5000 square foot office building Exposed Aggregate Polished Concrete

Check out Episode 2 of Concrete Profile™, featuring Bedrock Floors. In this video we install an exposed aggregate polished concrete floor in a 5000 square foot office building. This project presented us with a number of challenges that could have affected the quality of a polished concrete install. However, in this video we show you how we overcame those challenges and delivered a stunning floor!

Mark Rossi is the owner of Rossi Abrasives, our diamond tooling supplier. Rossi’s line of diamond abrasive tooling is an integral part of Bedrock Floors workflow. We would not have been able to achieve the level of aggregate exposure of this project without Rossi’s tooling.

Bedrock Floors would like to thank Mark Rossi for choosing us for latest episode of Concrete Profile. We are looking forward to the next episode, this will be a tough one to top!

“Concrete Profile™ is an all new web series that gives professionals in the concrete floor grinding, coating and polishing industry an insider’s look at the complexities of concrete projects. Each episode profiles a new project, exploring every process, analyzing every problem, and highlighting every solution. See it all, from start to finish!”

– Mark Rossi

In this episode of Concrete Profile watch Bedrock floors transform a less than ideal newly poured concrete floor slab into a floor the building owner will be able to enjoy for decades. We battle through inclement weather delays and a multitude of other issues on this site. Watch the video to see how we handled the situation and learned a ton of valuable information to take into our future endeavours.

Through many years of experience, Bedrock’s installers have used a wide variety of equipment to mitigate the dust produced during coating preparation and concrete polishing; everything from a simple dust mask to a 15 horse-power industrial vacuum.

In the concrete polishing industry, there are several manufacturers that offer both diamond grinding machines and dust control equipment. When we started our business, we chose to procure our vacuum system from a company that specializes in dust collection rather than concrete polishing. Dust Control Canada has a warehouse and office right in our backyard and they offer unparalleled customer service and support for their equipment. We had worked with Dust Control equipment several times prior to our start-up, and they never disappointed. We chose the DC5800c 10HP 3-Phase unit as our primary dust control system and we couldn’t be happier. The DC5800c keeps up with our 30” diameter diamond grinder even during the most aggressive concrete preparation situations. The unit’s cyclone, pre-separator, and certified HEPA filter ensure that no dust ends up in the air, in our lungs, or anywhere in our client’s facilities.

Unparalleled Customer Service and Support

We use our primary dust collection system, from Dust Control Canada, for polished concrete, coating removal, concrete preparation for epoxy coatings, and in any situation where our diamond grinding machine or aggressive hand tools are running. However, often we do not have access to three-phase power, and we have to rely on equipment that runs on standard single-phase power. In these situations, we previously relied on a shop vacuum from one of the big box hardware stores, as is the industry standard for smaller hand tool work. After several months of constantly changing filters and emptying the shop vacuum bin, creating far too much airborne dust, we decided to upgrade our secondary dust collection system.

Dust Control Canada sent their service technician over to our job site with a brand new DC3900c Twin for us to try out. We ran the new machine along side our 7” hand grinder as we prepped the perimeter of a 5000 square foot building. The DC3900c’s integrated pre-separator, cyclone filter, and HEPA filter kept the dust from the aggressive 7” grinder at bay, and we purchased the vacuum on the spot. Since getting the new secondary dust collection system, we find ourselves wondering how we ever made it by without it.

Certified H.E.P.A Filtration

H.E.P.A stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Arrestance. So 99.97% of the particulate that makes it past the the vacuum’s pre-separator or cyclone filter is captured in the HEPA filter and does not end up in the air. In our experience, under regular operation, we have found very little particulate built up in our HEPA filters, meaning that the efficiency of the vacuum design has filtered out the particulate prior to reaching the HEPA filter.

We have had the opportunity to work in several different facilities that produce food and/or beverages, where it is particularly important to ensure that no airborne dust contaminates the production. Thanks to Dust Control Canada we are able to work in any environment without concern that our process will pose a risk to a facilities products or employees.

“Our company was introduced to Floyd Sutton & Bedrock Floors last August 2015. We had Bedrock Floors do the floors in one of our projects. Their work was great. We like it so much that when we moved our head office we had Bedrock Floors do our floors. Easy to maintain and they look great. Would recommend them to anyone.”

– Dennis Tuck, President

D.W. Tuck Construction Services Inc. happened to be moving into a new office space located right next to this previous project.

Polished Concrete instead of Ceramic Tile

They were leaning towards a more typical ceramic tile type flooring solution for their space. However, with a little persuasion and a proposal price that was hard to beat, we were able to convince them that polished concrete was the way to go!

Once their perimeter walls were drywalled and electricity was provided in the office space, we spent two short days transforming the plain concrete slab into a beautiful floor.

