The very flexible uses for concrete have had the effect of making it easy for commercial buildings to use flooring in very versatile ways. That also goes for residential homes. There are many homes that have made extensive use of this inexpensive material, often in very beautiful and innovative ways. Concrete, used in the foundations and walls provide for safe, dependable protection from the environmental concerns such as weather and intruding moisture and the flooring made from this material is equally as protective.
Non Skid Concrete Is The Way To Go For Safety And Peace Of Mind
In order for this material to be brought into the home, something had to be done to ensure people were not slipping around on it. That required a little thought and soon became a growth industry, in and of itself. There are many ways to make this fairly smooth material into non slip concrete floors. Some of them we will look at in the next several minutes.
Non slip qualities are highly regarded because of the ability of the concrete finish worker to keep the surface smooth enough to make the statement people are trying to make when they go with the minimalist approach this material allows, yet, still provide a safe walkway. It is also very important, of course, in the prevention of any legal issues that might arise because of a failure to obtain those same qualities.
Why Are Non Skid Concrete Floors Necessary?
Whereas it might not seem as important to provide non slip floors in a home as in commercial business where a lot of people walk and a lot of them would like nothing better than to sue the owner should they slip, the comfort of the visitors as well as the occupants of the home need this protection also.
Many homes built in the last several decades have gone to the minimalist look of concrete floors. This versatile material can be colored and styled to look like a lot of other flooring surfaces. It has many looks and the ability to design a clean, safe environment with concrete has tasked many designers to take this approach.
To achieve the best flooring for some of the very expensive homes that use this type of surface, the concrete floors must be able to be walked on, not just easily cleaned. Since the different colors and shades of those colors are possible, it would make it a disaster to have that type of welcoming presence and not be able to walk on it, safely.
How Non Skid Concrete Can Be Accomplished Easily And Quickly
Because concrete is mixed with water and consist of, among other things, salt, it has a tendency to sweat while it is curing. This sweating will continue for quite some time as it is drying completely. This creates a layer of water and the salts that are in the concrete which is just like a puddle of water someone has spilled on the floor.
In order to counteract this, a design of some kind can be carved into the surface. These can be very exquisite designs. Some of these have been drawn out to depict scenes of nature in the surrounding areas or to act as sort of a ‘cave drawing’ that will have any number of purposes. These can be drawn in the wet concrete and will serve as the ‘grooves’ that have been cut into the concrete floors of barns to keep cattle from slipping there.
There are also ways of adding this non slip feature onto the top surface of concrete. There are many different concrete sealers, available, that can be mixed with any number of elements that will cause the surface to resemble flooring that is not so smooth. Some of those additives are silica, granulated glass and even walnut shells.
The mixture of these into the sealer can be done in the container or after a coat has been rolled onto the floor simply by spreading this material over the wet coating and applying another coat after the first has dried. This can also be done by using any of the paints that are approved for concrete in the same way.
The water based paint works the best in most home situations. The easy cleanup and the absence of odors that many find offensive are some of the very welcome attributes. Even this type of non skid application can be arraigned to make designs in the concrete floors. The creativity of many people has made this process a distinctive decorating element of the overall look of any room a concrete floor is part of.
A gelled acid is another way that has been enjoying increased popularity. This is an acid contained within a gel substance. The consistency of this is similar to many of the hair cleaning gels available. This will make for a controllable application. The acids used in these compounds are usually muriatic or, sometimes, hydrochloric. The purpose for this is two fold.
Concrete, in areas that may get and stay wet for relatively short lengths of time will allow for the growth of molds or mildews. These are very slippery and not conducive to safe walking. A gelled acid will clean through this growth, as well as generally clean the entire surface, making a safe surface, especially in these areas that are affected this way such as in and around bathtubs and showers.
The etching that is caused because of this can also be used to make designs that will elicit some response from the visitors who will see them. The effect is a somewhat mottled appearance that resembles tapestry or cloth and can be rolled in such a way as to make a path or track. It can be brushed on to look like a rainbow, or a house or a tree. A little creativity can go a long way to make it look, not only like a work of art but also a work of art that is non skid concrete.