When choosing the material for your home’s flooring, there is a wide range of choices.
It’s essential to consider your specific needs to select the most suitable one.
If you’re looking for a low-maintenance floor option with unique possibilities, a concrete floor might be the perfect alternative for your home.
What Is A Concrete Floor?
Concrete floors are made by pouring concrete mix on the base of a room, leveling and smoothing it, and letting it harden.
Concrete has been used for many years as flooring for garages and basements.
In recent years, however, it’s become an excellent alternative for home interiors.
Concrete floors are tough and strong and require very low maintenance.
Additionally, they can be stained in any color to provide a unique design, as well as polished for a shiny and smooth look.
Why Concrete Floors?
There are many reasons why concrete flooring may be suitable for your home’s needs.
- Budget-friendly. Depending on the design of your concrete floor, it can be relatively cheap compared to other alternatives, such as hardwood or marble flooring.
- Low maintenance. Concrete flooring is very easy to care for when it is properly sealed. Dirt, stains, spills, and even hard objects impact can’t damage this kind of flooring. Sweeping or mopping is mostly the only maintenance required.
- Eco-friendly. For many reasons, concrete floors are an environmentally friendly alternative. For one, their production doesn’t require the depletion of any natural resource. On the other hand, they aid with the air quality of your home as they aren’t affected by mold or mildew. They also can absorb the warm and cool air from the ambiance, minimizing the need for heaters or air conditioners.
- Pet-friendly. For homeowners with pets, concrete flooring is an excellent alternative as it doesn’t stain or absorb odor. Being a hard and resistant floor, claw scratching won’t damage it.
Concrete Floor Average Cost
Concrete flooring costs between $2 and $30 per square foot, depending on the type of concrete flooring you choose.
Basic concrete flooring ranges between $2 and $6 per square foot.
A mid-range concrete flooring costs between $7 and $14 per square foot.
High-end concrete flooring costs between $15 and $30.
Making a concrete floor on a 100 square feet surface will cost, on average, $1,500.
Prices for a concrete floor are determined by several factors, including:
- Color application. Using multiple colors, faux finishes, or stenciled designs is more expensive than a single color applied on the entire surface.
- Surface preparation requirements. The cost will be higher if the floor has a carpet or tile that needs to be removed.
- Smoothness of the floor. In some cases, the floors aren’t smooth, and diamond grinding is required to remove the top layer of the floor.
- State of your floor. If your floor needs repairing before applying the paint, this will affect the final cost.
- New slab vs sealed surface. Applying a new concrete slab is more cost-effective than working on a surface that’s already been sealed.
Cost By Concrete Floor Type
When choosing concrete flooring, there are various alternatives and factors to consider, such as the color type, the surface, or if there is an existing concrete floor on your property.
All these factors will be reflected in the cost.
| Concrete Flooring | Price Range per Square Foot |
|---|---|
| Integral Color Concrete | $2-$5 |
| Stained Concrete | $2-$15 |
| Painted Concrete | $6-$15 |
| Concrete Hardeners | $2.50-$6.50 |
| Polished Concrete Floor | $2-$12 |
| Stamped Concrete Floor | $8-$12 |
| Smooth Concrete Floor | $2-$10 |
Integral Color Concrete
Integral color concrete requires the addition of a concrete pigment to the mix.
These pigments can be synthetic or natural oxide powder colorants.
The finished result is concrete dyed with an even color across the slab.
A concrete floor with an added iron oxide color costs between $2 and $5 per square foot.
Pro Tip: Concrete floors are not resistant to chemical substances. Remove any substance, such as oil or chemical cleaners, immediately to avoid damaging the floor.
Stained Concrete
Stained concrete is the most common type of finish used for this kind of flooring.
It requires the addition of some sort of colorant to the concrete.
The difference between concrete stain and paint is that stain penetrates the surface of the concrete, providing a finish that will be more durable.
For a basic concrete staining job, the cost will be between $2 and $5 per square foot. This includes only one-color stain, a final sealer coat, and minimal slab preparation.
