How each floor is made
Polished concrete
Policrete describes polished concrete as made by grinding, honing and mechanically polishing a concrete surface. Policrete says polished concrete needs around 28 days to complete its curing time before it reaches full strength, and gives an installation time of about three to six days.
Resin floors
Policrete describes epoxy as a layered system of a base coat, a colour or design layer and a topcoat. Policrete gives an installation time of about two to three days plus a day before foot traffic. Duraamen says epoxy can often be installed relatively quickly, which limits disruption.
What this means for your timetable
The vendors' times are claims for their own systems. If a room must reopen on a date, you should ask the contractor to write down the cure and traffic times for the exact product.
What the vendors say each does well
Polished concrete
Both vendors describe polished concrete as durable and wear-resistant. Duraamen says its non-porous surface does not trap dirt or allergens and that it needs regular sweeping and occasional damp mopping.
Resin
Both describe epoxy as resistant to chemicals, stains and spills, and as able to take additives for slip resistance. Policrete says epoxy is tough and able to handle high impact, and Duraamen says it can be customised in colour and design.
What each does badly
Polished concrete
Duraamen says polished concrete can feel cold and hard, and that its look depends largely on the colour and aggregate of the existing slab, which limits customisation. MyJobQuote describes polished concrete as possibly slippery and cold underfoot. Policrete says it needs periodic mopping and polishing to keep its shine.
Resin
Duraamen says epoxy is vulnerable to scratches from heavy or sharp objects and can yellow or fade in UV light. Duraamen adds that poor substrate preparation or moisture can cause bubbling or delamination. Policrete warns that some epoxy finishes can become slippery when wet unless anti-slip additives are used. The guide to preparing a subfloor explains how slab moisture is measured.
Maintenance and moisture
Day-to-day care
Duraamen says polished concrete needs regular sweeping and occasional damp mopping, and that epoxy follows the same routine but abrasive cleaning agents should be avoided. Policrete says epoxy needs next to no maintenance beyond basic cleaning, and that polished concrete needs periodic mopping and polishing. You should ask the contractor to write the cleaning method into the handover.
Moisture in the slab
Duraamen says moisture can cause epoxy to bubble or delaminate. The screed moisture and levelling guide explains how a slab is tested, and the BS 8201 figure it quotes is 75% relative humidity for resilient coverings. Ask the contractor what limit applies to a resin system.
Time to use, as the vendor states it
| Polished concrete | Epoxy | |
|---|---|---|
| Installation (Policrete) | About 3 to 6 days | About 2 to 3 days |
| Before full use (Policrete) | Around 28 days to complete curing | A day before foot traffic; about 7 days before vehicles in a garage |
Screed is a different job
The directory groups polished concrete with grinding and screeding, but a screed is a separate layer laid on a slab. MyJobQuote's tiling guide prices floor screeding at £18 to £25 per square metre, which is not the same as the £80 to £200 it gives for polished concrete, so ask which job a quote prices.
Slip resistance: ask for a measured value
The two vendors contradict each other on slip, and neither gives a measured value. HSE says the best way to measure slip resistance is the pendulum test, described in BS 7976, and that manufacturer claims matter.
What to ask for
You should ask the contractor for the pendulum test value of the exact finish, in wet conditions, not a general statement. The commercial flooring guide explains the test and HSE's warning about ratings such as R9.
Why a finish is not a product
Anti-slip additives change a resin's surface, and polishing changes concrete's, so a value measured on one finish does not apply to another. You should ask which finish the test was run on.
Cost and lifespan
MyJobQuote says polished concrete is normally priced between £80 and £200 per square metre. Policrete says epoxy costs less because it is applied over the existing surface, and gives a starting price in dollars for an Australian market that does not apply to Wales.
Lifespan claims
Duraamen says polished concrete can last several decades and epoxy roughly 10 to 20 years, without citing a source. You should treat lifespans as vendor claims and ask for references on jobs of that age.
Where a resin is the specified choice
For heavy traffic, one manufacturer's guide says to choose a resin floor where forklift use is intense, rather than a sheet safety floor. For the Welsh listings that match, see the resin and epoxy flooring page.
Who lists the work in Wales
60 businesses list resin work, and 50 businesses list polished concrete, grinding and screeding. Resin work is also shown by region: North Wales (24), Mid & West Wales (15), South East Wales (21).
How to brief a contractor
Describe the traffic
Say whether the floor will carry forklifts, pallet trucks, cars or foot traffic only. One manufacturer's guide says to choose a resin where forklift use is intense, and the vendors describe both floors as durable without giving load figures.
Describe the chemicals
List what is spilled, such as oils, cleaning agents or solvents. Both vendors describe epoxy as resistant to chemicals, stains and spills, and neither addresses chemical resistance for polished concrete, so the contractor has to answer that question for your list.
Describe the slip risk
Say whether the floor will be wet, greasy or walked on barefoot. HSE says the best test is the pendulum test, so ask for the value of the finish you are offered.
What the directory shows about these businesses
Of the 50 businesses listing polished concrete, grinding and screeding, 32 state industrial work, 35 state commercial work and 30 state domestic work, and 14 show an accreditation or review-platform badge. Of the 60 listing resin and epoxy flooring, 15 state industrial work, 39 commercial and 33 domestic, and 12 show a badge. The flags come from each business's own site and are not verified.
Questions to ask a contractor
- Will you test the slab moisture, with which method, and what limit applies to this system?
- What is the pendulum test value of the finish when wet?
- What cure and traffic times apply, and when can vehicles or machinery use the floor?
- Can I see a job of the same age and use that has worn in?
The hire-a-fitter checklist gives the other checks. Many commercial buyers also look for a health and safety accreditation, which the accreditations guide explains.
What this page does not cover
Every comparison on this page comes from a flooring vendor, one of them in Australia, and no independent technical report such as a Concrete Society document was found. The page gives no UK price for epoxy, no densifier or grit specification, and no fire or chemical test data. You should treat it as a list of questions to put to a contractor, not as a specification. No Welsh contractor was assessed for this page.