Burnished concrete offers a beautiful finish to ordinary concrete, creating something appealing and attractive out of something conventional. Put simply, burnishing is a form of polish. It provides a hard wearing, yet attractive, finish by rubbing concrete at high speeds and then occasionally applying a sealer.
Chances are you have seen burnished concrete before. It is used in industrial buildings, like warehouses and carparks, but it is increasingly being used to provide a sleek, modern touch in residential, commercial, and retail buildings too. Indeed, thanks to colourants, dyes or staining, the creative possibilities of burnishing are almost endless. The Kraftur crew specialise in steel trowel Burnished Finishes.
Steel Trowel Burnishing
Steel trowel burnishing is better suited to stronger types of concrete, this method involves using mechanical or hand trowelling at the time of placement until a surface lustre is obtained. Concrete should have a strength of at least 32 Mpa to ensure there is enough fine material to achieve a stellar surface finish.
Steel trowel burnishing is best left to the professionals, such as your trusted Kraftur team. It requires strict control of concrete mix design, slump, compaction, set time, finishing techniques, and curing to ensure a top-quality finish.
Another important point is that stringent tolerances on flatness and levelness are also required, since the reflective nature of a burnished surface will magnify even the smallest imperfection. Therefore, it’s important to use laser screeds and large ride on trowel machines.
When done well, the results can be magnificent, resulting in a smooth, durable, blemish-free surface that is both utilitarian and aesthetically pleasing. What more could you want?
Whatever your burnishing project involves, ensure that Kraftur is by your side. We have years of experience in industrial and commercial concrete construction and deliver market-leading surfaces. Contact us to discuss this in more detail.