saint Paul may be the capitol, but everyone knows Minneapolis is where you want to live in Minnesota. It doesn’t matter if you like the busy city, the relaxed suburbs or something in between, Minneapolis offers it all. Of course, you still want to make sure your home gives you plenty to be excited about too. One great way to do this is with stained concrete.

While it may sound self-explanatory, you have to see stained concrete to appreciate how beautiful it is. Forget about the concrete you may have in your garage. This is completely different.

The process begins with pouring concrete and allowing it to dry. Then an acid-based stain is added to bring out any of a number of different colors and hue already inherent in the concrete itself. Most people, when they first see concrete that has been stained, think it must be marble. You can’t blame them (and you’ll never have to correct them), but stained concrete is far more affordable.

This is just one advantage to staining concrete in your home. Unlike marble, you have far more variation in its appearance. While the staining that occurs is largely a natural process based on the reaction between the chemicals and the concrete itself, you can also use various stencils to direct where it goes and, ultimately, how it appears.

Sometimes beautiful floors can be a liability though. If your Minneapolis home has hardwood floors, you already know this. Many people can’t have pets or allow people to wear heels in their homes because of how easily the floor can scratch or dent.

Obviously, this isn’t a concern with concrete. Just because staining it makes concrete look more beautiful doesn’t mean it makes it fragile. It will still be able to offer the same amount of durability as you’d expect.

The other great thing about using stains is that it can work on your preexisting floors. If you live in the Uptown area or in Northeast Minneapolis, your home may be a bit older, meaning you could have concrete floors from decades ago. Instead of paying thousands upon thousands of dollars to rip them out and start over, why not just add a stain to it? Most times, once some preparatory work has been done you can then add a stain to the concrete.

Every homeowner in Minneapolis should know about stained concrete. It will give your home floors that are unrivaled in terms of beauty and durability.

Why Your Minnesota Garage Floor Needs Epoxy

Minnesota may be the land of 10,000 lakes, but those lakes stay frozen for a good 60% of the year. At some point or another, every Minnesotan has added to that number in their garage as well. We pull in and park at night, only to wake up the next morning to find lakes of puddles throughout our garage floors. Over time, even concrete garage floors will buckle to this type of moisture. Unfortunately, this is just one of many problems your garage floor is probably up against thanks to Minnesota weather.

The good news is that there’s a solution. At Concrete Coatings Unlimited, we can pour epoxy over your garage floor so, once it hardens, you won’t have to worry about winter taking its toll on it ever again.

Epoxy floors are renowned for the seamless membrane they form over the concrete below them. The result is that water simply won’t be able to get through. This also makes it much easier to simply mop away or squeegee out the water as needed.

Even when the water sits there, epoxy floors are slip-resistant, providing you a safer garage. You have enough to worry about trying to stay upright when walking through our months-long winter wonderland. Why make your garage equally as treacherous?

What about all that salt we drag in? It can be a lot of help outdoors, but once it mixes with the melted water and gets ground into the floor by your vehicle, it’s only a matter of time before your floor pays the price. Again, this is where countless Minnesotans have protected their garage floors with epoxy. Whether you live in Minneapolis or you’re out in Lakeville, you know eventually your vehicle is going to bring in some salt with it.

Finally, most of us in Minnesota prefer a heavier vehicle. Convertibles are all well and good for the week-and-a-half of summer we get, but the winter months will eat it alive. As you can imagine, though, trucks, SUVs and full-sized sedans put a lot of pressure on garage floors. Cover it in epoxy, though, and that weight won’t be a problem. There’s a reason you’ll find epoxy floors in most warehouses: they are great for heavy vehicles.

It doesn’t matter if your home is down in Savage or up in Orono, Minnesota winters are never easy on us. At least with epoxy floors, though, the floors in our garages don’t have to suffer unnecessarily.

