Paul Warner has been creating world-class polished concrete floors for 18 years, and has 12 years of experience as a concreter and a geologist’s understanding of materials and chemical reactions. He has expert knowledge of:
- concrete characteristics, how to maintain optimal structural integrity of the concrete, and the techniques to create a perfect polished concrete floor; and
- The optimum times during construction for us to carry out our work so that you get the best quality floor we can produce.
Geocrete’s terms and conditions are to ensure that you get the best possible result for your Geoshine™ polished concrete floor.
Paul Warner will discuss standards and techniques with your concreter before the floor is laid.
To keep your polished floor in top condition, Geocrete’s maintenance specifications must be adhered to. Regular maintenance and cleaning, with weekly use of the Alchemy floor conditioner/hardener, will guarantee our workmanship for 10 years.
Concrete standards
- The concrete must be to a strength grade of 32 megapascals (Mpa).
- It must be placed and finished in accordance with Australian Standard AS2870.
- The concreter is to provide a Class A finish with no more than 3mm deviation over a three metre straight edge and a FF reading not less than 50 and a FL reading not greater than 30.
- The concreter must begin curing the slab as soon as practicable after it is laid and continue the curing until Geocrete begins its grinding cuts.
The Geoshine™ Process
The Geoshine™ polishing process is a two stage system. Following close collaboration with your concreting team, the first stage begins 1-2 weeks after the slab is poured. Once the project is water tight, polishing ensures in the second stage, before plaster is installed.
Stage one
- The concrete surface is ground using 20/30 grit diamonds in two slow cross cutting passes to obtain the specified exposure for the project.
- The concrete surface is ground using 50/60 grit diamonds in one slow pass, while the floor is simultaneously grouted ahead of the machine. This grouting system is made in-house to Alchemy Construction Chemicals formulae, which fills in major voids, pull-outs and small imperfections.
- The concrete surface is ground using 120 grit diamonds in one slow pass, while the floor is simultaneously grouted ahead of the machine. The Alchemy grout is allowed to dry for one hour, after which the concrete surface is saturated with a premium advanced technology Alchemy potassium densifier and left overnight for the necessary chemical reaction to occur. This densifier forms a highly resistant molecular bond in the top wear surface zone of the concrete, penetrating up to 5mm to deliver the durability and strength of all Geoshine™ floors.
Once the first three steps of grinding, grouting and densifying are completed, the project construction can proceed the following day.
The entire floor must be protected with 3mm corflute and be fully taped. Plyboard may be also laid over the top, covered with black plastic and taped. It’s critical that no wet timber staining or accidental damage from tradesmen occurs over the polished floor.
Stage two
Polishing commences before plaster is installed and once the project is water tight and at lock up stage.
- The concrete surface is ground using 120 grit diamonds in one slow pass, while the floor is simultaneously grouted ahead of the machine. The Alchemy grout is allowed to dry for one hour, after which the concrete surface is saturated with a premium advanced technology Alchemy potassium densifier and left overnight.
- The concrete surface is polished using 50 grit resin in one slow pass, while the floor is simultaneously grouted and densified ahead of the machine. This surface treatment is a hybrid nanotechnology of Alchemy lithium grout, unique to the Geoshine™ polishing system.
- Potassium densifier is applied and allowed to dry. The concrete surface is then polished for the second time using 50 grit resin.
- Alchemy potassium densifier is applied and allowed to dry. The concrete surface is then polished using 100 grit resin.
- Alchemy potassium densifier is applied and allowed to dry. The concrete surface is then polished for the second time using 100 grit resin.
- Alchemy potassium densifier is applied and allowed to dry. The concrete surface is then polished using 200 grit resin.
- Alchemy potassium densifier is applied and allowed to dry. The concrete surface is then polished for the second time using 200 grit resin.
- Alchemy lithium densifier is applied and allowed to dry. The concrete surface is then polished using 400 grit resin.
- Alchemy lithium densifier is applied and allowed to dry. The concrete surface is then polished using 800 grit resin.
- The concrete surface is polished using 1800 grit resin.
- The concrete surface is polished using a gas butane high speed burnisher with 3500 grit HD pad.
- The concrete surface is polished using a gas butane high speed burnisher with 8000 grit HD pad. The polished surface is then sealed twice with a penetrating, stain resisting Alchemy sealer and allowed to dry. A final buff gives the floor its signature Geoshine™!
The entire floor must be protected with Ramboard and fully taped. It must not get any moisture trapped in this product, and concrete must be able to fully breathe during the rest of the completion of the project. Plyboard may be additionally placed over the top for no more longer than five days if tradesmen are working in an area.