What affordable options do I have for polished cement floors?

[MaiDong]

We've got about 80sqm of polished cement floors which we'd love to wax, or finish in some way or another, any affordable recommendations? 

[Andy from Kent]

 

 

How about a large mural of your choice protected by a couple of coats of polyurethane?

 

[Don Chance]

Concrete will be damp or wet during the monsoon in most cases so leaving it open to dry is actually a good idea if you don't like mold.

Some washable rugs is all you need.

[mogandave]

You could scrub, wax and wax and buff it. The same machine can be used to to scrub and buff by just changing the wheels. The machines run about 20k as i remember. 

 

You could give it a coat of clear or colored epoxy. Clear would be about 80 Baht a square meter, double that for color as you would need at least two coats. How much direct sun does it get? 

 

Be advised, if you do coat it with epoxy, it will be slick when it is wet, also water will puddle on it much longer that if it is bare concrete. 

 

 

[sometimewoodworker]

10 minutes ago, mogandave said:

Be advised, if you do coat it with epoxy, it will be slick when it is wet

That is why you add granules (a little like sand) immediately after it’s down so that doesn’t happen.

Edited January 24, 2021 by sometimewoodworker

[MaiDong]

2 hours ago, Andy from Kent said:

 

 

How about a large mural of your choice protected by a couple of coats of polyurethane?

 

 

It's a rental property ????

[MaiDong]

1 hour ago, Don Chance said:

Concrete will be damp or wet during the monsoon in most cases so leaving it open to dry is actually a good idea if you don't like mold.

Some washable rugs is all you need.

 

I hadn't thought of that. It is actually fine like it is, it's a little dry under our feet but we wear house shoes most of the time so it doesn't bother us at all.

It's just that every time we go to Ikea Wifey tells me she wants the floor like Ikea floor, which is lovely to walk on, and cuts down on dust.

[MaiDong]

34 minutes ago, mogandave said:

You could scrub, wax and wax and buff it. The same machine can be used to to scrub and buff by just changing the wheels. The machines run about 20k as i remember. 

 

You could give it a coat of clear or colored epoxy. Clear would be about 80 Baht a square meter, double that for color as you would need at least two coats. How much direct sun does it get? 

 

Be advised, if you do coat it with epoxy, it will be slick when it is wet, also water will puddle on it much longer that if it is bare concrete. 

 

 

Slick when wet is fine as it never gets wet, but B80/sqm is too expensive ????

[MaiDong]

25 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

That is why you add granules (a little like sand) immediately after it’s down so that doesn’t happen.

Wouldn't that just create dust from constant contact with the sand? Which is what we're trying to eradicate.

[mogandave]

28 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

That is why you add granules (a little like sand) immediately after it’s down so that doesn’t happen.

 

But then it is a PITA to keep clean, and it still stays wet for quite a while. 

 

If it’s indoors it’s fine.

[KannikaP]

Straw!   LOL

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, MaiDong said:

Wouldn't that just create dust from constant contact with the sand? Which is what we're trying to eradicate.

It is not sand. That was an example of the size of the granules though they may be a little larger. And no they do not produce dust but do produce a non slip surface even if wet.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, mogandave said:

 

But then it is a PITA to keep clean, and it still stays wet for quite a while. 

 

If it’s indoors it’s fine.

That is not the experience of those who have the surface, there is little to no difference in drying time between with and without the granules and little difference in ability to keep it clean.

[mogandave]

12 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

That is not the experience of those who have the surface, there is little to no difference in drying time between with and without the granules and little difference in ability to keep it clean.

 

Well it has been my experience having had it on factory floors, stairs, decking and amusement ride platforms. It is much more difficult to keep clean. and there are other negatives as well. That said, it generally does provide a good non-skid surface. 

 

My “drying” comment was in regard to coated and non-coated concrete.

 

 

 

[mogandave]

12 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It is not sand. That was an example of the size of the granules though they may be a little larger. And no they do not produce dust but do produce a non slip surface even if wet.

 

It can be sand, ground peach-pits or walnuts shells, rubber pellets or any number of other things.

 

I is generally added to the coating prior to application, not thrown on after. 

 

But you are right, it typically does not cause dust.

 

[MaiDong]

I appreciate all your replies, but we're digressing.

I want a low cost finish, something that doesn't need an expensive machine to apply. 

The landlord said we can use wax, but I thought I'd ask here to see what you lot thought. 

Is there anything in the local hardware shop that I can use? 

We just want a nice smooth finish, we don't mind if it's slippery when wet as it won't be getting wet. 

The bathroom will be getting wet, but we've got a nonslip mat for that. 

Edited January 25, 2021 by MaiDong

[mogandave]

I think wax is going to be your cheapest option. 

 

I would not go with a non-epoxy paint, and I doubt you could a nice smooth finish for much less than ฿80/m^2 unless you went with clear and really spread it thin...

 

 

[MaiDong]

4 hours ago, mogandave said:

I think wax is going to be your cheapest option. 

 

I would not go with a non-epoxy paint, and I doubt you could a nice smooth finish for much less than ฿80/m^2 unless you went with clear and really spread it thin...

 

 

 

Do you mean wax is my best option because it won't cost much? Or that I won't be able to wax it for much less than B80 per sqm?

[mogandave]

46 minutes ago, MaiDong said:

 

Do you mean wax is my best option because it won't cost much? Or that I won't be able to wax it for much less than B80 per sqm?

 

Wax is the cheapest option because it won’t cost much. 

 

The ฿80/m^2 would be (IMO) about the minimum for a clear, indoor epoxy floor coating on raw concrete. 

[MaiDong]

39 minutes ago, mogandave said:

 

Wax is the cheapest option because it won’t cost much. 

 

The ฿80/m^2 would be (IMO) about the minimum for a clear, indoor epoxy floor coating on raw concrete. 

 

Thanks for the info, any recommendations on what product is worth using here?

[mogandave]

20 minutes ago, MaiDong said:

 

Thanks for the info, any recommendations on what product is worth using here?

 

I like 3m floor products, and i know they sell them here but it’s been years since i bought anything.

 

 

[Don Chance]

If it is rental why do you care? Just leave it the way it is or put some wax on it and stop complaining.

[MaiDong]

57 minutes ago, Don Chance said:

If it is rental why do you care? Just leave it the way it is or put some wax on it and stop complaining.

 

What's wrong with you? Who's complaining?

 

The reason we care is because we live here and we like to enjoy our surroundings, have you really failed to understand that?

[MaiDong]

Why do these threads always attract people like this? have they nothing better to do?

 

I'm here asking a normal question, getting normal answers, then some tool comes along and dribbles utter nonsense! Grow up.

[HighPriority]

There are penetrating sealers available, that don’t change the appearance of the concrete, ie no gloss.

They stop staining etc and will stop the concrete dust you are experiencing. Normally applied via a lambswool applicator/roller.

Easy to apply yourself. 
I think you can get water and solvent bases.

I have no idea on Thai pricing.

Edited January 25, 2021 by HighPriority
Addition

[MaiDong]

15 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

There are penetrating sealers available, that don’t change the appearance of the concrete, ie no gloss.

They stop staining etc and will stop the concrete dust you are experiencing. Normally applied via a lambswool applicator/roller.

Easy to apply yourself. 
I think you can get water and solvent bases.

I have no idea on Thai pricing.

Thanks for your info, I'm leaning towards a gloss finish though, with regards to staining, when we moved in the floor was pretty badly stained already, it hadn't had any treatment for a long time, so I'm not too bothered about that, I quite like the character ????