An intermediate stain job costs between $5 and $10 per square.
Complex stain-sawed patterns are more expensive. Prices range between $8 and $15 per square foot.
Stencil work and hand-applied stains are the most expensive kind of jobs. Prices range between $12 and $25 per square foot.
Painted Concrete
Painting a concrete floor is not as easy as painting a wall.
For one, you’ll need a special kind of paint that will adhere to the concrete surface.
This kind of paint is called thin-coat epoxy.
It’s made up of 40% epoxy mixed with different solvents to make its application easier.
The cost of painting a concrete floor ranges between $6 to $15 per square foot.
Concrete Hardeners
Applying concrete hardeners to the surface of new or existing concrete flooring will be beneficial to increase its resistance.
This is an excellent alternative to extend your flooring lifespan.
It comes in a wide range of color tones allowing the contractor to produce a sharper imprint on the design.
Additionally, it will provide a shiny and stylish finish to the flooring.
The color hardener is applied over the concrete surface before it dries completely.
Applying a color hardener to a concrete floor is an affordable alternative.
A color hardener costs between $2.50 and $6.50 per square foot.
Concrete Surfaces
Depending on the style you want to add to the room, you can choose different textures for the flooring.
This includes smooth, polished, or stamped.
A polished concrete floor costs between $2 and $12 per square foot, depending on the project’s complexity.
Stamped concrete floors cost between $8 and $12 per square foot. However, more complex projects may cost up to $19 per square foot.
A smooth concrete floor cost is very similar to a polished finish. It costs between $2 and $10 per square foot.
Existing Concrete Floor
If your home already has a concrete floor, you can choose several decorative treatments to give it a more stylish finish, such as stains and paint, with will cost between $2 and $5 per square foot.
Concrete Overlay
Concrete overlay is when a new thin coat of concrete is added to the existing concrete floor.
This allows you to use coloring methods such as stain.
A concrete overlay costs between $2 and $6 per square foot.
Concrete Floor Protection, Maintenance, and Repair Costs
Concrete floors are known for their durability and resistance.
This floor is unlikely to be damaged by furniture legs, heels, or dropped objects.
Keeping this kind of floor in good condition is easy.
Every one to three years, depending on the level of foot traffic, it’s necessary to seal or wax the floor to maintain the protective layer.
Over time, concrete floors also tend to settle and crack. This is the most common problem when an existing slab has been adapted to a finished flooring surface.
When this issue happens, the floor can be patched, grind, or refinished.
Pro Tip: Do not use excessive amounts of cleaning products on your concrete floors. You can use a PH neutral if you consider the floor needing a more thorough cleaning.
Sealers
Concrete floors that experience heavy traffic will suffer deterioration of the seal coat, making them prone to stains, moisture problems, and scuffs.
Refreshing the seal coat every few years will help you maintain your concrete floor in pristine condition for many years.
Applying a new coat of sealer to your concrete floor costs between $1 and $1.50 per square foot.
Wax
A layer of wax can occasionally be applied on floors with heavy foot traffic to protect the sealer.
This kind of maintenance is very cheap.
Applying wax to a concrete floor costs between $0.30 and $0.55 per square foot.
Cleaning Stained Floors
Stained floors require minimal maintenance, such as the occasional sweeping and mopping.
For deeper cleaning, you can mix water with a PH-neutral cleaner.
Cleaning Polished Floors
Due to the process used to create a polished floor, the surface doesn’t require sealers or waxes.
To keep them shining, buffing the surface is the only maintenance a polished concrete floor needs.
Repair
One of the downsides of choosing a concrete floor for your home is the need for occasional repairs, which are sometimes not easy to accomplish.
The texture, color, and finish of the repaired section must match the existing floor.
Qualified professionals have special techniques for these kinds of situations. They can work the patch area with the current pattern or create a stenciled design.
The basic cost to repair a concrete floor ranges between $12 and $14 per square foot.
Who Makes Concrete Flooring?
To install a concrete floor in your home, you’ll need to contact a concrete floor contractor in your area.
