Concrete Floors Inside New Home

[Gidget]

First, I want to thank you guys for your help and comments on my other threads regarding the new home we are building.

Since we are building an ICF house it has to be on a slab - so we are strongly considering a concrete floor. Would you please share any pros/cons on concrete flooring from your experience?

I already heard that some cons are that they are cold and that they MUST be totally protected during building.

I have a friend here in LA and she has a lovely home. She had her concrete floor color troweled in during the building process and then stamped so it looks like large tiles. Then sealed. All she has ever done is damp mop. Since her color is a dye that is integrated into the concrete she never has to worry about scratches, etc...

Most sites refer me to acid stained concrete flooring. They are lovely. Drawback is it is higher maintenance and more expensive.

I want something that is more of a matte or satin - not high polished sheen. Very natural look.

Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

G

 

[Beach Runner]

When we were working with the architect for our beach house, we stayed at Rosemary and plagiarized ideas from the many homes under construction there. We loved the stained concrete floors that so many of them have, so we decided to do that in our home.

I don't regret it, and I'd do it again. We had Artisan (I think that's right -- will have to ask hubby) do a Coca-Cola stain on the floor. I love the patina that it has acquired over the years. The only negative is that it's slippery when wet, but that is not a problem because we have rugs at each entrance and in the bathroom.

I have seen wood floors on the ground floor of some houses, and the sand tracked in really gives it a beating. Not the case with stained concrete.

 

[Gidget]

When we were working with the architect for our beach house, we stayed at Rosemary and plagiarized ideas from the many homes under construction there. We loved the stained concrete floors that so many of them have, so we decided to do that in our home.

I don't regret it, and I'd do it again. We had Artisan (I think that's right -- will have to ask hubby) do a Coca-Cola stain on the floor. I love the patina that it has acquired over the years. The only negative is that it's slippery when wet, but that is not a problem because we have rugs at each entrance and in the bathroom.

I have seen wood floors on the ground floor of some houses, and the sand tracked in really gives it a beating. Not the case with stained concrete.

Thanks so much! Actually, cola was one of the color I had looked at - also like Malay Tan

Neocrete - Santa Rosa Beach, Florida - Acid Stain Color Charts <local - perhaps they did yours.

What type of finish did you have put down - matte or high gloss? Also, is the floor low maintenance? And lastly, did you have any kind of scoring cut into the floor for a pattern? I'd love to see a pic. I imagine you put some sort of padding under the rugs so they stay in place.

Thanks again

G

 

[Lake View Too]

Neocrete did our floor with a blend of cola and tan and we love it alot. We didn't take any unusual steps to protect the floor until we stained (before sheetrock). It's concrete, for goodness sake's! You only need to avoid getting oil based paint on it before you do the stain. They (Neocrete) do a thorough cleaning. Be sure to have your concrete man compact the soil beneath the slab very very thoroughly before the pour and wet the concrete after the pour to try to avoid cracks forming. Sometimes it will happen anyway, and it just adds a little more character.

 

[Gidget]

Neocrete did our floor with a blend of cola and tan and we love it alot. We didn't take any unusual steps to protect the floor until we stained (before sheetrock). It's concrete, for goodness sake's! You only need to avoid getting oil based paint on it before you do the stain. They (Neocrete) do a thorough cleaning. Be sure to have your concrete man compact the soil beneath the slab very very thoroughly before the pour and wet the concrete after the pour to try to avoid cracks forming. Sometimes it will happen anyway, and it just adds a little more character.

Wow that sounds beautiful!! Got any pics you can share? I was totally thinking of a combo of malay tan and cola! What do you have to do to maintain it?

Sounds very very promising as long as it is low maintenance which I am hoping is the case

THX a lot for the tips!!
G

 

[Lake View Too]

Neocrete put a sealer on it initially. After about three years, it started looking kinda dull, so we mopped floor wax on it and it was wow!That lasted about three or four years and we waxed it again recently. It looks great.

 

[Beach Runner]

Thanks so much! Actually, cola was one of the color I had looked at - also like Malay Tan

Neocrete - Santa Rosa Beach, Florida - Acid Stain Color Charts <local - perhaps they did yours.

What type of finish did you have put down - matte or high gloss? Also, is the floor low maintenance? And lastly, did you have any kind of scoring cut into the floor for a pattern? I'd love to see a pic. I imagine you put some sort of padding under the rugs so they stay in place.

Thanks again

G

It is a matte finish, low maintenance. We had no scoring -- they weren't doing that in any of the houses we saw being built in Rosemary when we built in 2002. Yes, we bought those skid pads for our Kilim rugs.

 

[Gidget]

It is a matte finish, low maintenance. We had no scoring -- they weren't doing that in any of the houses we saw being built in Rosemary when we built in 2002. Yes, we bought those skid pads for our Kilim rugs.

You know, I really think that is what I am after. A matte finish, no scoring and just a very natural look . Nothing that looks "perfect." Do you just damp mop with water?

Thank you again

G

 

[Beach Runner]

You know, I really think that is what I am after. A matte finish, no scoring and just a very natural look . Nothing that looks "perfect." Do you just damp mop with water?

Thank you again

G

We have a cleaning service. When I clean it, I vacuum first so that I don't just push stuff around when I mop. Then I hit it with a Swiffer mop. I dunno what the cleaning service does.

 

[Lake View Too]

Gidget: here's photos of our floor, but you can't see the subtleties...