Concrete tiles are preferred for use on residential floors for the fact that they often have a longer lifespan than alternative tile materials that would have been used.
Despite their commendable durability, these tile surfaces will suffer cosmetic damage after long-term exposure to foot traffic. Cosmetic damage on concrete tiles should not be taken lightly because such damage affects the structural integrity of the floor tiles. This article explores what's involved in DIY surface preparation for homeowners looking to have concrete floor tiles resurfaced.
The Initial Inspection
In order to prepare concrete tile surfaces, homeowners need to know what they're working with—literally. The physical condition of concrete tiles to be resurfaced must be established before any preparation-related activities can kick off.
Inspecting the concrete tiles beforehand is required to determine the presence (or lack thereof) of contaminants on tile surfaces and to establish how structurally sound the tiles are.
Assessing the extent of physical/cosmetic damage on concrete floor tiles will give the homeowner an idea of the kind of equipment that (s)he will need for the job at hand.
Cleaning And Repair Of Concrete Tile Surface Defects
The next step in concrete tile surface preparation requires the homeowner to clean the floor tiles and repair any surface defects that may have been identified during the initial inspection.
Concrete floor tiles should be swept clean to get rid of loose dirt particles and similar types of debris. Commercial chemical cleaning products can then be used to scrub off surface stains such as grease and wax.
Mechanical defects (cracks) on concrete floor tile surfaces should then be restored through the application of a concrete sealing material such as polyurethane.
Homeowners who have previously resurfaced their concrete floor tiles may have to strip off significant or entire portions of the existing surface before a new surface layer is installed.
Creation Of The Concrete Surface Profile
Concrete surface profiles facilitate proper bonding of coatings and overlays installed on concrete floor tiles. Commonly used surface profile materials include sealers and polymer overlays. As a general rule of thumb, the aggressiveness of the surface profile chosen by a homeowner should be directly proportional to the thickness of the new overlay or coating to be installed. Surface profiles help to give concrete tiles floor tiles the desired texture for improved traction.
After undertaking the preparation activities discussed above, the concrete tiles will be ready for the tile resurfacing specialist.