Gloss and Shine on Concrete
When you shop for paint, you likely hear different versions of the term “gloss finish” – be it semi-gloss, full gloss, high gloss, or even ultra-high gloss. What is a gloss finish? It refers to the amount of light a surface reflects. It doesn’t involve a color or shade, but a gloss finish can deepen and enhance a concrete floor with a color stain in place. That’s why although gloss and shine are often used as synonyms, they actually describe slightly different qualities. A glossy item is best described as “having surface luster or brightness” whereas a shiny item is simply defined as “reflecting light.” A gloss surface focuses on the depth and quality of reflected light while a shiny surface is all about the reflection of light.
As an example, the finish on a show car, game room wall, or a simple mirror is meant to reflect not just light, but images. In fact, they’re often designed to reflect images as accurately as possible. That’s what a shiny surface is meant to do. A glossy surface has a smooth, silky luster that does not reflect images as well as it reflects brilliance. Think of kitchen counters or a treated wood table as examples. When it comes to concrete, however, the level of gloss is just as customizable as most paints. With enough work, you can have a concrete floor that reflects not only light, but images, therefore becoming both glossy and shiny with a mirror-like finish.
The Gloss Coating Process
To get a gloss finish on your concrete floor, it needs to be prepared. Although a concrete floor may look flat and smooth, on a microscopic level it’s very porous and filled with crevices, holes, and ridges. Nevada Custom Coatings uses a grinding process to smooth out your concrete. We take away all those uneven surfaces so when light hits it, the light won’t be scattered randomly. Instead, the smooth surface is the foundation to reflect the light waves in unison, increasing brilliance. The more grinding passes we make, the smoother the surface becomes, making a foundation for a deeper, more glossy result. After the grinding process, we add a coating to help with reflection and lock in the finish, all according to your desired level of gloss.
That’s one of the many reasons we have a consultation with you before we begin the process. We need to know the level of gloss and reflection that you want for your home or business. If you are having trouble deciding, feel free to look at our gallery for many examples of gloss finishes. Or if you’ve seen a showroom or kitchen floor somewhere that you’d love to see in your home or business, take a picture so we can get an idea. We go over the details and with you until we fully understand what kind of gloss finish you want on your concrete floor.
Please give our office a call or schedule a free consultation online to tell us what brilliant vision you have for your concrete floor. Whether it’s a protective epoxy coating, a professional concrete polish, or a stain of color, Nevada Custom Coatings is the best option for any improvements to your concrete floor.
