Polished Concrete Interior Floors

Polished Concrete Flooring and Winter Warmth

Most people know that polished concrete flooring looks incredible and is wonderfully durable. But beyond its immediate appeal, it’s also valued for its thermal qualities. Which means that polished concrete is an excellent absorber and conductor of heat.

In the summer, a polished concrete floor will soak up the sun’s heat, store it and release it slowly, effectively regulating your home’s temperature. But what about when the temperatures start to drop? One of the question we get asked most regularly is ‘Are polished concrete floors cold in winter?’

DirectStone is a family-run business with over two decades of experience installing polished concrete flooring. We’ve seen firsthand how polished concrete can help to create a warm and cosy atmosphere, even in the depths of winter. In this blog, we going to tell you how this is achieved.

Keeping Cosy – Practical Solutions for Warm Polished Concrete Floors

Polished concrete can be cold in the winter, but there are a number of steps you can take to keep your floors comfortably warm during the chillier months. We’ve seen the following solutions work particularly well where polished concrete has been installed in kitchens, halls and living areas.

• Insulation is Important – A properly insulated concrete sub-base will stop heat escaping downwards. When installing polished concrete, a layer of insulation should be placed beneath the concrete slab to form a thermal barrier. This means your home can retain its warmth throughout the winter.
• Rugs for Warmth and Style – Rugs are a simple and effective way to add warmth and texture to your polished concrete floors. They’re like an extra layer of insulation and feel good underfoot. Obviously, natural fibres like wool or sheepskin look great and feel luxurious.
• Underfloor Heating For Radiant Heat – Without a doubt, the most effective way to guarantee warm polished concrete floors is to install underfloor heating. It works perfectly with the thermal properties of concrete.

Wet underfloor heating gently warms the concrete slab, which radiates heat evenly throughout the room. Because concrete is so good at retaining heat, the system works very extremely efficiently, making it an energy-efficient and cost-effective heating solution.

Uninterrupted Design Freedom

If you love polished concrete, you probably appreciate clean lines and uncluttered spaces. UFH frees you from radiators, so there’s no need to compromise with your interior design. This is a particular advantage when working with open-plan spaces where floor space is such a priority.

Consistent and Comfortable Warmth

Radiators heat the air whereas underfloor heating warms surfaces, turning your polished concrete floor into a large radiator. The result is an even and consistent temperature throughout the room, with no cold spots you need to avoid. You’ll experience a gentle, pervasive warmth rather than fluctuating temperatures.

A Healthier Home Environment

Your air quality will improve as a consequence of installing underfloor heating. This is because air is not circulated in order to heat the room and, as a result, there’s less movement of dust and allergens. This is helpful for allergy sufferers and anyone with respiratory sensitivities.

Quiet Comfort – Underfloor heating operates silently. So, if you value a serene and peaceful ambiance in your home, you’ll be freed from the ticking, gurgling and banging that can sometimes accompany radiators as they heat up.