Tips To Keeping Polished Concrete Looking Like New

Polished concrete has grown in application in recent years, but there is still confusion over how to maintain these floors. What products do you recommend to keep polished concrete looking like new?

Polishing concrete used to be done with brushes, which got very expensive and not very effective. In recent years, an entirely new process has been developed using diamond floor pads. These pads actually have diamond powder grit sprayed directly to the surface of the pad. Realizing diamonds are the hardest material known to man, these diamond pads can etch the concrete surface microscopically, whereby producing a polished shine. This polishing system typically uses diamond pads from 400 grit up to 3,000 grit. The lower numbered grits are used on worn, scratched floors, while the high numbered grits are used as daily maintenance pads on well-maintained floors. These pads only require water, which adds to the desire of wanting to move in the diamond pad direction.
— Rory Beaudette, VP Sales/COO, ACS Industries, Inc., Lincoln, Rhode Island

Depending upon the condition of the floor, Twister pads convert dull, worn surfaces into clean, highly polished floors. They are available in a variety of grits ranging from 400 to 3,000. Typically, a simple three-pad system of Diamond pads is used to recover the concrete to the desired shine. From there, regular use of the 3,000 grit pad will both clean and maintain gloss.
— John Miller, VP of Executive Sales and Marketing, Americo Manufacturing Company, Acworth, Georgia

There are many different types of polished concrete. Some are simply ground down and densified, while others may have a topical coating, such as the silicate guard. We suggest departments dust mop the floor regularly and clean it floor using a quality set of red pads. Occasionally, a concrete floor may require the use of diamond impregnated pads to restore it. If so, consult before-care professional for the recommended procedure. Also, if there is a Guard on the floor, it should be periodically burnished using a 3,000 grit diamond pad.
— Randall Flowers, Vice President of Corporate Accounts, ETC of Henderson, Inc., Henderson, North Carolina

Key in floor pads in polished concrete is that they are used to maintain and not establish the polished concrete look. Establishment requires heavy mechanical action with diamond discs sometimes referred to as pucks. There are also diamond grit-type grinding tools, which work well in establishment. Once the polished concrete floor is established, then diamond impregnated floor pads are used to repair, clean and shine the floor on an ongoing basis. Diamond Floor pads look like normal floor pads, one side use, and come in diamond grit primary sizes 400/800/1500/3000. There are lower and higher grits available but they are not the main stream. The lower grit repairs and as you move higher, the greater polishing effect is achieved.
— Dennis Knapp, Director of Product Development, Impact Products, Toledo, Ohio