We filled the control joints with polyurea joint filler, sealed the concrete with liquid densifier and polished the floor up to a high-gloss 3000grit finish!

Soon after we finished polishing the floor, the drywall contractors were back to complete the partition walls and the finishing touches on the space are soon to follow.

Stands up to finishing trades

One of the many benefits of polished concrete floors is their innate durability. We are completely confident that our floor will stand up to the abuse of interior finishings still to be done in the office space.

As usual, it was an absolute pleasure to work with D.W. Tuck and we look forward to working with them again in the future!

Bedrock Floors arrived at the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) branch located in Midland, Ontario just after Greystone Construction completed installing the roof on a new kennel addition. We were hired to paint the ceiling and the concrete block walls, and to install an epoxy flooring system.

The ceiling was composite wooden I-Joists and OSB that were lightly treated to protect them from weather during construction. In order for our ceiling paint to adhere properly, we first had to prime the joists with oil paint. On our first day on site, we set up a bakers scaffold and applied the oil primer to the ceiling, working around several other trades throughout the day. The next day we applied flat latex drywall ceiling paint over the primer in the colour preference of the architect.

Once we had completed the ceiling, we proceeded to paint the concrete block walls. We coated the concrete block with latex block filler to seal the surface and then applied two coats of latex paint to match the existing building’s interior colour. All of the painting was complete after four days; extra drying time was allotted due to low interior temperatures.

During the painting process the HVAC contractor installed the heating system. We left the site for a few days to allow the general contractor to clear, heat, and dry the floor area before we continued with the flooring installation.

At the base of the block walls we troweled a 1″ radius cove base to accommodate drainage for when the kennels are cleaned. First, we hand ground around all of the block wall perimeters to remove paint debris and to prepare for the cove installation. With the cove base installed and with the rest of the trades out of the room, we were able to continue with the epoxy floor installation.

Diamond grinding equipment was used to prepare the concrete slab for the epoxy coating and the floor was thoroughly vacuumed. Before we applied the prime coat, we mixed up and applied epoxy crack filler gel to patch the control joints and some minor imperfections in the surface. The prime coat was applied over the whole area and left to cure for 12 hours.

On our last day on site, we applied the finish coat of epoxy onto the floor, the coves, and 4″ up the block walls to complete the flooring system. The OSPCA staff and Greystone Construction are ecstatic with the look of the space now that we are done and they can hardly wait to use the space for the dogs!

We had a great time working with Greystone Construction and the staff at OSPCA and we look forward to working with them again on future projects!

D.W. Tuck Construction Services Inc. in Barrie, Ontario contacted us to provide a custom coloured epoxy coating for a future tenant at their newly constructed industrial plaza. We provided our estimate, matched the custom colour, and were on site the following week, since the tenant was due to move in at the end of that week. The floor area to be coated spanned two industrial units, to be installed one week apart.

On-site within days to accommodate move-in schedule

The first step of the project, as with any epoxy coating job, was to prepare the concrete slab. This particular slab was new and impregnated with fibreglass, so we used diamond grinding equipment to introduce a profile for our coating to bond to and used a propane torch to burn off any fibres exposed during the grinding process.

Patched control joints, spalling and cracks

Once the floor surface was prepared, we cleaned out the control joints, installed backer-rod and applied epoxy crack filler gel. We also patched several pin-holes, spalling, and cracks throughout the floor area.

By the next day the crack filler gel and patching material had cured enough for us to sand off the high spots and to finish preparing the floor for a prime coat of epoxy by removing any dust. The prime coat was applied and left to cure overnight.

On the third day, we thoroughly sanded the prime coat to remove any imperfections and put down a smooth, consistent topcoat.

Hired for additional work while on-site

We were scheduled to complete the second unit the following week but our start date was moved due to various construction related delays. However, during this time we were contracted by D.W. Tuck to paint the walls in the second unit. We primed and painted the walls in the second unit that following week and then continued to install the epoxy coating in that unit just we described for the first area.

While we worked for D.W. Tuck, we were also asked by the tenant to provide a concrete sealer for their storage room that would keep the slab from dusting. We installed the concrete sealer while on-site for the second unit epoxy coating.

Bedrock Floors was contacted by a restauranteur in the process of opening up his third location – Fishbone Kitchen and Bar in Aurora, Ontario. The previous tenants covered the main dining area floor with vinyl tiles, the bathrooms with paint, and the kitchen with ceramic tile. By the time we got involved, the vinyl and ceramic tile had been removed to expose a concrete slab that needed some attention in order to match the desired high-end, classy aesthetic that the new owner was looking for. High-gloss Polished Concrete was the obvious choice for the dining area and the bathrooms. However, the slab condition in the kitchen was not suitable for polish without extensive patching, so a seamless epoxy coating was proposed instead.

