Did you know about 6 billion cubic metres of concrete is used every year? Equalling out to one cubic metre for every person on earth. There are so many reasons why concrete is the most utilised building material in the world.
At Midland Mini Crete, concrete is our passion. We know why it is the most trusted building material and want to share this information with you to ensure concrete flooring is the right decision for your home.
Benefits of Concrete Flooring
Why is concrete the most reliable building material? Because it’s hard, strong and durable. If it’s strong enough for our roads and skyscrapers, it’s strong enough for your family home. Concrete is used for our roads due to its high compression strength and ability to be manipulated easily.
You won’t have to worry about scratching or denting a concrete floor.
Concrete is so durable because it gets stronger over time. With the proper mixing and correct pouring, it will continue to strengthen for the decades to follow.
The same properties that make concrete so durable is what makes it so low maintenance. When concrete is sealed correctly, it is easy to care for. Sweeping and mopping is all that’s needed to remove dirt build-up, stains and hard impacts.
Concrete is also naturally water-resistant, hence why it is used in most underwater builds and structures. And on the other end of the spectrum, concrete is also resistant to fire. A concrete floor is a foundation you will have forever.
Depending on what other flooring material you are comparing with, concrete is relatively inexpensive and comes with a lot of design creativity.
There is a tonne of new design techniques when it comes to the finishing of concrete floors. Dyes can be added to wet concrete to achieve something else in your colour palette other than the classic concrete grey aesthetic. Concrete flooring can also be stamped with rubber stencils to give a unique texture.
If heated flooring is something you desire when it comes to a newly constructed concrete slab, you have the option to add radiant heat through electrical cables or hot water tubes throughout the mix.
Disadvantages of Concrete Flooring
Concrete is strong and tough. Therefore it will feel hard underfoot, which might be fit for your desired flooring.
Concrete flooring might not be the cozy interior you had planned, and any small children or elderly falling onto the floor will be even more painful. This can easily be alleviated with rugs in specific areas. But if the rug-less look is more up your alley, concrete flooring might be too tough for you.
Remember, concrete can be slippery, especially when wet! If you use concrete in your flooring, keep these characteristics in mind when designing.
If concrete flooring is correctly sealed, moisture won’t be a huge concern. However, in a below-ground basement, some moisture can move up from underneath the slab and can damage any treatments on the surface, like paint.
Proper pour and sealing will prevent this alongside mitigation of outside moisture areas.
Cement cracks. Even expertly poured concrete can develop cracks over a long period due to changes in temperature, moisture levels and settling.
However, this is more common when an existing structural slab has been finished into a residential flooring space. Coloured cement pastes and patching materials can help hide any unsightly cracks that form.
We hope this blog post has helped your research into whether concrete floors are right for you. And if you think it might be the ideal flooring for your build, look no further for your next ready-mix concrete suppliers.
At Midland Mini Crete, we will save you time, money and doubts about all things concrete. We offer ready mix concrete, pre-mixed concrete, coloured concrete, and we deliver in Perth!
Our friendly staff will help you with the price and answer any questions you may have. Either send us a message through the website for a quote, give us a call on (08) 9250 2322 or visit us on 30 Stanhope Gardens, Midvale, WA 6056.