What is Concrete? 8 Types of Concrete Finishes
Concrete Finishes
Concrete may be a versatile construction material used everywhere on the planet for all kinds of construction applications.
Concrete in its green form is often molded into any shape, size, and finish with the help of various finishing techniques and equipment to offer a gorgeous and long-lasting surface with a high aesthetic value.
The most basic sort of concrete finish may be a smooth surface created through the utilization of screeds and trowels. Click here: https://concretecontractorcharlotte.com/concrete-finishing
Types of Concrete Finishes
1. Troweled Finish
Trowel finish is that the commonest and popular finish of concrete used for major sorts of applications. After the concrete is laid within the formwork and leveled, we employ the trowel to smooth and fine-level the surface of the concrete.
Trowels are available in both manual and mechanical types. A manual trowel comprises a flat steel blade with an attached handle that's pushed and pulled across the concrete surface.
I employed a mechanized trowel for giant commercial projects which resemble large fans with the blades sitting directly against the concrete.
2. Broom Finish
The broom finish of the concrete is roughly textured finished got by dragging a brush on the trowelled surface of the concrete while the concrete remains fresh.
The dragging of the broom on the fresh concrete surfaces creates small ridges that provide for traction control and slip-resistant.
3. Stamped Concrete Finish
The stamped concrete finish is got by pressing the specified patterns on the freshly leveled concrete. this sort of concrete finish after completion of their construction looks almost like stones like slates or flagstones, brick, tile, or with the proper skill, they will look almost like wood.
Stamped concrete finish may be a very intelligent and innovative innovation in concrete widely applied for floor in patios, car porches, driveways, and sidewalks.
4. Salt Finish
The salt finish concrete surface is got by inserting coarse halite crystals using rollers on the freshly placed concrete surface and washing it off with streams of water after the concrete is about.
This finish gives an ornamental, rough, subtle texture and skid resistance to plain or colored concrete. it's mainly used for swimming pools or other wet areas.
5. Exposed Aggregate Finish
The construction of exposed concrete finish is to possess leveled concrete floor surface, distribute aggregate evenly, and keep air voids to as minimum as possible.
I employ a power Floater or Diamond Polisher to shine the highest surface of the partially cured concrete. The equipment removes a concrete layer whose thickness doesn't exceed a couple of millimeters at the highest of the concrete.
A fine-grade protection layer applies to supply the favored polished finish.
6. Swirl Finish
Swirl finish is during an Ellen mangosteen in every of one the foremost exceptional sorts of concrete finish that's generated by smearing the concrete surface in a uniformly overlapping circular pattern.
It provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the concrete surface which is favored for outdoor applications because not only does it add beauty to the surface, but it also provides a safer walk and substitutes comparison with a smooth surface finish, specifically during the wet season.
7. Polished Finish
A mechanical process of grinding and polishing with the help of a penetrant chemical to supply different textures with the help of specialized tools and equipment achieves the polished finish on a concrete surface.
8. Colored Finish
I accomplished the colored finish of the concrete through mix-added pigments or post-cure staining to supply a satisfying look to match the encompassing environment.
Either pigment or strains often administer the colored finish on a concrete surface. They often accomplish the pigmented colored concrete by adding the pigments to the concrete mix before pouring.
The strained colored concrete is often got by applying stains to the concrete of any age to get a more vibrant colored finish. They usually follow the appliance of stain up with the installation of a seal over the concrete to guard the surface.
Some Equipment of Concrete Finishing
Trowel Blade
This is a handheld concrete finishing tool used in small works like plastering works. it's usually made from wood or plastic or steel and is out there in the market in various sizes as per the need.
The utilization of trowel blades provides a tough, polished finish on the surface of concrete, meanwhile eliminates the danger of leaving burnish marks on concrete.
Long Handle Float
The standard size of long handle float is 7" wide, and it comes in several lengths up to 5 feet. It gives a smooth finish to the concrete. It's attached with an extended handle for the finishing works or large concrete surfaces.
It comprises top-quality tempered, flexible steel, the blade also features round ends to prevent marking and gouging while creating a smooth surface.
Power Trowels
It is lightweight concrete finishing equipment used for the finishing of concrete surfaces. it's a group of trowels attached to the powerful motor, which rotates at high speed on the concrete surface, giving the concrete a pleasant and smooth finish.
It's divided into 2 types. 3.1 Ride-on power trowels In ride-on power trowels, operated sits on the machine and operates the machinery for smooth finishing of concrete
Mechanical Tube Finisher
A mechanical tube finisher comprises a single or multiple rotating strike-off/finish tubes setting. It required the length of the finish tubes to be a minimum of two ft longer than the specified width of the concrete surface to be finished. It's commonly used in pavement finishing works.
Vibratory Screed Finisher
A vibratory screed finisher comprises a truss frame with a minimum base width of 1 ft. It's fixed with mechanically driven eccentric weights or with auxiliary driven pneumatic vibrators for the accomplishment of vibratory action on the concrete. It's also commonly used in pavement finishing works.
Tining Machine
Tining is forming uniform transverse grooves within the plastic concrete. it's done when another layer of concrete is to apply on the surface, for better jointing.
Tining is completed by both hand tining tools or mechanical Mining machines. The tining device uses a texturing comb with steel tines spaced as specified. I placed the grooves within the pavement to supply additional skid resistance and eliminate hydroplaning.
A tool with steel tines could also be used and is required to supply grooves that conform to an equivalent requirement as those specified for the grooves formed by the mechanical timing device.
I employed the hand device on-ramps, connections, and other miscellaneous areas where the mechanical timing device isn't practical.
Concrete Edger
Edgers produce a neat rounded edge along the slab perimeter which helps the slab resist chipping and spelling damage after the forms are removed. On most floors, edging won't require, but on patios, curbs, sidewalks, and driveways, it produces a tighter, cleaner-looking edge that's more immune to chipping.
Broom
A good broom finish is some things of art. I employed a steel broom to urge rough and ornamental concrete surfaces. it's created decorative effects by running the broom texture in various directions.
Cove Trowel
A “cove finish,” also referred to as a “mag swirl finish,” has become especially popular for driveways and outdoor areas that require a touch little of extra traction without holding an excessive amount of dirt.
This trowel has fine edges on two sides and saw-shaped edges on the other two sides. With the utilization of the teeth, they often make various patterns.