For a long time, concrete floors were confined to industrial areas, basketball courts, garages, and warehouses. The reason? Simple, concrete floors are inexpensive, impact and scratch-resistant, durable, require very little maintenance, and easy to clean.
But for some years now, there has been a trend in interior decoration that has made concrete coating companies Chicago take their services from the usual environments to the interior of homes. If you want to know more about the industrial trend, continue reading.
It all started when young independent people took advantage of old factories that they remodeled to make them their homes. They used existing elements such as large windows, ventilation ducts, or structural brick. From this would emerge the industrial decoration.
Industrial decoration has architecture as a protagonist. It is a style that tries to maintain the original construction, using columns, open spaces, and high ceilings. Based on cold colors such as white or gray, metal, steel, and cement are the most used materials. Some homes include wood to keep creating a homey atmosphere and contrast the coldness and neutrality of the place. The accessories are the protagonists of this trend; they are the ones that reflect the personality and character of those who inhabit the space.
The industrial style is sober; there is no abundance of decorative elements nor an overload of ornaments. It is typical of lofts or city apartments, but it is not exclusive because most rural houses can also be adapted to the purest industrial design.
If what you want is light in your home, concrete floors reflect natural light very well and can be perfectly combined with wood and iron.
When choosing the color of concrete, also consider where it will be applied. One of the highlights of cement is the ease of installation in different styles, depending on the combination with other elements. Therefore, to make the best choice of siding, you should consider cement styles and their impact on the decor. For example, the conventional cement look is a good alternative for a cozy and contemporary atmosphere. On the other hand, a monochrome look brings harmony and is interesting for minimalist spaces with a more decorative touch.
When combined with wood, for example, cement reinforces a more rustic look. But you can also choose a floor or tile with a burnt cement effect and combine it with other elements also in gray, giving a more urban, industrial, and modern air.
For example, in bedrooms, burnt cement can make the atmosphere sophisticated and cozy. In light and neutral colors, this coating brings more excellent cleanliness to the space. In addition, it is ideal for renovations, as it can be installed over the existing floor and is tremendously chameleon-like, thanks to its variety of finishes and colors.
In general, the material used by concrete coating companies chicago is resistant and easy to clean, although, yes, you will always have to have it well polished and protected with varnish so that grease stains do not penetrate it; if it is installed correctly, it will not require significant maintenance the maintenance necessary by polished concrete floors is minimal. You don’t need to wax it, and then polishing it over the years won’t cost you a lot of money.
Another advantage of polished concrete floors is their durability; you can have them for at least ten years without significant complications. In addition, it is a highly resistant material. When polishing procedures are performed, the surface is coated with other materials that make it twice as resistant as an unpolished cement floor.
Indeed, they are floors that happen to be very cold which can be inconvenient in cold areas or for bedrooms. They can also be slippery when wet, but this can be easily solved if concrete coating companies Chicago apply an anti-slip resin.