Both modern and classic home designs are increasingly incorporating concrete flooring. Concrete is strong, stylish, and sleek, frequently used effectively to create an ultra-modern look in kitchens and bathrooms. It’s also easy to maintain, durable, and looks better over time.
Concrete flooring costs between $2 and $20 per square foot, although the cost can go as high as $30 per square foot. The basic, middle-level, and high-end designs for concrete cost $2-6, $7-14, and $15-30 per square foot, respectively. Installation should be ideally left to an expert.
Concrete flooring is one of the best, as it’s easy to clean and very durable. The cost of laying one can be easily offset by the benefits you realize when using it. This is further explained in the sections below.
Concrete flooring costs
The cost of a concrete floor varies widely given the many possible types of this floor. A simple floor can be as little as $2 per square foot or as high as $30 for luxurious, beautifully rendered floors.
The basic design costs between $2 and $6 per square foot. For this design, pouring the slab, polishing, single colonizing, staining, and dyeing are among the activities involved.
Design in the middle range: $7 to $14 per square foot. The slab or overlay is poured along with polishing and multicolored staining in this price category.
High-end design costs $15 to $30 per square foot. The most intricate and expensive concrete floors may feature numerous colors. Various texturing or stamping methods, geometric patterns made in the slab or overlay, and other features. These floors are incredibly creative.
| Cost Level | Cost per square foot ($$) |
| Average cost | 2-20 |
| Basic design | 2-6 |
| Middle-level design | 7-14 |
| High-end design | 15-30 |
A 45cm × 45cm concrete tile can be purchased for as little as £2 from a builders’ merchant or home improvement store, making them an excellent low-cost alternative to poured concrete flooring.
They can be colored and come in various hues, from highly light grays to black charcoal. In addition, they come in a range of sizes, shapes, and thicknesses.
A floor polisher can be rented from a tool rental shop for about £50 per day, £70 for weekends, or £120 for a week. These include several functions and attachments so you may level the tiles before washing, polishing, and grinding away any unevenness.
Advantages of concrete flooring
Some of the pros of concrete flooring include the following:
| Pros | Cons |
| Many design choices | Damaged by moisture |
| Low maintenance costs | Uncomfortably hard |
| Environmentally friendly | Can develop cracks |
| Can be hazardous | |
| Poor insulation |
1. Many design choices
Concrete floors have gone from boring to opulent thanks to modern finishing processes. Concrete may be dyed a large variety of earthy hues by adding dyes as it is mixed with wet concrete.
Concrete may be transformed into stunning, one-of-a-kind finishes using surface treatments, including acid stains, concrete stains, and paint designed for concrete floors.
Rubber stencils can also be used to stamp concrete to add texture. Concrete that has been completed can be colored or dyed to resemble ceramic tile, natural stone, brick, or even dirt!
Heated floors: You can add radiant floor heat, which consists of electrical cables or hot water tubes set in the concrete to generate warm, comfortable floors to new construction.
2. Low maintenance
The qualities that make concrete flooring resilient make it simple to maintain. Concrete floors that have been properly treated resist grit, stains, spills, and significant impacts. Just do a little sweeping and moist mopping to keep them looking brand-new. They require less cleaning than mopping wood floors, for example.
3. Environmentally friendly
Concrete is produced locally, uses less energy than other flooring options, and does not degrade natural resources. Because concrete resists mold, mildew, and odors, contains no potentially hazardous VOCs, and can be sealed with zero-VOC products, it is beneficial for indoor air quality.
Concrete’s ability to absorb warm and cool air reduces heating and cooling requirements. Additionally, since concrete can be recycled, there is less waste to dispose of, including flooring and underlayment remnants.
Disadvantages of concrete floors
The downsides to having a concrete floor include the following:
1. Moisture Damage
In basements below grade, water that migrates upward from the slab’s base can cause concrete to become uncomfortably damp and harm any surface finishes, such as paint.
Concrete should be appropriately sealed, and any outside issues like leaking gutters and poor soil drainage should be minimized.
2. Uncomfortably Hard
Concrete is undeniably hard underfoot, which some people find uncomfortable. A dropped glass won’t survive and is also harsh, which might be a problem if young children or elderly family members live there. Rugs in the living space might allay fears.
3. Can Develop Cracks
Whether you like it or not, even concrete that has been appropriately put in can break with time. This is because a slab’s broad surface must withstand variations in temperature, moisture, and settling.
Cracks can be covered up with colored patching materials and cement paste.
4. Can Be Hazardous
Concrete that has been highly polished, buffed, or covered with a gloss sealant may have a very slippery surface, especially when wet. This is especially likely to happen to concrete in restrooms, kitchens, or entranceways.
However, concrete flooring isn’t as bad as hardwood flooring for dogs. Most dogs will find their grip quite comfortably on concrete flooring than on hardwood floors.
5. Poor insulation
Concrete also lacks insulation, making it seem chilly in the mornings during the winter unless it has been placed in conjunction with a radiant floor heating system.
Carpets and throw rugs can help counteract concrete’s natural chill.
Conclusion
Concrete floors can last a lifetime if they are sealed and maintained correctly. Concrete can last many years in high-traffic areas, even for commercial applications. Compared to upgrading your flooring every few years, this can save you money and time in the long term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are concrete floors cheaper than wood?
The materials for concrete floors are up to 6 and 8 times cheaper than wood floors, making concrete floors significantly cheaper.
Is a concrete floor cheaper than tile?
Polished concrete is significantly cheaper than tiles since the latter’s materials cost more than those for a new concrete floor.
Is concrete floor cost effective?
Concrete flooring is cost-effective over its lifetime, given that it’s durable and requires low maintenance. However, it might have higher initial costs than the alternatives.