It's not just for sidewalks; concrete is a stylish choice for indoor floors. Its surface can be finished in various ways—with colors, stains, and aggregates—and given a textured surface or buffed until glassy. Concrete floors are extremely durable and easy to clean, and they resist water when properly sealed. Concrete works well with radiant heating, and the surface absorbs heat to cut energy bills.

Options

Colors. Choose a range of colors applied to concrete in various methods.

• Integral color is added to concrete during the mixing process.
• Stains produce a translucent finish with a one-of-a-kind look.
• Dyes, often mixed onsite, lend more vibrant shades.
• Colored hardeners are added to fresh concrete for surface-level color.
• Paint can also be applied to concrete.

Surface. Depending on the look and feel you want to achieve, choose from a variety of textures, including troweled, smooth, or polished. Concrete can also be stamped (to create a pattern, such as tiled) or scored (patterned using a circular saw).

Aggregates. Most interior floors are formed from a fine concrete mix, though some incorporate crushed stone or gravel for a rougher surface.

Type. There are two general types of concrete floors:

• Existing concrete. The concrete slab already in your house can be enhanced with decorative treatments, such as stains and polishes.
• Decorative overlay: Concrete overlays can be installed over certain existing hard-surface floor types to mask damage or offer a fresh new appearance.

Concrete is Green

Concrete is good for the Earth. Really. The floors are eco-friendly, anyway. Concrete does not deplete natural resources, requires less energy than other floor types to produce, and is made (poured) locally. Concrete is good for indoor air quality because it inhibits mold, mildew, and odors, contains no potentially harmful VOCs, and can be finished with zero-VOC sealers. Concrete's absorption of warm and cool air minimizes the need for heating and cooling. And concrete can be recycled and the surface cuts down on the need to discard waste, such as scraps of flooring and underlayment.