Satin Geoshine™. Surface polish, basalt with standard grey base.
A miner’s cottage in Ballarat has been given a cosmopolitan makeover, with the surface polished floor a highlight of the renovation.
Fusing old and new, the 110-year-old cottage’s charming street façade conceals a striking out-back extension, where seamless Geocrete polished concrete links the new kitchen, living area and master bedroom.
Owners Errol Lawrence and Clare Irving chose Paul Warner for the polishing job, after a recommendation from Luke Sisic of RHA Concrete. Upon exploring the Geocrete website, the couple fell in love with Paul’s work and decided on a surface polish, a chic alternative to mechanical polishing that makes a feature of the beautiful patina of burnished concrete.
All surface polishes are unique: the idiosyncrasies of the finished floor depend on the particular patterns of light and dark that are formed as the concrete is burnished. Finished in a satin sheen for a more natural look than a high-gloss finish, Errol and Clare’s new floor is a delight, with its beautiful marbling characteristics giving the illusion of cloud cover in a night sky.
An open plan bedroom with bathroom is a bold feature of the cottage, revelling in a freedom from walls that makes the typical master ensuite feel ‘old hat’. The freestanding claw bathtub makes an inviting sculptural statement floating over the sleek polished concrete.
According to Errol, Paul Warner could not have been better to deal with. “His advice and suggestions were always well-considered and on the mark,” Errol said. “When it comes to concrete polishing, Paul is an absolute artist. Our floors have exceeded our wildest expectations. They are simply magnificent!”
Paul said Errol and Clare find the floor a pleasure to live with. “The polished area is dog-friendly and its seamless flow makes it easy to clean and maintain. The floor is fantastic in winter, as the concrete’s thermal mass traps the sun’s morning energy and warms the whole house. Polished concrete is a wonderful insulator that will help you retain whichever temperature you choose, in any season.”
To achieve a surface polish, the slab must first be laid perfectly level by the concreter. “The success of a surface polish is completely reliant on how well the concreter screeds and finishes the floor,” Paul said. “In this case, the floor was expertly poured and burnished by Luke Sisic, who is a brilliant concreter. It was also a pleasure working with builder Phil Page of Page Constructions, who meticulously protected and cared for the floor throughout the building program.”
Although Paul’s work takes him throughout Victoria, it’s always a joy to take on jobs in Ballarat. “The cottage is around the corner from Russell Square, where I played football many years ago, and the sound of umpires and families coming together during Saturday matches brought back many fond memories,” he said.