Polished Concrete was the obvious choice to meet the owners high-end aesthetic

Our work was completed over the course of one week, to accommodate the owners tight schedule leading up to the grand opening on Thursday, September 24, 2015.

Completed within the client’s tight schedule

We started the first day on site by removing the left over tile mastic in the kitchen area in preparation for the epoxy coating, we then made our first rough grind pass over the entire concrete slab throughout the dining area and bathrooms. The first rough grind exposed a significant amount of spalling and damage from the previous owner which we proceeded to patch.

Day 2 – We continued with the diamond grinding process by refining the surface to remove any rough or high spots and to create a smooth level surface. We also smoothed out the perimeter edges and corners with a hand polisher wherever our diamond grinding equipment could not reach.

Day 3 – We completed the refining process and applied a sealer that penetrated the concrete surface and chemically reacted to increase the surface density and durability.

Day 4 – We started and completed the polishing process, all the way up to a 3000 grit high-gloss finish and also patched the kitchen area and applied a prime coat of epoxy.

For more information on our concrete polishing process click here.

Complementary of the modern restaurant stylings

On our fifth and final day on site, we came in to apply a finish coat of epoxy and to pack up our equipment. Several weeks later we had the privilege of visiting the finished restaurant just hours before opening night. The polished concrete floors complemented the modern stylings of the restaurant’s furniture and finishes perfectly. Next time you are in Aurora, make sure to check out Fishbone Kitchen and Bar.

Bedrock Floors was contracted by Bertram Construction in Barrie, Ontario to provide a high-end Polished Concrete floor with exposed aggregate for their client’s basement and garage in Shanty Bay, on Kempenfelt Bay. This estate property, once completed, will consist of several high-end finishes inside and out: cedar millwork and roofing, copper accents, custom stone masonry, etc. The polished concrete basement provides a rich and unique foundation that the interior finishes can build upon.

Polished Concrete Dye Samples

We were asked to provide an on-site sample of the polished concrete including potential dye colours. The client chose 7 colours (samples shown in the gallery to the right), however they decided to go with the natural colour of the concrete.

Challenging Slab Conditions

Prior to starting the floor, we tested the hardness of the concrete with a Mohs Hardness Scale test kit in order to determine the tooling required to expose the aggregate below the top cream layer of the slab. We ordered tooling that corresponded with the hardness of the slab, however, after two days of grinding we determined that the tooling was not adequate to expose the aggregate. Rossi Abrasives provided us with prototype tooling specific to this challenging slab and once we hit the floor with the new tools we were well on our way to a beautiful floor.

In order to expose the aggregate and even out the high and low spots, to meet the client’s preference, we had to grind the floor with our newly acquired aggressive tooling several times before continuing with the rest of the polishing process.

Cracks and Decorative Control Joints

The basement floor slab was cut into 4-foot sections with control joints, as both an aesthetic design choice and to prevent unwanted cracks. We filled all of the control joints with a rapid curing polyurea elastomer joint filler which will allow the individual slab sections to move independently without breaking the seal.

3000 Grit High-Gloss Finish

Once the control joints were filled, we patched any major voids in the concrete surface, densified the entire slab, and continued to hone the floor and polish up to a 3000 Grit High-Gloss Finish. For more information on our polishing process Click Here.

The client and Bertram were very pleased with the finished floor and we are looking forward to seeing how the floor looks once the other interior finishes are complete! Updates to come.

Bedrock Floors transformed Bob Rumball Camp for the Deaf’s dusty old concrete floor into beautiful and functional Polished Concrete floor.

Bedrock Floors is an up and coming flooring applicator in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). We were pleased to provide the Camp for the Deaf in Parry Sound with a solution to an ongoing problem they have had in their cafeteria. The camp was struggling with repairs and refinishing their floor multiple times over just a few years. The combination of temperature fluctuations and poor adhesion had caused various flooring materials to delaminate before their expected lifespan.

The advanced Concrete Polishing process in a nut shell.

Bedrock’s solution was simple, if you have problems with delamination, bypass the problem all together. Polished Concrete was the obvious choice, as it is unique in having no surface lamination, or coating to peel, crack or fail. Polished Concrete is exactly as it sounds, we take a gnarly slab of concrete, grind, patch, hone, densify, refine, and polish the surface through the use of an orbital diamond grinder. The surface profile and imperfections are removed, the concrete matrix is hardened through a chemical procedure known as densification, and the pores of the concrete are smoothed and sealed by the steel and resin compound that the abrasive diamond tooling is suspended in.