The process often includes visiting your home to assess the project and take the room measurements.
You’ll also be able to provide your design ideas and inquire about the finishing alternatives.
With all that information, a contractor will provide you with the total cost and estimated project time.
Who Sells Concrete Flooring?
Concrete flooring can be installed by many retailers, such as Home Depot.
This kind of retailer partners with contractors in your area that will be in charge of the installation.
Where Are Concrete Floors Used?
Concrete floors are mostly found in retail stores with heavy foot traffic daily.
In recent years, color and stylish patterns were included as an alternative to concrete flooring, making it a popular choice for residential properties as well.
Here are the most common areas in a home where concrete floors are used:
- Kitchen. As these floors are designed to withstand high transit, the kitchen is an excellent place to have them. Additionally, these floors shouldn’t have grout lines or joints where spills and dirt can get trapped.
- Basement. A concrete floor in the basement is an excellent alternative due to its moisture resistance. On occasion, basements are prone to flooding, which could cause terrible damage to any other kind of flooring alternative.
- Bathroom. A concrete floor is a stylish alternative in the bathroom and is moisture-resistant. On the plus side, these floors are easy to clean and maintain.
- Garage. A concrete floor can be a fashionable alternative when garages are used to extend the living space.
- Foyer or entry. The foyer or entry of a house is one of the spots with the heaviest foot traffic. A concrete floor is a perfect option to make cleaning up mud, dirt, or water easier.
Did you know? Concrete floors are fire-resistant. It requires a thousand degrees Fahrenheit to destroy a concrete floor.
What Are The Advantages Of A Concrete Floor?
A concrete floor’s main advantage is its durability and resistance. Other advantages of installing this kind of floor are:
- Heated floors. You can add radiant floor heat when constructing a new concrete floor or pouring a new slab over the existing floor. These heating systems create an even temperature to keep the floors warm.
- Cost-effective. The cost of making a concrete floor in your home is more affordable than other alternatives, such as tiles or hardwood.
- Style. Concrete floors don’t have to be necessarily grey. Modern techniques can give a concrete floor a luxurious finish. Adding different dyes or stains to the concrete can create an eye-catching design.
What Are The Disadvantages Of A Concrete Floor?
- Hardness. While the resistance level of concrete floors is one of the main advantages, it can also be a downside. Falling on this kind of floor might seriously injure a person. For that reason, it is not recommended in residences where small children or elderly people live. While falling objects will not damage the floor, whichever item you accidentally drop might get broken.
- Slippery floors. Highly polished and buffed floors can be slippery, especially when wet.
- Insulation. Concrete floors tend to absorb the ambient temperature, which is a huge downside during the winter. A floor heating system can be installed to solve the problem with cold floors.
Concrete Flooring vs Tile
Tile flooring is still one of the top choices for home residences, offering a wide range of colors and designs.
Here are the main differences between concrete and tile flooring.
- Design. While both floorings offer a wide range of colors and patterns, tile flooring options are limited to the ones available on the market. You’ll just need a skilled contractor to create a unique design with concrete flooring.
- Durability. Tiles are a long-lasting kind of flooring. However, with proper maintenance, a concrete floor’s lifespan could be longer than tile flooring. The break resistance of tile flooring is also lower than concrete. If something heavy falls on a tile surface, it can break or chip it.
- Appearance. You can give a concrete floor the appearance of tile flooring with the right technique. You’ll get the same tile appearance with the durability and resistance of a concrete floor.
Concrete Flooring vs Hardwood
There are various reasons why either concrete or hardwood flooring could be the right choice for your home.
However, there are slight differences between them.
- Maintenance. Harwood flooring, unlike concrete, requires heavy maintenance to stay in good condition. It needs sweeping and mopping just as concrete flooring does but also sealing and waterproofing treating regularly.
- Durability. Unlike concrete floors, hardwood flooring can get damaged by stains and scratches. Over the years, hardwood flooring will likely show signs of wear and tear that you may not see on a concrete floor.
