The Long History of Industrial Concrete Flooring

If you mention the word “concrete” most people might think of motorways, or dreary faceless building façades.  However, did you know that the Roman Coliseum was made of concrete?  Yes, that’s right; one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions was actually made of a material that many people consider dull and utilitarian.

Although concrete is widely used today in all sorts of construction projects, its roots go all the way back to the Roman Empire.  In fact, the word “concrete” comes from the combination of two Roman words: “con” meaning “together” and “crescere”, which means “to grow”.  Considering that concrete is basically a composite material made of the combination of a course filler material, and a binder, known as cement, those two words perfectly describe what concrete is: two materials that grow together to form something strong and durable.

Of course, the strength and durability of concrete depends on the quality of the materials and the process used in making it, so if you’re planning on installing industrial concrete flooring for a business, you’ll want to makes sure you find the right company to do the job.

What are the ingredients that go into making good concrete for high quality industrial concrete flooring?

Aggregate – This is the first thing you need.  This can be course gravel, crushed rocks, along with something finer like sand.

Cement – This is the binder, often called Portland cement, that will hold the aggregate material together.  Along with the Portland cement you might also have fly ash and slag cement.

Water – Not only does water make it possible to shape or mould the concrete into whatever form is needed, it also causes a chemical reaction with the cement that will bind all the ingredients together.  This process, called hydration, is what turns cement into the durable, rock hard material so useful for construction.

Additives – Chemical or mineral “admixtures” and reinforcements can be added to the concrete mixture to obtain different properties for the finished product.

Keep in mind, though, that having all the right ingredients does not necessarily mean you will have the highest quality concrete when installing industrial concrete flooring.  The quality of the concrete will depend on the quality of the components, the expertise with which they were mixed together, as well as the skill used in putting the concrete flooring in place.

Since there are many factors involved in producing high quality concrete, it’s important to find a concrete manufacturing who not only uses the best materials available but also has the experience and skill needed to make sure your finished product will be be beautiful, and stand the test of time, just like the Roman Coliseum.