Services The CARRcrete Team Provide Here's a quick run down of the services that CARRcrete provide. What we do and how we do it.

CARRcrete Polished Concrete have over 10 years experience within the polished concrete industry and we are widely considered to be the best at what we do. We have combined the best tools, chemicals, machinery and consumables and our many years of site experience to bring you our InfinityFloor polishing system, our Microfloor and Protop overlays plus our range of professional consumables for sale via our online store.

Concrete polishing services - what does concrete polishing entail?

You cannot refer to a concrete surface as polished concrete until it has been mechanically polished using diamond tooling. The best results are gained from polishing a power trowelled surface and we refine this concrete by repeatedly running over the surface with our machinery and progressively finer diamond grits until we achieve the results we need. It is this continual working of the concrete that removes scratches and gives us the beautifully smooth, tight, polished finish that will naturally reflect light and provide a hard wearing floor our clients want.

As well as working with top quality diamond tools we use a chemical concrete densifier to harden the concrete substrate and reduce the porosity of the concrete. The silicate formula does this by filling in aeration holes within the slab, forming crystals over time which drastically reduces how porous the concrete is. This action is greatly beneficial to our end clients as, not only is the concrete stronger which will give a better polish but it’s also a useful back up to our stain guard sealers in protecting the concrete surface against spills while the floor is in use.

Our InfinityFloor Polishing System

InfinityFloor was created as a complete system in order to get the best results from concrete slabs and provide our teams and other professionals a consistent framework to work to on a daily basis, where productivity and optimal results are key.

We’re not kidding when we say we’ve seen it all, every aspect of the industry and results that range from very good to the shockingly bad. A lot of people do assume that polishing concrete is just a case of moving backwards and forwards over the concrete with the polishing equipment but nothing could be further from the truth. No two concrete slabs are the same and due to the random way that concrete is mixed and laid results can often be variable. It genuinely takes a lot of skill to recognise the correct process to use and to put in place what is required to transform the look of concrete.

Everything we’ve learned and experienced during our 10 years in business has encouraged us to strive for better results than our competitors and not to settle for being second best. Our MD Dave Carr proudly engineered and mastered the InfinityFloor systemthrough not following the crowd and due to it’s success, now insists on designing his own tooling range, chemicals and consumables along with the help of local chemists and engineers.

Please bear in mind that we do not offer concrete laying services at this time, however we will not leave you alone through organising this stage and will provide you a comprehensive specification that you can pass to your chosen contractor and will give you all of the information you need. We’ll also happily speak to the contractor you’ve chosen so that everyone is working towards the same goal, giving you a beautiful polished concrete floor.

Key Feature of Our InfinityFloor System

Durable flooring solution

Easy to clean

Environmentally friendly

High level of slip resistance

Good level of stain resistance

Concrete densifier and concrete sealer included as standard in our process

Better scratch removal than other polished flooring systems

INFINITYFLOOR CREAM

The InfinityFloor Cream finish is currently our most requested finish and can often be seen in high end interior design specifications and on Grand Designs projects. For this look, the concrete needs to be laid very specifically so please do ensure you speak with us before the concrete is laid so we can provide you with all the information you need.

Polishing requires the most delicate of tools to be used to prevent the removal of too much of the power trowelled material, ‘the cream’ of the flooring. It is this that gives the floor the cloudy appearance that makes it so attractive. We use very fine ceramic bonded abrasives to gently smooth out and refine the surface so that it starts to shine.

While polishing, we need to use very gentle tools in order not to remove too much of the power trowelled material, referred to as ‘the cream’ of the concrete, as it is this that gives the floor it’s mottled, cloudy appearance that people find so attractive. We only use the best quality ceramic bonded tools and diamond impregnated fibre pads to smooth and refine the surface so that it begins to shine to our client’s desired level.

These tools, along with the use of a high-speed burnisher will further polish the concrete without removing too much material. This really is a high priority for us so as to protect the decorative concrete that the power trowel left behind. If we did start to remove this, you would most likely end up with a slightly aggregated finish, often a much different look to what has been initially requested.