- Comfort. Both kinds of flooring provide a comfortable feeling to the touch. However, hardwood floors do not absorb ambient warmth as concrete floors do.
- Aesthetics. Concrete and wooden flooring are stylish, but the options with wooden floors are much more limited. With a concrete floor, you can change to a completely different style wherever you want and even create a wooden pattern.
Did you know? Contrary to popular belief, concrete and cement are not the same things. Cement is one of the ingredients present in concrete.
Concrete Flooring vs Epoxy
Epoxy and concrete flooring may look very similar to the point that you’ll be unable to tell them apart.
However, they are many differences between them.
- Moisture vulnerability. Concrete floors offer excellent resistance to moisture preventing it from being absorbed and damaging the flooring. Epoxy floors, however, trap moisture below the floor’s surface, causing many problems over time, such as bubble formation, paint peeling, and blisters.
- Chemical resistance. Epoxy floors are a great alternative for commercial areas as epoxy is proven they have high resistance to various chemicals, including motor oil, hydraulic fluid, seawater, and more. Concrete floors don’t offer this kind of chemical resistance and can get damaged over time.
- Slip resistance. Epoxy doesn’t have a porous surface like polished concrete floors have. This makes epoxy flooring very slippery when water, oil, or mud is on the surface.
- Cleaning and maintenance. Both kinds of flooring require minimum maintenance to stay in excellent condition.
Concrete Flooring vs Paving
Paving and concrete flooring have high levels of resistance, but there are a few differences between the two kinds.
- Cost. Paving flooring is more expensive than concrete floors. The installation cost for a paving floor ranges between $8 and $24 per square foot, while a concrete floor costs between $2 and $6 on a lower scale.
- Durability. Paving bricks are stronger than concrete flooring and can withstand more pressure per square foot.
- Maintenance. A concrete floor requires more maintenance than paved flooring, which can easily be cleaned using a hose. Repairing a concrete floor also requires more work than a paved floor, which will only entail removing the paved bricks and replacing them with new ones.
- Aesthetic. Paved floors are a stylish alternative for patios or outdoor areas, as opposed to concrete floors that provide a luxurious look to any room in the house.
Is Concrete Floor Cheaper Than Tile?
A concrete floor is cheaper than a tile one.
While both have a price scale that varies depending on your design and style, concrete floor prices are lower.
A concrete floor costs between $2 and $6.
Tile flooring cost, on the other hand, has a starting price of $7 per square foot and may cost up to $35 depending on the design and size of the tile.
Is Concrete Flooring Expensive?
Concrete flooring is one of the less expensive flooring alternatives available on the market.
Additionally, it offers many style alternatives and color patterns.
Why Do Concrete Floors Crack?
In simple terms, a concrete floor crack occurs when the material’s strength is compromised.
This may occur for various reasons.
- Natural shrinkage. When concrete is first poured on a surface, it is a liquid substance that solidifies over a few days. This natural shrinking process may lead to cracks.
- Environmental changes. Concrete floors do not have tensile strength, meaning they can’t withstand to expand. Very high or low temperatures cause the floor to expand or shrink, leading to cracking.
Why Are Concrete Floors Cold?
Concrete flooring can absorb the ambient temperature, store it, and release it slowly.
This leads to warm floors during the summer and cold floors during the winter.
Did you know? Romans created the first known version of concrete. They made it by mixing lime and volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius.
Are Concrete Floors Worth It?
For many reasons, concrete floors are an excellent flooring alternative.
They are cost-effective, even when choosing luxurious designs that require a skilled contractor.
On the other hand, they are more durable than any other kind of flooring and require little to no maintenance to stay in optimum condition for many years.
Making an Informed and Concrete Decision
When it comes to choosing the right flooring material for your home, there are many factors you need to consider, the most important being its durability and maintenance.
Especially in a home with children and heavy foot transit, choosing a concrete floor will be the best alternative to have a luxurious ambiance for many years.
Because it’s resistant to stains, mud, moisture, and pet scratching, concrete flooring offers few downsides and many benefits.
