The Corporate Buyer’s Guide to Polished Concrete Specifications in Facility Build-Outs

When corporate buyers are tasked with sourcing flooring for large facilities, they’re often expected to make high-stakes decisions without formal training in material specifications. This can lead to miscommunication, cost overruns, or flooring that doesn’t perform as expected. Explore this guide to confidently define polished concrete specifications and choose a trusted vendor like GPS Floors to ensure a smooth, successful build-out.

Why Choosing the Right Polished Concrete Specifications Is Crucial

Many corporate buyers aren’t flooring experts, yet they’re responsible for selecting polished concrete that must meet long-term operational, safety, and aesthetic goals. Choosing the wrong specs can lead to increased maintenance costs, performance issues, or even non-compliance with safety standards.

That’s why it’s essential to understand and correctly define polished concrete specifications from the start. These specifications guide installers, ensure compliance with sustainability and slip-resistance regulations, and determine how well your floor holds up to traffic, chemicals, and equipment. GPS Floors regularly works with commercial clients to clarify technical requirements and deliver high-performing concrete finishes that meet both visual and functional expectations.

Understanding Polished Concrete Specifications

Polished concrete specifications outline how your concrete floor should be prepped, polished, finished, and maintained. This written guidance ensures contractors deliver results that match your expectations for performance and appearance.

• Aggregate Exposure Level: Refers to how much of the underlying stone or aggregate is visible after grinding. Ranges from “cream finish” (minimal exposure) to “full aggregate” (deep grinding).
• Gloss Level: Specifies how shiny the floor should be, measured on a gloss meter. Levels include matte, satin, semi-gloss, and high gloss, each with different aesthetic and lighting effects.
• Surface Hardness/Densifier Use: Involves applying a chemical densifier to increase surface hardness. Higher hardness ratings improve abrasion resistance, which is especially important in industrial environments.
• Slip Resistance Rating: Important for safety, especially in wet or public areas. Many specs call for a specific COF (coefficient of friction) that meets OSHA or ANSI standards.
• Stain Guard or Sealer Application: Optional treatments that provide added stain and chemical resistance. Ideal for facilities like warehouses, schools, and medical centers.
• Joint Treatment or Filling: Includes products or methods used to fill expansion joints, often with semi-rigid fillers to minimize wear and maintain visual consistency.
• Polishing Process and Tool Sequence: Refers to the number of grinding and polishing passes and the grit levels used. Specifications can call for 400-grit, 800-grit, or up to 3000-grit finishes.
• Color/Dye Requirements: If you want a colored floor, specs must include approved dyes, coverage rates, and the post-color polishing process.

Together, these specifications ensure your commercial concrete floor is safe, attractive, and built to perform for years. GPS Floors provides clear spec documents that align with project requirements, budgets, and long-term goals.

Industry-Standard Finish Level and Durability Expectations

Different industries have distinct needs when it comes to polished concrete. Understanding common finish levels and durability expectations can help you select the right specs for your facility.

Warehousing and Distribution

Warehouses and distribution centers experience constant movement from forklifts, pallet jacks, and heavy inventory. Industry standards typically call for full aggregate exposure and matte to satin finishes that hide dust and reduce glare. Densifiers and joint fillers are essential to withstand impact and edge damage. Polished concrete in these environments must prioritize durability and low maintenance to ensure minimal disruption and extended service life.

Retail and Grocery

Retail stores and grocery chains rely on polished concrete to provide a visually appealing, clean, and reflective surface. Industry-standard specs include medium aggregate exposure with a semi-gloss or high-gloss finish to enhance lighting and appeal to customers. Due to frequent spills, these spaces also require stain guards and slip-resistant coatings, ensuring the floor remains safe, clean, and welcoming to shoppers.

Office and Commercial Buildings

Corporate offices prioritize aesthetics and brand image, which is why a high-gloss or satin finish is commonly specified. Cream or fine aggregate exposure provides a sleek, uniform look that complements modern office interiors. These floors also benefit from light reflectivity, which reduces the need for artificial lighting and supports energy efficiency goals. Specs often emphasize easy maintenance and visual consistency across large areas.

