Contemporary Concrete Floors on the Main Floor (our concrete is the same weight as tile!) - created by MODE CONCRETE in Kelowna BC Canada

If you want ultra-modern style and major design impact, consider concrete floors - the flooring for the stylish at heart.  Concrete floors give a super-modern look, industrial look - and like freckles, concrete floors help to camouflage wear as it gets older. With concrete we embrace and look forward to variations, irregularities, and the patina that develops with wear over time. 

Pictured is a custom black stained concrete overlay floor and tiled fireplace, we created for a client in the Okanagan.   

There are good reasons why interior designers often choose concrete for their most cutting edge spaces. Stained, colored, textured or smooth, concrete boasts limitless design options. It provides a blank canvas upon which homeowners can leave their mark.  But beyond the design advantages, these surfaces are low maintenance and they blend seamlessly with the architectural aesthetics of various design styles.

Concrete Flooring Benefits:

• STYLISH - Undeniably gorgeous, original, one of kind and a piece of art. Homeowners love their concrete floors for their personality. Some owners opt for aesthetic simplicity, while others take advantage of the broad choice of colors and textures available.
• ENERGY EFFICIENCY - Concrete floors can help you save energy. They feel cooler in the summer, so there is less of a need to use air conditioning. During the winter, concrete floors absorb the heat from the sun, helping to keep your home warm.
• SUSTAINABILITY - Using concrete floors helps to minimize waste, unlike other types of flooring, such as carpet, which creates waste from padding and carpet scraps. Also, concrete does not contain the harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that many synthetic carpets do.
• NON SLIP SURFACE - Especially with a waxed surface, you would think concrete floors would be slippery. But the truth is that as long as your floor is finished with sealers and waxes, it should not be slippery. Standard practice and appropriate top coats, ensure that a non-slip additive is applied to the final finish of the floor.  Make sure you or your concrete contractors preform test areas.
• DURABILITY - If they are properly installed and maintained, concrete floors rarely need replacement and there is virtually no maintenance with concrete floors.
• LOW MAINTENANCE - Maintenance is simple. Just vacuum or sweep and follow up with a damp warm mop (use a neutral non-acidic cleaner). The amount of traffic your floors receive will determine the amount of maintenance it will need and how quickly patina's or wear marks appear. A concrete floor with normal traffic will probably need a reapplication of the finish every 2-3 years. 
• COST - Some considerations; size of job, detail (is it a basic application of stain or dye or more detailed design), preparation requirements, time frame, products and materials used (hardware store brand or professional grade) and finally, the experience level of the installer (a more experienced professional concrete artist/craftsman will charge more). Proper installation also means that you won't have to worry about moisture vapors. Vapor barriers should be installed under the concrete slab to block moisture and dampness. Keep in mind that hiring a professional concrete floor installer is the best way to ensure that you won't have problems later and recieve a high-quality concrete product.

MODE CONCRETE created this black stained concrete floor overlay (pictured above), on the main floor of this residence (on a wooden substrate). With proper prep, all surfaces can be topped with a concrete floor similar to this and are made of a light weight concrete so no extra structural supports are required for your project.  We are concrete experts, and specialize in all the services we discuss in this blog.  Please contact us for more details or a free onsite consultation and estimate.