When it comes to house construction, flooring can mean everything. Homeowners invest thousands of dollars to achieve the best kind of flooring from elaborate concrete stencils to expensive Moroccan tiles. On average, flooring installation jobs in Sydney can cost you around AU$3,000 to over AU$6,000 depending on the floor coverage or size and the type of flooring to be used. Interestingly, concrete flooring (at least polished concrete) has become a favorite in modern-day home design. It started to gain popularity in the 90s along with the rise of shopping malls. Today, even homes are choosing concrete and it proves to be an overall winner against its flooring competitors.
Concrete vs Linoleum and Vinyl
Linoleum dates to the 1800s while vinyl tiles debuted in the 70s. Both are commonly used for flooring up to today and they’re often selected for very customizable printed designs that concrete stencils can’t even compete with and an affordable price point that beat hardwood, ceramic, and concrete floors. But honed concrete easily beats them when it comes to durability and quality. Both linoleum and vinyl are prone to water damage (not to mention that vinyl uses chemicals that are harmful to the planet!). Polished and honed concrete are waterproof.
Concrete vs Ceramic and Wood
According to popular history, ceramic tiles and wooden floors have existed for centuries. Ceramic tiles date back to ancient civilizations while hardwood floors made its first appearance in the Middle Ages. Both are highly revered by home designers to the point that it has become an art form. They are more expensive than linoleum and vinyl, and they last longer too. However, they are not as impeccable as polished concrete. They also require some maintenance. We’ve all seen how ceramic tiles can easily crack under pressure and how hardwood floors age and creak. While ceramic tiles do a better job against water damage, wood does not. Concrete wins in terms of wear-and-tear. It is impervious to the weaknesses of ceramic and wood. As a plus, it can mimic the look of tiles and the texture of wood using the concrete stencil technique.
Concrete vs Concrete
Can concrete beat itself? It depends on the concrete we’re talking about! There’s grind and seal concrete and polished concrete. The former is a method where concrete is grinded, washed and applied with a solution or coat to give its shine (thus the name grind and seal). The latter is a method where a machine patiently grinds the concrete until the desired aggregate exposure is achieved while applying hardeners and chemicals to give it a level of shine (matte, semi-glossy or glossy). The former is also cheaper than the latter but both methods will still require some maintenance every 5 or so years depending on foot traffic. Polished concrete takes the cake for being the most expensive of the lot but quality is also the best. There are good service providers that can do concrete polishing in Sydney and this is worth considering if you like the best investment for your flooring.