Whether you’re in charge of maintaining a commercial facility or you’re getting a store ready to open, one of the most important decisions you can make is choosing your flooring. One traditional solution was to cover a facility’s existing concrete floors with VCT (vinyl composition tiles).
But did you know that polished concrete can actually add value to your facility and save you money over the coming years?
In this post from ACT Restoration, we’ll break down some of the key differences between VCT and polished concrete in commercial applications.
Give us a call to schedule your VCT removal and polished concrete floor polishing services today!
Maintenance & Installation Costs
No matter how large your business is, one of the most important commercial flooring considerations is cost. First popularized in the 1980s for use in large-scale commercial applications, VCT was touted as a more affordable alternative to other commercial solutions, such as polished concrete.
Per square foot, polished concrete is less expensive than VCT flooring. In fact, over time, VCT can cost up to three times more than polished concrete between installation and maintenance costs.
Depending on the type of VCT tiles and the size of the facility, installation can be comparable to the cost of concrete floor polishing. However, over the years, maintenance on VCT flooring can far exceed the expense of concrete floor polishing.
VCT maintenance is often needed and typically requires a waiting period for the floors to cure afterward. Concrete is a much more durable and longer-lasting material than VCT tiles. When compared with VCT, polished concrete floors can have a sizable ROI after about a decade.
Polished concrete maintenance is easy. Spills should be cleaned up right away, but in general, you only need a dry mop and plain water to keep your floors looking clean. VCT generally requires dust mopping and an auto-scrubber to clean those deep-down stains.
VCT also requires recoating to keep it looking nicer for longer. If you aren’t going to clean VCT every day, you may need to recoat the tile more often.
Polished Concrete Looks Better Longer
VCT has many design options, and polished concrete is popular because it offers a wide range of design options, including stains and dyes. You don’t have to settle for a simple gray concrete floor if you opt for polished concrete. You can choose from many types of dyes and stains to match the decor or aesthetics of your facility.
There are even industrial finishes that will work better for warehouses and other industrial facilities. Not to mention, due to the process of polishing concrete, it tends to look better longer.
VCT flooring ages poorly and can end up peeling, cracking, looking patchy, and generally deteriorating as time passes, so you have to replace it. Polished concrete will require another polishing session rather than replacing your floor.
Polished Concrete Is More Durable
In general, polished concrete requires less maintenance than VCT tile. Concrete has a high PSI rating, whereas VCT is more susceptible to pressure and impact damage. The process of polishing concrete helps to maximize the strength of your floor and improves abrasion resistance in high-traffic areas.
Plus, polished concrete is non-porous, which means it will not absorb water and other spilled liquids. Concrete is less likely to cause spill and fall accidents as well due to its slip-resistant nature.
In addition, polished concrete will last longer because you can always hire a company like ACT Restoration to scarify the concrete. Concrete scarifying is a process in which the top of a concrete floor is chipped away to help level the floor if cracks are causing tripping hazards.
Scarifying can also help improve slip resistance for high-traffic, industrial-type facilities.
Polished Concrete is Energy Efficient
If your facility has windows, you’ll notice that polished concrete helps to create ambient light from reflected sunlight. If you only have overhead lights, then polished concrete will reflect that light as well, creating a well-light environment.
This can directly affect lighting investments and energy savings. You won’t need as many lights or windows to keep a space looking bright.
VCT Removal Services in Brooklyn Park, MN
At ACT Restoration in Brooklyn Park, we offer a complete range of concrete flooring services including VCT removal and concrete floor resurfacing.
To schedule your VCT removal service and get your concrete floors looking great again, contact us or give us a call at 763-432-3966. We can’t wait to transform your floors!