Polished Concrete Floors Atlanta

What is polished concrete?

Polished concrete is an existing slab that has been mechanically ground, honed and refined until the surface itself becomes the finished floor. There is no covering and no film on top, so there is nothing to peel, chip or delaminate. The shine comes from the density of the concrete, which is why a floor polished properly still looks right years after it goes in.

It works on both new and old concrete, as long as the slab is structurally sound. That is what makes it such a practical upgrade for property owners here: in most buildings the floor you want is already sitting under the carpet, tile or failed coating you have now. Taking off what is on top and refining what is underneath costs less than a full replacement, adds no height at doorways, and sends nothing to a landfill.

The result suits a wider range of buildings than most people expect. We polish warehouse and distribution floors that take forklift traffic along the I-85 and I-285 corridors, retail and restaurant spaces where the floor has to hold up under bright light and constant cleaning, office and studio fit-outs in and around Midtown, and residential basements and open-plan main floors out in the suburbs.

Every job starts the same way, with a free on-site visit to look at the slab before anyone quotes a number. If the concrete is not a good candidate, we will say so and tell you what the alternative costs.

What polished concrete costs in Atlanta

Price depends far more on the condition of the slab than on the finish you choose. A clean, level, recently poured slab with nothing on it is the cheapest floor we polish. An old slab carrying carpet glue, thinset left behind by a tile removal, or a coating that has started to fail needs all of that taken off before any polishing begins, and that preparation is usually the largest single line on the quote.

The things that actually move the number:

• Slab condition. Cracks, spalling, control joints and old adhesive all add preparation time before the first polishing pass.
• What is on the floor now. Carpet, vinyl, tile and coatings all have to come off, and some come off far harder than others.
• Aggregate exposure. A cream finish that stays at the surface is quicker than a salt-and-pepper or full-stone look, which means grinding deeper into the slab.
• Sheen. A matte floor stops at a lower grit. A high-gloss floor runs the full sequence, so it takes more passes and more time.
• Size and access. Large open floors run more efficiently per square foot than small rooms, stairwells and tight occupied spaces.

We do not publish a price per square foot, because for most of the floors we get called out to look at, that number would be wrong. What you get instead is an itemized quote after a free on-site visit, with the preparation priced separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for. Call (404) 480-0962 or use the quote form on this page.

When polishing is not the right call

Not every slab should be polished, and we would rather tell you that at the visit than halfway through the job. Where the surface is too far gone to refine, concrete resurfacing rebuilds it instead. Where you want the look without running the full grit sequence, grind and seal gets close for less. Where the floor needs chemical resistance or a specific color, epoxy flooring is the better answer. And if the concrete is sound but filthy, commercial concrete cleaning may be all it needs.