Our Process: Getting Started

From Pre-Planning to Project Specifications

We’ve made it our mission to be there for all the industrial flooring needs in your facility. We developed a five-stage, step-by-step process for personalizing each flooring solution to your requirements. There are many steps we perform before any concrete is poured.

Phase 1: Designing Your Concrete Floor Plan

There are multiple critical steps in the planning process before the concrete slabs are installed. Before the concrete installation, we need to meet with a long list of the experts involved in the project. That list includes the:

Architect
Building Owner
Ready-Mix Plant
General Contractor
Concrete Contractor
Concrete Placing and Finishing Contractor
Project Manager
Project Engineer
Project Superintendent
In-house Experts at Ardor Solutions

The final results of our floor polishing or coating process depend on the details we establish upfront. This pre-planning and project development is just as important as the project installation itself.

Investing time and effort in the early stages of projects is part of the value that comes from partnering with Ardor Solutions.

In the past 15 years, we have seen concrete surface variables like color variations, aggregate, contaminants, cracks, the patterns from previous floor coverings, existing stains, nail holes, patched areas, and flatness impact the eventual final appearance of the flooring in your facility. Adjusting for these variables is what makes the difference between typical flooring solutions and the excellence in industrial flooring we deliver at Ardor.

Matching Tight Flooring Project Specifications

The results of any new polished concrete project are significantly improved when the slabs of concrete are poured to tight specifications. Slab construction requires attention to detail, and the more we know going in, the better the end product will be. We see our polished concrete applications as more than just individual components; it is a total flooring system. This system includes concrete mix design, our finishing methods, curing concrete methods, control joint placement, and polishing process.

When a slab is poured to exact specifications, it removes a substantial number of variables and delivers the high-quality final results customers have come to expect from our team. This dedication to the quality of the final product is why we take the time to coordinate with all key parties. Launching your project on the right foot makes it that much easier for us to deliver the results we promised.

Phase 2: Setting Project Expectations and Specifications

As we start speccing your polished concrete project, we work with you to address all aesthetic factors and expectations. Again, there are many variables and options to consider, and we want to get it right the first time.

Aggregate Exposure and Class of Cut

The goal is to refine, remain within the desired layer, and make it as consistent as possible throughout the entire area being processed. These layers can vary in thickness throughout the surface and the area of the slab being processed. As a result, there may be varying degrees of exposed aggregate through a floor. This variance is one of the many reasons achieving the correct Floor Flatness (FF) at the time of placement and finishing is crucial. When we talk about aggregate and class of cut, we delve into detail terms like:

Surface Cream
Fine Aggregate
Medium Aggregate
Large Aggregate

Clarity of Reflection and Distinction of Image

Clarity of reflection, or distinction of image, is an industry term we use to define how crisp and clear the reflection of an object is when looking straight down (not out at an angle) into a surface. There’s a difference between a crisp, clear reflection and a muffled one. Floor gloss is defined in these general terms:

Ground
Honed
Semi-Polished
Highly Polished

Coloring

There are four primary techniques we use to color concrete:

Integral: Performed by the concrete contractor and mixed in the concrete at the time of pour, integral systems are environmentally friendly and stable against the long-term effects of UV rays.
Water-Based Dyes: Performed by the polishing contractor and installed during the polishing process, water-based dyes are environmentally friendly and UV-stable but not UV-resistant.
Solvent-Based Dyes: Performed by the polishing contractor and installed during the concrete polishing process, solvent-based dyes can be specced to meet volatile organic compound (VOC) requirements when used with acetone, since acetone is exempt from VOC requirements (40 CFR 51.100(s)). These dyes are UV-stable but not UV-resistant.
Acid Stain: Performed by the Polishing Contractor and installed during the polishing process, acid stains are not considered environmentally friendly but are UV-stable.

Not sure what some of these terms mean? Review our polished concrete glossary for more industry insights.

Get Started Today With Your Needs Assessment

Not sure where to start? Our free needs assessment is an excellent place to start.

Schedule a Needs Assessment

Experts in the Concrete Floor Polishing Process

Are you ready to get started on your polished concrete project? The experts at Ardor Solutions are here to simplify the decision-making process by providing you with the industry insights and knowledge you need. Contact us today and we’ll work with you to begin planning your next project.

Schedule a Free Needs Assessment

If you’re ready to start exploring the possibilities for your next industrial flooring project, schedule a needs assessment to get started.