Polished Concrete & Grinding Melbourne

Polished Concrete is the combination of three different technologies applied to any concrete surface. By combining advanced floor grinding machines, chemicals and the latest resin diamonds, Tesmer Concrete is able to produce spectacular high grade surface finishes with unparalleled wearing properties.

Benefits of Melbourne polished concrete include:

* Incredibly hard wearing

* Visually stunning

* Almost endless options of colours, mixes and applications

* Highly abrasion and stain resistant

* Extremely low maintenance when compared with other flooring options

* Minimal down time during construction

* Improved natural lighting

* Resistant to water, chemicals, oils, food and drink stains, grease and tyre marks

There are a few decisions to be made prior to pouring your floor;

Speak to Tesmer Concrete before you pour. It is important the concrete strength & placement is carried out correctly to obtain the look you want to achieve. We are happy to liaise with the owners, builders and concreters to make your floor a success.
Choose your concreters wisely. A quality concreter is essential in obtaining a quality floor – make sure they have references and are capable.
What level of aggregate exposure do you want? We offer exposure levels from zero to salt and pepper; random to full aggregate exposure. Make your floor as individual as you.
Depending on the stage of construction of your concrete pour, allow approximately three weeks cure time prior to grinding your concrete. This is necessary to allow your concrete to cure naturally and gain enough strength to hold aggregate in place while grinding.

Once ground and densified your concrete can be polished with diamonds from a low sheen to high gloss appearance depending on your preference. We will always offer samples on your floor prior to finishing, so you can select what best suites you and your project.

The outstanding feature of a polished concrete floor is that the hardened concrete is the wearing surface. There is NO topical sealer applied to the floor – like a polyurethane or epoxy system.

There is some confusion in the industry derived from some operators selling grind and seal (Polyurethane coating) as polished concrete. Don't be fooled about what you are getting, do your research, ask questions make certain you get the floor you pay for. Remember if there is any coating on the concrete what so ever it is not polished concrete. Therefore your floor will be prone to scratch, discolor, peel, delaminate and wear down in traffic areas. These problems can only be remedied by re grinding the floor or if the issues are only cosmetic a sand and recoat might be possible. If choosing a polyurethane floor you must be aware of these issues - none of which are relevant to a polished floor.

See pictures below of a recent Polyurethane floor I was contracted to remove and then polished the concrete.

Tesmer Concrete Polishing Melbourne will carry out your project in a very specific manner with the aim to obtaining the highest quality floor possible. Every job is different depending on when the concrete is poured and how the finishes (cabinets, skirtings, doors, etc.) are selected. As a result grinding and polishing may not be carried out at the same time. Your job may be broken up into two stages to protect the floor and possibly sealed with a sacrificial coating for most of the construction period before finishing the polish. It is also important that other trades are scheduled correctly to prevent accidental damage to your floor during construction. I understand your project is a building site and I know what goes on during construction, this is why I take care in protecting your concrete from start to finish.

Terrazzo Concrete Polishing Melbourne

Tesmer Concrete also polish terrazzo new or old. We can remove the old coatings bringing back the real character of the original tiles. We have the machinery and diamonds to carry out most polishing jobs as long as they are portland cement based. We are not equipped for the new epoxy terrazzo systems.

The system we use does not need the application of a coating on completion as might be the case on your current floor. We mechanically polish the terrazzo with diamonds and apply a penetrating sealer on completion. This system leaves the floor dense, closed off from voids and very hard - keeping the true character of the floor as intended.

WILLIAMSTOWN HOUSE - CHARCOAL BASE - 14MM & 20MM BASALT - FULL STONE EXPOSURE - LOW SHEEN FINISH

The owners opted for a dark floor that contrasted other finishes. The black aggregate and charcoal base blend together nicely.

WILLIAMSTOWN HOUSE - OFF WHITE BASE - 14MM BASALT & QUARTZ - RANDOM STONE EXPOSURE - HIGH GLOSS FINISH

The owner wanted a light coloured floor with minimal aggregate exposure as could be achieved. The use of quartz with minimal basalt and an off white base, then a high gloss polish created a floor with a clean looking industrial finish.

A truly individual finish to suit the owners taste, style and furniture selection.

WILLIAMSTOWN HOUSE - GREY BASE - 14MM BASALT & QUARTZ - FULL STONE EXPOSURE - HIGH GLOSS FINISH

The owners wanted a natural looking floor that did not dominate the room.

The grey base mix - then black basalt and white quartz gave enough contrast in the floor to be busy but not dominate.

Ground to full stone exposure and a high gloss finish the floor looks amazing.

TEMPLESTOWE HOUSE - OFF WHITE BASE - 7MM BASALT - RANDOM STONE EXPOSURE - LOW SHEEN FINISH

The architect spec was to create a worn look of the floor, that appeared natural and not too shiny.

There is great skill required to achieve these floors, starting with the skill of the concreter.

Aggregate exposure is obtained where a small bump is in the concrete - the grinder then shaves this bump down. The amount of exposure is dependant on how flat the concrete is and how deep the grinder cuts. What you achieve is a truly individual floor created for you that can not be replicated.

WARRAGUL HOUSE - STANDARD GERY STRUCTURAL MIX - BURNISH POLISH - LOW SHEEN FINISH

The owners wanted an industrial looking floor with no aggregate exposure. You can not get more industrial than a Surface or Burnish polish.

These are the most difficult jobs to create. Anything can happen and I can not emphasise enough on the use of only the best concreters available to carry out the concrete pour. This is not an area to cut costs if you want this floor.

The concrete here was spot on and so the finished product turned out amazing. There is a huge variation in colors due to the concreters burnishing (whites - greys - blacks) - this then gets enhanced when the densifiers are applied. Nobody knows how these will look or how the color variation will be dispersed throughout the floor so expect anything and everything rolled into one.

Once again a completely individual floor that will never be replicated ever.

BLAIRGOWRIE HOUSE - GREY BASE - 14 MM DROMANA GRANITE & DUST - FULL STONE EXPOSURE - GLOSS FINISH

BLAIRGOWRIE HOUSE - GREY BASE - 14MM BASALT - FULL STONE EXPOSURE - GLOSS FINISH

This was a beautiful mix of 30 year old Dromana Granite concrete with 2 new additions of grey structural concrete. No thought was originally given to polishing the concrete - tiles were always on the spec.

A late decision was made to test grind the concrete and make a decision either way.

The owners liked the appearance of the 3 different pieces of concrete and thought it would work with their home.

The join of the 3 different slabs was facilitated by a saw cut filled with black compound to straighten the join up. When complete the effect and color contrast was much more beautiful between the different concrete slabs then originally thought.

What is amazing to me about this floor, is that no part of this job was selected to be decorative - this for me is where all concrete hides its natural beauty - it just needs the right person to see it and bring it out forever.

WILLIAMSTOWN HOUSE - OFF WHITE BASE & WHITE OXIDE - 14MM QUARTZITE - 14MM WHITE GRANITE - FULL STONE EXPOSURE - LOW SHEEN FINISH

The owners opted for a very light coloured floor with light / earthy aggregate.

Ground to full stone exposure and low sheen finish works well with the large glazed openings throughout

The outdoor areas utilised the same decorative mix with an acid etch finish

MALVERN HOUSE - CHARCOAL BASE - 7MM BASALT & 14MM QUARTZ - FULL STONE EXPOSURE - GLOSS FINISH

Pandolfini Architects design and styling produced this amazing home. Dark features throughout with contrasting hard render walls proves black is back.

Charcoal floor with full stone exposure basalt + white quartz and gloss finish suites this home.