Concrete floors are more popular for industrial use because they are sturdy and easy to maintain. However, modern-day interior designers and architects are becoming more and more inclined to incorporate this type of flooring material in their projects, thanks to innovation in concrete floor coating.
Whether you’re just about to have your house built or are planning to have it remodeled, concrete floors may just be what you need for some of the key areas in the house. Believe it or not, concrete could be advantageous when used in other areas aside from the basement and garage. In fact, it has become quite a favorite choice among some interior decorators because of its functionality and design.
Not sure where you can use concrete for your floors? Here is a list of four areas in residential spaces that could benefit from having this type of flooring material.
Table of Contents
Living Room
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With concrete’s reputation of being unforgivingly hard and cold, it often becomes the last choice for many homeowners when it comes to the living room. The lack of stylistic options also causes some people to steer clear of this flooring material despite its durability and functionality.
However, having a concrete floor in your living room can actually be more advantageous than you initially thought.
Many houses with living rooms located on the lower or ground floors already have concrete subfloors that are often used as an anchor for ceramic tiles, hardwood, and other flooring materials. But instead of covering them up or replacing them altogether, you can choose to polish it and make concrete the primary material for your living room floor.
You see, it is quite convenient and more cost-efficient to stick to the existing concrete surface that is also a part of the cement block that keeps your home standing. For one, you won’t have to spend on the installation of new flooring materials. Plus, you can easily match your decorative concrete floor to your interior, thanks to the wide range of designs and floor polishing and staining techniques you can choose from.
Kitchen
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Another part of the house that could benefit the most from having concrete floors is the kitchen. Since it is the area where food is prepared, pick a flooring material that is hygienic, easy to clean, and resistant to moisture. Lucky for you, polished concrete can offer you all three.
Because of its smooth texture, polished concrete floors are relatively easy to clean and maintain. A daily dust-mop and broom-sweep should be enough to keep dirt from accumulating. You can also use a damp mop to get rid of any scuff, smudge, and watermarks, and restore its original sheen.
When sealed and finished expertly, polished concrete is also quite resistant to fluids, particularly water. Depending on how it is coated, your concrete floor can have protective barriers that keep it waterproof, effectively preventing contaminants and germs from building up.
Hallways and Entryways
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Of all the areas of the house, the hallways and entryways get the highest foot traffic. After all, these places serve as access points where people can enter and exit the house and the rooms within.
Hallways and entryways require a highly durable flooring material that can withstand not only a high amount of traffic but also a considerably heavy load. This is where concrete can come in handy.
Concrete floors are commonly used in garages and industrial areas because they can weather through heavy foot traffic and equipment. It is also quite difficult to damage and almost impossible to chip or scratch. That is, of course, unless you intentionally hit it full-force with a hard and heavy object.
Bedroom
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For many people, the bedroom is probably the last place they’ll think of when it comes to concrete flooring. This is most likely due to the fact that concrete floors tend to feel a bit cold on the feet.
Often considered concrete’s biggest drawback, the cold temperature of this flooring material tends to put off homeowners from sticking to solid concrete for their bedrooms, no matter how pretty the design might look like. After all, nobody wants to wake up in the morning with a shock from ice-cold floors on their feet.
Fortunately, this can be easily remedied by adding a plush carpet or rug in the room. You can also choose to have a floor heating system installed to keep your feet warm and toasty.
You see, concrete floors are the best medium for floor heating systems. It easily picks up energy and transmits heat throughout the floor surface. Since the effect of the heating system will be felt almost instantly throughout the room, concrete also offers the added benefit of efficiency in energy and heating costs.
Concrete: The Best Material for the Right Area
Different rooms of the house have varying requirements when it comes to the floor. Keep in mind the characteristics of a room and how it is used to select the best flooring material for it.
With concrete, heed the advice presented in this article and consider using the flooring material in areas where it would serve you best: the living room, kitchen, bedroom, hallways, and entryways.
