| Concrete flooring has made the transition from edgy | | | | from acid dyes to stains. Concrete can be etched, |
| to elegant. Once found only in industrial settings, it's | | | | stenciled, overlaid and polished, creating looks that put |
| quickly becoming the answer for an affordable, green | | | | high end flooring to shame. |
| alternative. | | | | It's industrial. Again, it can be. But it can be used with |
| There are a lot of misconceptions about concrete | | | | any design style, depending on the finishing treatment. It |
| flooring out there, and a lot of advantages that few | | | | looks equally well in a metal loft or a room with |
| even consider. | | | | exposed wooden beams. Concrete flooring is the best |
| Concrete is hard | | | | option for affordable self expression. |
| Concrete is cold | | | | It's eco-friendly. Concrete flooring is also eco-friendly. |
| Concrete is boring and grey | | | | There is no more durable flooring around. It can be |
| Concrete is only for industrial uses or design style | | | | made from limestone-the most common mineral on |
| It's hard. True, it doesn't give under bare feet, but then | | | | earth. It can also be made from waste products like |
| again, neither does any other stone, such as tile or | | | | slag cement and silica fume, byproducts from power |
| slate. In addition, depending on the finishing technique, it's | | | | plants, steel mills and other manufacturing processes. |
| not abrasive on bare feet. | | | | It's easy to care for. There's no need for fancy |
| It's cold. Again, true, but so are a lot of other flooring | | | | equipment to take care of it. Just periodic damp or |
| options, even hardwood. One thing about concrete | | | | dust mopping is needed to keep it looking beautiful. |
| many don't know is that its thermal properties give it | | | | It's cost effective. Compared to other flooring options it |
| the ability to store and radiate heat. If your home relies | | | | comes out on top every time, if you consider the fact |
| on passive solar heating it can help store warmth and | | | | that it will never need replacing if it's properly |
| reduce your heating bills in the winter. In the summer, | | | | maintained with a variety of different protectants and |
| cool floors make a room more comfortable, also | | | | sealers. Actual cost per square foot varies, but usually |
| leading to reduced cooling costs. | | | | ranges from $2.50 for a basic, one color, one finish |
| Another plus is its compatibility with radiant heating, the | | | | application; to $15 for a high end, custom look. Even the |
| process of burying radiant heating cables within the | | | | high end look comes out well below other pricier |
| floor itself. This allows the home owner the option of | | | | options like marble and terrazzo flooring. |
| controlling the heat and keeping the floors toasty | | | | It helps reduce allergens. Carpets trap dust mites deep |
| warm. | | | | within their fibers where vacuums cannot reach. For |
| It's grey. Well, it can be. It can also be any color | | | | people with allergies to dust and pet dander concrete |
| imaginable. One of the biggest pluses to concrete | | | | flooring can be a life saving option. |
| flooring is its versatility. Almost anything you can | | | | All in all, decorative concrete flooring is long awaited |
| imagine can be brought to life in concrete flooring. | | | | option in housing and commercial flooring. The benefits |
| There are additives available, everything from recycled | | | | are many and the costs are few. |
| glass to seashells. There are color techniques ranging | | | | |