Explain the difference about
FINISHES
Tamped Finish
A tamped finish is suitable in most cases - especially for wooden garages. This finish is created once the concrete has been poured by using a straight piece of timber or aluminium. The straight edge is dragged along the top of the shuttering to create a flat and level surface, whilst tamping the top surface. The tamping is used to release the bubbles in the concrete to the top of the surface - which is required for any type of concrete pad.
Floated Finish
The floated finish continues on from the tamped finish to provide a smoother look to the concrete. This is more suited to garden room and garden office bases, as it removes the possibility of ridges in the concrete. Once set - the ridges can cause wooden floors to rock, hence what can look like a level base can end up unsuitable for a garden room floor.
The floated finish is also similar to a brush finish, and requires a smooth float fixed to a long pole being slowly pulled from one side to another. The flat head of the float smoothes any remaining ridges and ripples left by the tamped finish, and is done before the concrete starts to set. It is usually done at the end of the day.
Screed Finish
A screed finish is the next stage on from the floated finish, and is often used as a finished floor surface for a garage.
Once the garage has been erected, the screed is added between the bricks to give a smooth working surface. This is often required for a workshop floor that will be painted with a concrete sealer - and is preferred by enthusiasts looking to utilise the garage as a working environment.
Alternatively, as screed can be used as a top layer for an uneven base so that an existing concrete pad can remain in situ even if it isn't suitable for a new garden room or office.
Polished Concrete
Sanding the concrete can be required if a tamped base has formed ridges. If this happens, the ridges would need to be ground down by a machine, so that the base is level enough for a garden room or office.
Eventually the sanding machine would create a smooth surface which is known as a polished finish.
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This is not something that we often provide as it would be more suited towards a room in the house, or a shop where the concrete floor is a feature of the design.
