Our natural stone specialists just completed app 2,000 sq. feet of very beaten up, irregularly spotted and soiled concrete at an old warehouse converted into offices...
It needed to be deep cleaned first - after all, concrete is a Limestone based cement, aggregate and water in the proper mix set to harden - as the Portland Cement is the binding agent, the "glue" to hold the concrete intact... thus, it is very, very close to natural stone.
After deep cleaning, the concrete was " honed" or smoothed and prepped for polishing, dried well after wet vacuuming, then polished to the level of the customer wants and desires; in this case, a natural looking sheen - not the high ultra-gloss of Granite or Marble BUT a sheen where one might cut themselves trying to shave with the blurry reflection. However, it looks and feels "satiny" and safe to walk on....the non-slip look! Attorneys hate it.
To finalize the customer did NOT want a stronger, heavier seal to protect from all spills and sneezes and scuffing, but chose a water base ( no odor) sealer that gives moderate protection and keeps the natural look - fitting in nicely with the natural light of the skylights and long, deep windows...
A final buffing gave it the " wow " effect and after 3 mos.....it looks like it was just cleaned and polished " yesterday" but with some natural wear and tear giving character.
One final Concrete Caveat...be careful, ask questions as there are many different kinds of concrete evolving with technology, e.g. concrete infused with CO2 that makes the concrete " softer, more vulnerable looking and more porous - allowing for easier color staining and things.".....
Concrete cleaning and polishing