Satin gloss Geoshine™. Random Exposure, Grey Granite and Brown Hornfels with Black oxide.
Polished concrete the ‘pièce de résistance’ in Invermay
Geocrete’s Paul Warner went back to his roots to create a sleek and sexy polished concrete floor for an arresting new home in Invermay, Ballarat.
As a child Paul grew up exploring Ballarat’s bush trails whilst training his gun dog, and prior to the job, his company, Geocrete, had already gained a strong reputation in the area for Paul’s awe-inspiring work on the internationally recognised Ballarat Construction Management headquarters.
Paul had also formed a strong working relationship with one of Ballarat’s best craftsmen, Sam Martin, while Sam was building his father Ian’s home. Both Sam and Ian were awestruck by the quality of Paul’s workmanship, and the pride he takes in his work. Moreover they found Paul’s customer service second to none. You can read Ian’s testimonial here.
So when Sam was asked by one of Australia’s champion footballers and four time Henderson medallists to build him a new home, Sam knew who to call to create a polished concrete floor worthy of a palace.
Set on five acres and featuring stunning skyline views of Ballarat city, the innovative home has a modern ranch-like feel, with vast proportions, a contemporary interior, and striking use of timber and stone. The house makes a sensational silhouette with two mono-pitched rooves housing separate living and sleeping areas. Full use is made of its gorgeous views, with huge timber decks and an abundance of clerestory windows that flood the house with natural light.
The huge, 180m2 open plan living area features a slick, black kitchen as its centrepiece, accentuated by a head-turning black ceiling. However, the ‘pièce de résistance’ is arguably the sleek Geoshine™ polished concrete floor.
Created with a concrete mix of grey granite and brown hornfels with black oxide, the floor has a raw sexuality that complements the earthy colours both of the oak panelling details of the walls, and the inviting stone fireplace and stone feature walls. The clients chose a satin gloss sheen for the polished concrete – a more subtle finish than high gloss – for its soft aesthetics and the way it enhances the spaciousness of any room.
During the build, the clients lived onsite in a studio apartment that featured a polished concrete floor with full stone exposure. In their new home, the clients were eager to try a random exposure, which if done correctly, gives the floor a salt and pepper appearance and a more relaxed feel.
Paul explains that random exposure is the hardest of all finishes to achieve because its success depends on the workmanship of the concreter: only a small proportion of slabs are concreted to the appropriate standard. “Random exposure can often look defective, but in this case the concreter did an excellent job, and the results are stunning,” he said.
While Ballarat’s cold and wet weather meant that Paul had to dodge the rain as he worked, the climate proved a bonus because it had allowed the concrete to ‘cure’ very slowly, preventing cracking. “The job went smoothly apart from holdups from the weather, thanks mostly to Sam Martin, who is an excellent craftsman and is familiar with the Geoshine™ process,” Paul said.
The architects, Ballarat firm Arc Build and Design, were so impressed by Paul’s workmanship that they have since employed him on two new projects, including creating an exquisite Geoshine™ floor for the home of one of the firm’s directors.
Paul’s and Sam Martin’s working relationship has since gone from strength to strength, and Paul continues to impress his customers with his magnificent floors, his quality workmanship and outstanding follow up service.
Click here to read a review from Sam Martin, or to get in touch with Sam, phone 0438 312 904.
Sam Martin’s google review
I have engaged Geocrete to grind and polish several floors on behalf of my customers. The customers have always been blown away with the quality of the finish achieved, and also the follow up service provided. Whether that follow up service be care/cleaning general maintenance advice etc.
I first used Geocrete on a new build seven and a half years ago, and on a recent visit, the floor still looked absolutely magnificent. Their attention to detail and polishing procedure certainly results in a floor which can truly become a feature of a beautiful home.
Ian Martin’s testimonial
Hi Paul,
Just a quick note to thank you for the work completed recently at our place and to complement you on the quality of your work. As you know, our floor was first polished by you approximately eight years ago. In my wife’s opinion, it was beginning to show some signs of wear in high use areas. The re-polish that you provided has restored it to a state that in my opinion, is better than it was originally. Your new polishes together with the fact that you now produce your own polishes, have resulted in a surface which highlights our house. Your workmanship was superior. You obviously take great pride in the quality of your work and did not leave until all surfaces were as you wanted them to be. It is unusual to see tradespeople exhibit this dedication. The fact that you were prepared to travel to the country to do this work was also something of which you should be proud. It is gratifying to know that the quality of work presented to Melbourne’s “top end” clients, is also available to us in the bush.
Ian Martin