For facilities of many types, a new tweak on a tried and true flooring material is paying off with maximized durability, minimized maintenance and an aesthetic that often draws compliments.

Concrete, which has performed structurally underfoot for well over a century, is now emerging as a highly attractive, long-wearing, easy-to-maintain, affordable flooring option

Just about any structurally sound concrete floor, old or new, can be smoothed, dry polished, and hardened and densified (a process that chemically changes the composition of the top wear surface). This floor finish option does not require waxing, sealing or frequent maintenance other than simple mopping to maintain a highly polished, scuff-free look. The concrete polishing system, which can also include color dying of the surface wear layer in a broad range of hues, can result in substantial savings in installation and annual maintenance costs over alternative flooring options such as stained or sealed concrete, VCT, stone or terrazzo.   

When the architectural firm Marmon Mok looked for a way to revitalize the 102,000-square-foot concrete floor plaza level of the Alamodome, it consulted with StoneCare of Texas, of San Antonio. They were looking for a solution that would wear well and require only minimal maintenance. The firm had designed the popular, multipurpose domed stadium, which opened in May 1993, and retained responsibilities for overseeing all upgrades.

The facility, which hosts sporting events, concerts, conventions, and trade shows, can seat up to 65,000 and is expandable to over 72,000 seats. The floor, which circles the perimeter of the seating, was showing signs of age and had many layers of wax over bare concrete. Repeated waxing over the years had darkened the floor’s appearance and was absorbing some of the natural ambient lighting.

StoneCare of Texas had the solution: Dry-polished concrete. This new method offers a mechanical, dust-free, water-free polishing floor system that features an innovative diamond grind, dry polish and densify process that can be performed start-to-finish in eight to 10 hours. This feature alone enables tight booking schedules to be fit into short windows of opportunity between events while allowing uninterrupted use of the dome. For example, if the stadium cleared at 10:00 p.m., the crew could go in and complete the process in a defined section by 6:00 a.m., making the newly resurfaced area fully operational, reducing downtime to a minimum.

The dry polish process, FGS PermaShine, by L&M Construction Chemicals, of Omaha, Neb., utilizes highly efficient HEPA filter vacuum air purification technology to collect the dust generated during the dry abrasive grinding and smoothing process. The dust is captured and collected in lightweight bags that can be easily and safely disposed of in a landfill. The filter and collection system can keep a jobsite virtually free of any airborne dust, eliminating any need for special protection or isolation of the work area.

The process uses a series of progressively finer diamond disks in the grinding machines, enabling a polish up to a very high degree of shine. After the floor is polished for the final time, it is still somewhat porous. To achieve maximum durability, the installer applies a water-based, solvent free, VOC-free, odorless and non-toxic penetrating hardener/densifier.

The hardener/densifier chemically reacts with components in the concrete to form a dense, hard crystalline compound in the top wear layer (about 1/16 of an inch) that adds strength and wear resistance and helps preserve the highly polished look over the life of the installation without completely sealing the surface. The top wear surface continues to breathe, enabling excess moisture to escape from within. The chemical interaction also eliminates dusting and micropitting of the concrete surface by abrasion over time. Yet, because the floor is no longer porous, spills do not penetrate and wipe right up completely.

The rejuvenation of the floor at the Alamodome took about eight weeks, with the installers averaging about 3,000 square feet per shift, with work proceeding in a circle around the circumference of the dome. 

“Stadium management is very pleased with the degree of shine and how it illuminates all the corridors. The Alamodome now is much brighter and cheerier,” notes Bibi Nunez, project manager at Marmon Mok.

The resulting polished concrete floor meets the NFSI (National Floor Satfey Institute) standards for certification as a “high traction” floor, retaining its non-slip qualities when wet, which could satisfy similar requirements at restaurants, healthcare facilities, manufacturing plants, supermarkets and auto showrooms,  The floor also complies with ADAD and OSHA requirements for interior floor surfaces.

There are a couple of green perks, as well from the environmentally friendly process. A dry polished concrete floor can contribute to up to five LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) credits under various categories, including Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Low Emitting Materials, on projects all the way up to Platinum. And depending upon the color of the dye selection, the finished floor can reflect up to 35 percent of lighting which reduces the heat output from the lamps, reducing any demand on an air-conditioning system and can reduce overall lighting costs, to boot.

Though the Alamodome did not dye the floor, after a floor is polished almost to the desired degree and before application of the hardener/densifier, it can be permanently dyed with a specifier’s choice of color. Dye concentration can range from a relatively subtle 25 percent all the way up a rich and vivid 100 percent. Decision-makers can also specify the level of shine and choose to incorporate logos or other designs achievable by dying adjacent spaces different colors.

Dyed or not, dry polish and densified concrete retains its “just finished” appearance for the life of an installation without the upkeep required by other flooring options, including stained and sealed concrete, VCT, stone and terrazzo. FGS PermaShine floors have been proven to save as much as 65 percent on on-going maintenance expense, which is typically the most costly factor in the life of a finish.