When opting for the Cream polish, please always make sure you use a professional concrete contractor that has experience in producing a finished floor with concrete using a power trowel. Do not be tempted into cutting corners by using your builder as you may end up disappointed and we’ll need to discuss contingency options with you.

As standard with our InfinityFloor finishes the concrete will be treated with a professional grade hybrid silicate and resin densifier to harden the slab and a quality stain guard sealant to protect the concrete surface while in use.

InfinityFloor Cream is available in matt, satin and high gloss sheens.

INFINITYFLOOR SALT:PEPPER

To achieve a perfect Salt:Pepper look, you need to prepare the concrete as you would with our Cream finish. Once we have this, we will gently remove the decorative creaminess from the surface to reveal fine sand particles and small pieces of aggregate which will leave you with the very distinctive and industrial looking Salt:Pepper appearance.

With a high quality installation in mind, please contract a professional to ensure that you’re left with a smooth, flat and heavily powerfloated finish inline with our concrete specification. This will prevent the need for additional or contingency works to be considered.

Our process begins by using a fine metal bonded diamonds to softly remove around 1-2mm of concrete material from the surface and to expose the sand and aggregate as previously mentioned. Doing this will smooth the surface further and remove any small irregularities before the resin bonded tools are used to create the final polish.

InfinityFloor Salt:Pepper looks stunning in a residential or commercial environment. It can be finished with a matte, satin and gloss shine and is internally hardened and sealed with the same products and procedures as used on our other InfinityFloor systems.

INFINITYFLOOR STONE

This is a fully exposed aggregate polished concrete, where the surface has had at least 2-3mm of material ground away to expose the sand and stones contained within. Exposed aggregates look very similar to the terrazzo floors of old and this system is often specified for existing floors although you can of course specify it for a newly laid concrete too. Concrete that may have experienced problems during the laying process can often be worked to this standard and a lot of clients who want a feature floor often opt for this finish too as it’s incredibly eye catching.

The aim with a Stone look is to grind down into the densest and hardest layers of the concrete structure, to expose the bed of stone that sits beneath the surface. The exposed aggregate will have variations in size and uniformity but are usually around 10mm in size. It is very difficult to achieve a consistent exposure of stones without a large amount of material being removed therefore this should not be expected. We always quote for a predetermined depth of grind but more can be carried out on request. It should be noted however that grinding is expensive and can’t always guarantee the results you may expect it too, concrete has a mind of it’s own!

InfinityFloor Stone is incredibly robust, hard wearing and tough. It will be densified and sealed as mentioned previously to ensure it will not be susceptible to damage from oils and acids.

MicroFloor, MicroWall and PROtop overlays

Our MicroFloor, MicroWall and PROtop overlays have many things to offer clients who want a polished concrete surface but just want to assert a little more control over the finished look. They’re also incredibly useful if you have an existing floor that needs to be updated, refreshed and renewed. They’re also very useful if wanting to cover a newly laid concrete slab that may have had some problems during installation.

Overlays need to be applied onto a cement based substrate. This substrate should be fully cured with a low residual moisture reading, which may take a number of weeks to achieve so this time should be factored into your project planning. There are some fast drying screeds on the market that can really be useful if you’re up against it time wise, please do ask us and we’ll be pleased to point you in the right direction.

Sadly, we are unable to apply our overlays to an anhydrite or gypsum based screed as they hold onto their moisture for a great deal of time and tend to be softer than other screeds. We want to guard against future incompatibility and the potential disappointment of our clients and therefore recommend that a cement based substrate is always used if a concrete overlay is planned.

Our Microfloor is laid by hand in multiple thin layers to a depth of approximately 3mm and is very similar in look to our InfinityFloor Cream, just much easier to achieve! You still get that beautiful no stone, cloudy appearance but you get it your way with your choice of colour and shine level. This is a truly bespoke finish where everything is manufactured to order. We’ll make samples up to your specification beforehand too.