Polished Concrete: an elegant solution to an ugly problem

Once this process is completed, the concrete itself has transformed. It ceases to be concrete and becomes Polished Concrete. All other flooring materials are placed on top of the concrete substrate. This layering system is simply not as tough as the integral transformation of Polished Concrete. Layered flooring is only ever as strong as the glue that sticks it down. The oldest structures built by mankind are carved from stone. Stone is known for its longevity, when all of our glued together modern building are reduced to rust and dust, those same stone structures will still be standing, who knows, possibly even a properly Polished Concrete floor.

Bedrock Floors involves the client in planning their future floors to add transparency and ultimately nurture an environment of trust

Bedrock and the Bob Rumball foundation discussed prior to starting the job the potential for a poor concrete slab to be lurking beneath the many layers of the existing flooring. Other than the areas where the floor had peeled up, we didn’t have an accurate idea of the condition of the substrate. The Camp knew the history of the slab however, they explained that it had been split into three sections, a core slab at one end, a section of the original floor surrounded the perimeter, and one room in the corner, and finally the bulk of the floor was a recently poured slab that had been installed due to some plumbing issues. Our expectations were low as to the slabs condition, but typically any scars and age marks in a Polished Concrete floor add character. As the Polish wears with foot traffic, it matures, and often is a topic of discussion over its intrinsic beauty. With this knowledge, and what little areas of the floor we could test for hardness and damage, Bedrock made a plan on how to undertake the Polish.

After the existing flooring had been removed and we ground the self leveling skim coat off we, were greeted with an unfortunate turn of events. The floor that we were hoping would be pristine turned out to have the core slab section, roughly 40% of the area, in extremely bad condition. The slab had sunk down a half inch in some places, and had been patched with a very soft overlayment. Large deep spalling was present in the overlayment which was well below the boundaries of proper hardness to polish. In order to polish the area, the sunken slab would have to be brought up with a self leveling overlayment that would take a proper polish, not a cheap fix. We then had another frank discussion with the Camp regarding their options and preferences. Due to budgetary constraints we had to come up with a fix to their original problem along with the newly uncovered issues.

Regardless how bad the floor is to start with, Bedrock is dedicated to providing unparalleled quality, and efficiency while still being easy on your wallet

Bedrock brainstormed a cost effective solution for an expensive problem. The client was still able to have most of their floor polished, while the entrance area was able to be coated with a high quality industrial 2 component epoxy coating to fill the voids, and provide extra protection from the elements. In the end we managed to provide the changes in procedure to the client for a small mobilization fee to cover the additional costs of returning to Parry Sound.

We are glad to have built a relationship with the Bob Rumball foundation and will strive to preserve what was formed. Regardless how bad the floor is to start with, Bedrock is dedicated to providing unparalleled quality, and efficiency while still being easy on your wallet.

We are very thankful to have been given the chance to work on such an exciting project.

– Luke Sutton
Vice-President

According to the Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC),

“Buildings generate about 35 per cent all of greenhouse gases, 35 per cent of landfill waste comes from construction and demolition activities, and 80 per cent of all water is consumed in and around buildings.”

The vast majority of buildings in Canada, and around the world are built with some form of concrete slab. Most flooring methods require the use of additional materials. Polished Concrete reduces material consumption by converting the existing concrete slab into a decorative, long lasting and environmentally friendly finish.

Polished Concrete Reduces Maintenance Costs and Can Last a Lifetime

In a new construction project or a renovation, polished concrete can represent a significant cost savings over the lifetime of the building, despite having a slightly more expensive upfront cost. Typical institutional floor finishes require significant regular maintenance, such as buffing, waxing and resurfacing. Any floor surface that requires layers of additional material or adhesives is vulnerable to temperature fluctuations and will eventually delaminate and require replacing. Polished concrete does not require the installation of any additional materials that can wear out over time and it does not require any regular waxing or resurfacing. All that is required to maintain a polished concrete floor is cleaning, as is required with all floor surfaces. A polished concrete floor will likely last as long as the building itself, and will continue to gain character as it ages.

Polished Concrete Reduces Energy Consumption

On top of reduced maintenance costs, polished concrete can also help to reduce a building’s overall energy consumption. Polished concrete’s highly reflective surface can help to increase the amount of ambient light within a space; reducing the energy demand for artificial lighting. When used in combination with passive solar design principles, the thermal mass of polished concrete can also be effective at reducing the energy associated with artificial heating and cooling.

Polished Concrete Improves Indoor Air Quality

Another important consideration for buildings, both new and old, is the impact of indoor air quality. Environmentally conscious design seeks to avoid the use of materials that emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Many floor finishes require sealants or glues that off gas over time and can negatively impact indoor air quality in a building. Polished concrete floors can be installed without chemical sealers and can help to improve indoor air quality.

– Joel Turgeon, B.Arch.Sc
Vice-President