New Concrete Floor Finishing
If you have a new home with concrete floors, new concrete floor finishing is a great option. I’ll go over how to do this with minimal equipment, a couple of rental machines, and in a timely manner. Let’s get started!
Joint Sealing
First, seal up the joints. Start by cleaning out the saw-cut joints. Run a 5-in-1 tool or a screwdriver down each joint. Then vacuum up any loose material with a shop vac. Next, install backer rod to a 3/4″ depth. Backer rod is a 1/4″ foam that blocks the sealant from migrating. After that, apply a semi-rigid polyurea joint filler like Metzger McGuire RS88. Apply it liberally and let it self-level. Then, after about two hours, scrape off any excess with a floor scraper.
Concrete Sanding
A lot of people like the look of power-troweled concrete. So why grind it completely flat? Instead, I like to do a light sanding. That leaves the concrete with the power-troweled texture. Plus, a floor sander rental costs much less, and those machines are easier to use and transport… especially compared to a 600 lb floor grinder. Ha! The sanding removes drywall mud and other contaminants on the top of the concrete. It also smooths the surface a little and opens up the pores.
After you finish sanding, vacuum the floors. Alternatively, I like to rent a small auto scrubber so I can skip vacuuming. The auto scrubber removes all of the dust in two passes without adding a bunch of water onto the concrete. Then allow the concrete to dry overnight.
Sealing With Color
Finally, seal the floors. This protects them from stains and gives the concrete a beautiful glossy look. Here’s the trick… I add a little Color Prime tint into the first coat of sealer. That adds just a bit of color so the floors have more of a custom finished look. I use Versatec nano-quartz sealer because it bonds so well. Apply it with a flat microfiber mop. I usually put down three coats.
Versatec usually covers around 1,000 square feet per gallon, per coat. I’ll add 30 ml of Color Prime tint to one gallon of sealer. Add the tint only into the first coat.
New Concrete Floor Finishing Conclusion
The process above is one of the easiest ways to finish a new concrete floor. It’s also very inexpensive compared to a full diamond grind plus coatings or polishing. You can do this as a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) project with very little experience. So if your new home has concrete floors, give this process a try.