Manufacturing and Industrial

Manufacturing facilities demand the highest level of concrete durability. Specifications often call for full aggregate exposure with a matte or satin finish to reduce glare under industrial lighting. These environments also require high surface hardness ratings, chemical resistance, and a slip-resistant finish to ensure employee safety. Polished concrete must be able to withstand spills, heavy equipment, and thermal fluctuations without degradation.

Educational and Institutional

In schools and institutional settings, the floor must be durable, safe, and easy to maintain. Specifications typically include medium-gloss finishes with moderate aggregate exposure to balance appearance and function. Stain guards and densifiers are commonly included to reduce polished concrete maintenance costs and extend lifespan. Specs may also reference low-VOC materials and LEED-compliant components to support sustainability objectives in public buildings.

Industry-standard specification templates are also available from associations like the Concrete Polishing Council (CPC) and the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC). GPS Floors can help tailor these templates to your facility’s specific use case.

Tips for Selecting Polished Concrete Specifications

Selecting the right specs isn’t just about appearance—it’s about how your floors may perform over time. Here are tips to ensure your polished concrete floor meets your operational and aesthetic goals.

Evaluate Your Traffic and Usage Levels

Consider the volume and type of foot and equipment traffic your floor may experience. High-traffic zones need higher gloss durability, tougher aggregates, and better surface hardening treatments. Understanding this helps determine polishing depth, exposure level, and joint treatments.

Factor in Lighting and Appearance Goals

Polished concrete’s reflective properties can enhance natural lighting in a space. If energy savings and aesthetics are priorities, choose a higher gloss level. However, some settings—like warehouses—may benefit from satin finishes to reduce glare.

Understand Maintenance Capabilities

While polished concrete is low-maintenance, facilities with limited janitorial resources may want to avoid high-gloss finishes that show dust or streaks more readily. Your spec should reflect how much maintenance your team can realistically handle over the floor’s life.

Align With LEED or Sustainability Requirements

If your project must meet LEED certification or other sustainability goals, be sure to include specs related to material sourcing, VOC emissions, and energy-efficient finishes. GPS Floors can help create specs that meet the requirements for green building programs.

How to Coordinate With Professionals

Even the best specifications won’t succeed without coordination between buyers, contractors, and flooring vendors. Early collaboration helps align expectations, prevents scope creep, and ensures smooth project execution.

• Define Aggregate Exposure and Gloss Levels in RFQs/RFPs: Be specific about the level of aggregate exposure and desired gloss range to prevent misinterpretation.
• Specify Acceptable Materials and Densifiers: To ensure long-term results, mention preferred brands or performance characteristics of chemical treatments.
• Include Usage-Based Requirements: Describe how the space will be used (e.g., forklift traffic, wet zones, public access) so vendors can suggest the best solution.
• Ask for Warranty Terms and Lifespan Expectations: Require vendors to include product warranties and expected re-polishing schedules.
• Request References or Project Case Studies: Ask for examples of similar jobs completed in your industry to evaluate their experience and results.
• Require Pre-Construction Mockups or Test Sections: Mockups let you preview gloss, aggregate, and color options and confirm expectations before full-scale execution.

Collaborating with a reliable concrete polishing vendor like GPS Floors ensures your vision is executed accurately and efficiently from the RFQ stage through final inspection.

Ensure the Right Polished Concrete Specifications for Your Facility With GPS Floors

Specifying polished concrete doesn’t have to be overwhelming, even for non-technical buyers. With the proper guidance, clear documentation, and support from a trusted vendor, you can confidently select a floor that performs beautifully for decades. GPS Floors specializes in crafting polished concrete specifications tailored to your industry, budget, and operational demands.

From initial consultation to final polish, we ensure your commercial concrete floor meets every expectation for safety, style, and longevity. Contact GPS Floors today for expert help with your polished concrete project and protect your flooring investment from the ground up.