Exposed concrete floors and walls are durable, hard wearing and useful for all sorts of applications from exterior walls, warehouses to art galleries and garages to domestic living rooms. They are particularly useful for heavy loads or traffic or, when combined with underfloor heating, for continuous and efficient space heating. As a finish they can appear utilitarian or luxurious depending very much upon the chosen materials and installation techniques.

Technically, the upper face of a concrete floor is called an “unformed” face, in contrast to “formed” concrete faces which obtain their shape and texture from the moulds or formwork in which they are cast. Unformed faces are typically flat and require post-finishing techniques to achieve the required texture. The most prevalent texture or finish for internal exposed concrete floors is polished – either power-trowelled for a smooth solid appearance, or diamond ground to expose the aggregates. A requirement for greater slip resistance is often a driver to explore other options, such as the inclusion of retardants or shot-blasting. Some of the techniques more commonly used for external surfaces, such as imprinting or brushing, can also be used to good aesthetic effect inside.

“Wearing screeds” (formerly known as “high strength concrete toppings”) are usually installed once the space is enclosed, unlike a structural floor slab. They are specifically designed to serve as a floor and wall finish, often incorporating pipes for underfloor heating, and require care and expertise to execute correctly.