Concrete Densifiers Deliver New Trend for Garage Floors

When it comes to sealing garage floors, it is important to make sure the right product is used. One product that has become a new trend in garage floor sealers is a concrete densifier. While this product is not actually new, what is new is the use of a densifier as a treatment for garage floors. The use of siliconate agents and silicone, which can serve as sealers, has led to concrete densifiers becoming a product of choice for sealing garage floors. As a result, the floor becomes water repellant as well as resistant to other liquids.

Densifiers have been recognized as excellent hardeners for concrete for many years. In the flooring industry, concrete densifiers have commonly been used for abrasion resistance, floor polishing, and anti-dusting. When a densifier is applied to the concrete, it is able to penetrate the concrete’s surface and react with the substance that provides concrete with its renowned strength, CSH. As a result, the open pores inside the concrete are filled with CSH, increasing the concrete’s density.

Other Benefits of Densifiers for Sealing Garage Floors

Along with repelling water, densifiers can help repel chemicals and oils along with other fluids. Even if the floor in question is stained concrete, it is still possible to use a densifier to deliver the benefits of sealing. In many instances, the use of a densifier can also help bring out the beautiful hue of a stained concrete garage floor.

In addition to easier maintenance and protection from liquids, densifiers add abrasion resistance and strength. Densifiers can also provide an important moisture barrier for the floors in a garage without peeling or changing colors. Since application time is minimal, the floor can often be ready to receive traffic within a couple of hours.

Repair Your Stained Basement Floors and Increase Your Living Space

Do you have plain, cracked or dusting basement floors? Even if your basement floors have seen better days, it is possible to repair and upgrade them using a variety of decorative concrete techniques, including concrete staining. Staining your basement floors can be a great way to turn what is currently an unused, dingy space into additional living space. Whether you are interested in converting your basement into a game room, media room, home office, or perhaps even a living space for the in-laws, the right stain products can completely transform the look of your basement. Basement floor stains are available in a variety of colors, giving you the option to create a look that is unique and suitable for whatever design you have in mind.

Keep in mind that while stained basement floors are extremely durable, it is possible as with any hard floor covering material for them to become scratched or damaged. For this reason, it is important to ensure that you take proper care of your stained floors to protect them and prevent problems. A weekly dust mopping using a microfiber mop will usually be sufficient to remove any dust and dirt particles. Dirt should not be allowed to build up on your flooring, as it can act as an abrasive. Mopping with a solution of cool water and a mild cleaner can help restore the appearance of your floors. Applying a sealer to your stained basement floors and can help add a protective layer while hiding and even preventing scratches. To ensure that your floors maintain their beauty, it is a good idea for the finish to be reapplied about once a year or minimum every three years.

In the event that there are scratches in the concrete, they can often be fixed with a surface wax or floor finish product. These top coats will fill small scratches and add a new luster and shine to the floor.

Improving the Value of Your Home with a Waterproof Basement Floor

A 2013 year-end study revealed that a homeowner has a 26 percent higher chance of experiencing basement flooding than fire damage. This is because of plumbing ruptures and stress on the environment, like an increase in groundwater from extreme weather conditions. Nature can push water upward caused by hydrostatic pressure, which can infiltrate the lowest level of a building through porous cement, cracks, and joints between concrete slabs. The simplest answer to flooding at any level is to have a waterproof basement floor and to hire the best in the business, Concrete Coatings Unlimited, to do the job for you.

Reasons to Waterproof Your Basement Floor

Obviously, the first reason why waterproofing your basement floor makes sense is because it increases the value of your home by an estimated 25 percent. In recent years, homeowners in Canada and the United States have experienced more moderate and severe flooding than in any other time in the past. Even if you live in an area that is not flood-prone, home disasters can happen, like roots of tree causing pipes to burst or a sewage blockage.

What You Need to Know About a Garage Floor Densifier

The garage floor densifier is the new “it” product in garage flooring. The result looks extremely high end but is surprisingly affordable.

What Is a Garage Floor Densifier?

