The Concrete Experts

Cardea Concrete is one of the elite providers of concrete floor services in Los Angeles California. Our portfolio includes multimillion dollar homes, high end offices, to large industrial properties. We provide our clients protective coating for their concrete surfaces from various types of wear and tear. We also offer cutting edge waterproofing protection.

In addition to the protective elements of our concrete covering, we also provide a variety of decorative options as well. From waterproofing, epoxy coating, and polished concrete floors we offer it all. Come find out why A-list celebrities to manufacturing companies work with Cardea Concrete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Information related to our concrete flooring services

Are concrete floors a good idea for me?

The type of floor that you choose for your home depends on many factors but mainly on the look and feel you are trying to achieve in your home. Many of our clients prefer a modern aesthetic, which calls for a smooth concrete finish for their floors. Here are some of the attributes of concrete floors that you can consider when deciding on a concrete floor.

1. Durability

Concrete flooring has very high durability and is extremely difficult to damage. Everyday wear and tear like claws on your pet, moving furniture, or high heels won’t damage your concrete floors, unlike wooden floors.

2. Maintenance

Concrete floors are known for having very little maintenance requirements. Using a neutral cleaning agent periodically and an occasional wax seal can keep a concrete floor looking new for a very long time. Contrast that with the maintenance for a wood floor, which involves a daily swap, a monthly clean with a wood flooring cleaner, a new finish every 3 to 5 years, and a new sand and finish every 10 years or so.

3. Long Lasting

If concrete floors are maintained with a periodic wax and seal, and are not subject to abnormal wear and tear, they can potentially last indefinitely! By treating your floor regularly with a wax and seal, your floor should maintain a great look for decades.

4. Design Options

One of the greatest benefits of concrete floors is the variety of designs that you can choose. If you decide to change the flooring type later, you can simply install the new medium right over the concrete. It very strong, so it is a versatile surface, you can even add a new thin layer of concrete over it for a new look. There are also many different options you can choose for the look of the floor. You can choose different colors, surface texture, and even different designs.

Can you pour concrete over existing concrete?

If you want to get a new look on your existing concrete floor, you may consider pouring a new layer of concrete on top. Whether you are able to do this or not, depends on the floor that is currently there. If your current slab is at least 2 inches thick, and had reinforcement such as steel rebar, wire mesh, or fiber mixed in then most likely you’d be able to pour concrete on top of this. If your current floor does not have these things in place, another option could be applying a thin polymer overlay to change the look of your floor.

If the structure of the concrete is compromised, it maybe a better option to simply start over by removing the existing concrete floor, and using a sand base or pouring compacted stone. If your concrete has large cracks, or the leveling has become uneven over time, it would be best practice to remove it. Another example would be if a root system from a tree is causing your existing concrete to crack or warp, it would be best to tear out the concrete, remove the roots, and start over. Not having a solid foundation means the new layer of concrete will eventually suffer the same issues that your current layer is experiencing.

So you have a layer that is structurally sound, reinforced, no showing large cracks, and is still level, now what? Most often it is time to install a bond breaker, so that the two layers of cement do not bond together. A bond breaker maybe a layer of stone or sand, tar paper, or plastic sheeting which separates the two layers of concrete. By separating the layer of the old and new concrete, any imperfections such as cracks will not be transferred to your new layer of concrete.

You might be wondering if the two cement slabs aren’t bonded together, if there is a risk that they might separate later on. However given the substantial weight of the cement, there is no reason to fear. Because it is so heavy, the concrete causes enough downward force and lateral friction, that there is no chance that the cement will slide. Pouring concrete over a solid foundation of other concrete is very similar to pouring over a stone base. After doing countless number of jobs of even pouring a 2 inch cap, we’ve had no problems with sliding at all.

What is polished concrete?

Polished concrete is a process where your concrete is ground mechanically and polished with abrasives in order to smooth out the surface of your floor. The process utilizes a hardener, which is a penetrant chemical. The hardener penetrates the concrete and makes the concrete denser and dust proof. After several passes with increasingly finer grinding tools, the surface of the concrete floor becomes so smooth, that it can even have a reflective quality to it. The definition of polished concrete means it was process with 1600 grit, but will be finished often above the 3000+ grit level.

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Give us a call or fill out the form today to find out which option is best for you, and we can proceed to give you a free estimate.

If you’re not able to get a hold of us, or if we’re booked with another project, reach out to our partners Los Angeles Concrete Experts. They should be able to give you top quality concrete services as well.