Why concrete floors are taking over Aussie homes

2020 was a year that heavily impacted us all, with Australians being subject to lockdowns and staying at home becoming the norm. Many of us have become more mindful of our homes and interiors and have even done makeovers to make the most of our time at home.

I’ve been looking at undertaking a project for my home over Summer as well and making the floors a focal point for the project.

For homeowners as well, these decisions and style choices go beyond a throw or a layout change with people wanting to paint walls, and even update their floors to something more modern or a change from tiles to floorboards or ditching the traditional carpet.

Concrete floors have seen a surge in interest with the utilitarian style, the mix of modern and classic, and the functionality compared to standard flooring solutions.

Let’s take a look at a few reasons why concrete flooring is taking over Aussie homes:

On the rise

Concrete flooring is on the rise and Australians are becoming more receptive to the look and style that they bring. They have a unique style and one that can really draw some positive attention when people visit your home. We’ve seen more and more people add concrete flooring to the new house discussion with people now asking ‘carpet, tiles, floorboard or concrete?’.

Up until recently, concrete floors were reserved for large warehouses, older business locations, and commercial buildings or universities that needed a large quantity of low cost flooring that’s maintainable and can see a lot of foot traffic during its use.

But the look of the floors are certainly becoming the modern option and if you’ve entered a home recently with the polished floors, you can certainly see the charm and feel the premium touch to the home.

Aren’t they expensive?

When you first look at a floor made entirely out of concrete in your home, you might be worried about the price and if it’s actually viable for your home financially as opposed to other floors.

Concrete floors are actually very cost effective with most options only being around the $50 per square metre mark, with much cheaper options only being a few dollars per square metre. Premium options can cost you a bit more, but when going up against the premium floorboard and tile options available, they usually come out on top as the bargain option.

In the long term, they’re usually considered the cheapest option being able to last for decades.

Durability

One reason you might consider the change to polished concrete is the durability. Concrete is inherently more durable than your standard floorboards, tile or carpets. The hard material can handle footsteps, furniture moving, and more while being resistant to most of the wear and tear that we face daily.

Coffee, soft drinks, and spills might be the biggest advantage of the concrete flooring as spills can be easily wiped up and not soaked in or worries over a wine spill. The relief from being able to have a party and not having to worry about carpet spills may be enough to get them in your home. They’re also very easy to clean with mopping and wet wipes being your 2 best friends after installing the concrete floors.

BestInAu has an article on helping you clean your concrete floors and maintain them as well which is really worth checking out to make the most of your floors and learning more about it.

The possibilities are endless

The style, durability and maintenance are selling points for many people. But the style and customisation rivals the best of the best with dyes and etching being able to transform concrete floors from a utilitarian grey, to a bright and colourful pink.

Floorboards and carpets have style choices and are able to pull off some truly magical things as well, it’s all about being experimental and doing your research to find your next dream floor.

Business owners as well can benefit from using polished concrete flooring to help their businesses stand out and have people coming back to admire the beautiful styling of the store, as well as making the flooring more cost-effective at a larger scale while also preserving the durability that comes with the nature of having people walk on it everyday in a store.

The possibilities really are endless and will always have that classic polished look for years to come.

Stand out from the crowd

Most homes feature a standard carpet, tile or floorboard for the home and often rely on changing furniture or painting walls to change a whole look, while people tend to ignore flooring and even putting throws or carpets to cover floors.

Your friends and family will notice just how unique your home will feel as opposed to the standard materials used, and you will notice it everyday you come home from work or school.

You can also put a throw or floor mat over the floor so you don’t have to get rid of your lounging accessories and rugs.

The bottom line

Concrete floors are on the rise in Australia and home owners looking for a home project this Summer and creating a standout home in 2021 should look into concrete flooring and the contemporary style that it brings into a home.
They offer a lot of advantages such as the durability, maintenance, and style choices while still considered a cheaper option compared to other flooring options.

We expect many people will implement them into their homes and younger Aussies moving out of home or finding a new place will seek out and favour the premium and chic style associated with the floors.

At the end of the day, your home should be a place you’re proud of and whether you’re embracing concrete flooring, or sticking to your current flooring, you should take pride in it and your upcoming Summer projects.

Dominic Kinsella
Dominic Kinsellahttps://concrete-floors.com.au/
I'm the owner and director of Concrete Floor Renovations here in Melbourne, a concrete flooring business focused on delivering premium polished flooring and restoring older floors to new. I've been involved in the construction industry for 20 years and specialised in concrete flooring and I'm passionate about making people fall in love with their homes and workspaces.
Over at Concrete Floor Renovations, I showcase new and upcoming projects as well as providing people with information on interior floors.
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