A densifier is a chemical that when applied on floors creates a reaction that improves the concrete’s performance in several ways but does not cause the concrete to change significantly in appearance. The improvements you can expect with a professional job are:

• It increases moisture resistance

• It helps prevent permanent staining

• It increases the strength of your garage floor

• It increases the resistance to abrasion

Concrete Floor Repair Can Save More Than You Think

When it comes to concrete floors, especially those in high-wear-and-tear environments, such as garages, warehouses, restaurants and retail spaces, repairs are imminent. In addition to improving appearance, repairing your concrete flooring could save you money.

Concrete Repair versus New Flooring

Concrete restoration can ultimately save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars compared to total tear out and replacement. Although a concrete floor may crack and chip, the damage can be repaired. Through the appropriate repair process, you will get many more years of outstanding service and depending on the extent of the damage, many concrete floor repairs can being less expensive, plus the repair process is faster than having a completely new concrete slab removed and re- installed.

New Technology

Interestingly, the professionals with Concrete Coatings Unlimited receive calls from clients who have faced high-dollar repairs due to the lack of knowledge from local concrete contractors who may not be aware of the new technology available today. There are many types of thin concrete overlay systems that can turn around a failing surface and make it look new again at a fraction of the time and without all of the process of tearing out and replacing the slab completely.

Poor Patching

Unfortunately, some companies make concrete repairs by replacing one patch after another. With this being a temporary fix, you could end up spending a significant amount of time and money. For this reason, it is imperative to have damaged concrete floors repaired correctly the first time with top-of-the-line resurfacing systems, products and expertise.

Physical Liability

Another way that damaged concrete floors cost money has to do with physical injury. For example, if the concrete in your retail space or restaurant has gouges, an uneven surface, or is cracked, an employee or patron could easily trip and fall, becoming injured. To avoid these types of incidents, the obvious and best solution is proper concrete restoration and repair.

Appropriate Concrete Floor Repair

The exact type of concrete repair will depend on a number of factors, including the type and severity of the damage. The professionals at Concrete Coatings Unlimited will conduct a thorough analysis to identify the current problem and help uncover the underlying issue. Based on findings, the appropriate recommendation is made.

Our services include:

• Blasting or grinding to remove stains, debris, and/or chemicals

• Crack and joint repair for a smooth and even surface

• Leveling for improved safety

• Resurfacing the damaged surface to a like new surface.

• Coloring, staining and sealing to restore the floor’s original appearance and protection.

Acid Stain versus Polished Concrete: Which Is Right for You

To some people, the choice between acid stain and polished concrete is subjective, much like artwork. However, there are distinct differences that need to be understood. If you are thinking about having a concrete floor installed, by knowing the pros and cons of each, you will ultimately find it easier to make the right choice. Polished concrete looks quite different than acid stained concrete, but today color is also an option for polished concrete surfaces.

Key Factors

Some of the primary things to consider when deciding between acid stain and polished concrete might include:

• Budget

• Finish

• Usage

• Maintenance

• Location

No matter the choice you make, both acid stain and polished concrete should be installed by a professional with the appropriate expertise. The professionals with Concrete Coatings Unlimited will go over each of the factors mentioned and assess the condition of the existing substrate to identify any cracks or other issues that could have a negative impact on the finished project.

Primary Differences Between Acid and Polished Concrete

Polished concrete usually runs between $3 to $5+ more per square foot compared to acid stained concrete, simply because there is more involved with the installation process. However, because polished concrete is typically more durable, in the long run, this can be the more cost-efficient solution.

Although polished concrete flooring is gorgeous, acid stain provides superior esthetics if you want a rustic variegated appearance.

Polished concrete is the preferred choice for high-wear areas; acid stained concrete is often used in showcase areas.

Both acid stain and polished concrete require some maintenance, but polished concrete is usually the lowest-maintenance option, since pores within the concrete are closed during the polishing process and there may not even be a sealer applied to the surface.