PROtop is laid to a depth of approximately 10mm and will incorporate either aggregate or your choice of coloured glass chippings. This truly is a polished concrete floor as all PROtop overlays are mechanically diamond polished to your desired level of shine. As with Microfloor, you can colour PROtop to your specification and even specify particular aggregate making a truly bespoke floor a reality for everyone.

MicroWall is becoming more popular month on month, in particular in wet rooms where is can placed on floors and ceilings. Application to walls and other vertical surfaces is made in much the same way as on flooring, however we recommend that it is placed directly onto cement boards or similar - something strong, waterproof and with no flex.A lot of thought has gone in to our MicroFloor, MicroWall and PROtop overlays. We want to provide you with a tough but flexible floor surface that works well over underfloor heating and will last for many years. All of our products contain recycled material, premium polymers and quartz which work together to bind the overlay to the floor below whilst providing as much protection as possible against substrate cracking. Holding a high resistance to scuffs and scratches is important with this type of floor covering and to this end we use a highly abrasion and water resistant solved sealer to ensure that our overlays are suitable for many different applications, from bathrooms to living rooms. As the floor build up of our overlays is typically less than working with a concrete slab you get a high amount of heat transfer from your underfloor heating system which could, in time, mean lower heating costs for you.

Key Features Of CARRcrete Microcement

Can be applied over new and existing floor and wall surfaces

Rapid hardening, high abrasion resistance

Multiple colours available to perfect your decorative vision

Enhanced crack and shrinkage resistance

Flexible and suitable for use over underfloor heating

Trowel applied to 3mm

Poured and diamond polished to 10mm

User friendly, designed with fellow professionals in mind

Satin or gloss sheen achievable

Environmentally friendly formulation.

Our Online Store - www.carrdiamondpolishingpads.co.uk

Our online store is going from strength to strength and is the go-to place to shop for all of your polished concrete tools, overlays, grouts and fillers, chemical densifiers and professional sealers.

We realised many years ago that there was a shortfall in acquiring concrete tools and consumables but more importantly that the quality of the items available did not perform sufficiently on site. We resolved to change that.

To combat the problems that we experienced in our early days, we have since designed our own range of metal grinding and resin polishing tools which have a much higher proportion of diamonds integrated than cheaper alternatives and are the same tools we use daily on site. Metal tooling is made to order and we can also provide adapter plates which fit onto the most used machinery to ensure our tooling is compatible.

To complement these tools we also stock our extremely popular PROhard concrete densifier which is a professional grade concrete hardener and a must for all working with concrete surfaces, from floors to worktops. We also stock a range of impregnating and topical sealers designed for floors, worktops and microcements that will fulfil all of your requirements.

On sale soon will be our range of overlays - PROtop, Microfloor and MicroWall. These are the most user friendly, abrasion resistant and environmentally friendly overlay products on the market today and are the products we use daily on site. No longer do you have to order your products from Italy or France, our products are competitively priced and manufactured right here in the UK. Sample packs will be available - what do you have to lose?

CARRcrete Consultancy Services

During the last 10 years of working exclusively with concrete we’ve come to appreciate that concrete is a very imperfect medium to work with. On site consultancy services can help to drive business growth and increase productivity.

Our on site consultancy services can be invaluable to those on a job that’s not going to plan, to a team that are new to the business and need direction or to teams that need to understand why they’re not getting the best out of their tooling.

Our MD Dave Carr has been highly sought after as an on site consultant for a number of years. You will benefit from his tremendous experience, industry knowledge and his ability to interpret works and take action on what’s required to move your teams forward. Dave is a true leader in this field, designing and manufacturing his own range of diamond tooling, grouts and overlay systems and is happy to pass on his knowledge and experience in order to assist others.

We also offer a polished concrete inspection service for those times when you need a second opinion regarding your polished concrete. Full written reports are included.

Friendly advice

CARRcrete are always on hand to answer those questions that will inevitably come up when you begin looking at installing concrete surfaces. We truly are the friendly face of the industry and are happy for you to give us a call or drop us an email with any questions or queries you may have. We’ll certainly try to point you in the right direction and help you along from the very beginning to the completion of the works. We look forward to speaking with you.

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