6 Facts about Concrete Flooring That Looks Like Wood You Must Know

Have you ever hear about concrete flooring that looks like wood? This kind of home design element really exists now.

Just like the name, we can describe this flooring type to be concrete flooring that has the look and even the color of wood. It gains more and more popularity among designers as well as homeowners. It is especially for those who cannot choose between the two floor types.

When you hear about it, do you think that it can also be a considerable option to add in some areas in your house? If the answer to this question is yes, it seems you need to know further about the concrete wood floor so that you can decide whether or not it is the one.

Luckily, we have gathered complete information about all those and write it, especially for you in this post. One thing that you should not forget is that when we talk about this type of flooring, we cannot separate the discussion from some facts related to hardwood. It is none other but the main inspiration that made people make the concrete floor creation.

So, read further if you want to know more about all facts related to concrete wood floor.

1. A Strong and Durable Floor Type

The concrete wood floor is a worth-choosing choice because of its strength and durability. As you may already know, it has long been known to be a strong flooring choice that lasts for a long time.

There are quite a lot of characteristics and qualities that make the floor choice so. For example, the concrete floor is a suitable choice for high traffic areas.

It also means that you should not worry too much about it, showing any wear patterns after being used in places with high traffic. Besides, you won’t find scratches from both pets and things that can affect the appearance. For you to know, hardwood flooring is quite susceptible to those things.

The concrete wood floor is also resistant to moisture, while you may find it a bit problematic when your choice is hardwood. It makes the imitation wood floor capable of being used in rooms with a high moisture level, including the bathroom.

Some concrete floor with wood-look even has the waterproof quality. This one is beneficial, including in some emergency events when your flooring is exposed to water flow or even flooding. If the floor is hardwood, you will definitely find some severe damages in such situations.

2. Easy Cleaning and Maintenance

The point about cleaning and maintenance is another thing that makes the concrete wood floor a better choice than real hardwood. In simple words, we can say that you can still get the excellent quality of this floor while you can clean and maintain it less.

The easiest and most recommended way to clean this concrete wood floor is by sweeping and mopping it. Most of the time, you do not even need to use any chemicals or special solutions to do so, which also means that it has an environmental value in it.

By doing the suggested ways to clean and maintain this faux wood floor, you can keep the quality at the top point. In detail, we can say that the floor can last for up to 5 years in a high traffic area and more than 10 years in a lower traffic area without any renovating or remodeling. Some homeowners even have proven that it can last for more than 25 years without the high maintenance.

3. Concrete Wood Floor can be a Cheaper Alternative to Hardwood Floor

When we talk about the price, it is something relative. We cannot say that the cost of concrete wood floor is cheaper than the real hardwood. However, there is a chance that you can save a bit amount of money when you choose the concrete one.

The installation cost per square foot that you need to prepare for hardwood flooring is $12 up to $20. On the other hand, the starting and the maximum price for concrete flooring installation are generally cheaper, which is only between $2 and $12.

A crucial thing that you must always remember is that the ranges of the price that we show to you here are the recent ones. It means it can change as time goes by or because of other factors.

From all this, we can conclude that with this type of concrete floor you can get the beautiful look of the wood floor without having to use too much money on it. Besides, you should not deal with wood-related problems like termites, splinters, and wood rot also.

4. Inexpensive Concrete Floor Remodeling to Get the Wooden Look

If by any chance, you already have the concrete floor in some parts of your home, such as in the patio, porch, basement, garage, or any other areas, you need to know that remodeling the flooring to get the wooden look is such a fantastic idea to try. The best thing of all, this action included in the inexpensive category.

The reason why you will not need too much cash in doing the remodeling project is that you do not need to do anything to the existing concrete flooring. The main idea is only to create the wooden, and often grained, look on the floor that is already there by adding a cementitious overlay on it. The look of wood is then created on this layer.

Something like this is excellent because you do not need to tear the existing floor first, which can cost you a lot of money. Besides, you should not have to deal with the mess and inconvenience because of the tearing activity.

Do you know another good thing related to the inexpensive remodeling you can perform by choosing the concrete wood floor? It is the fact that the idea is also excellent to increase the value of your house. Something like this is perfect to do when you have a plan to sell the house.

5. Different Methods to Get Wood Look on Concrete

Creating the look of wood on concrete can be done in at least four different ways. Let us talk about each of them in the following.

Stamped Method

This first method is also known to be the most traditional one, and people have been using it for years. Nowadays, people still use it especially when they have to deal with larger areas. By using it, they can save time in the process as well as getting the fabulous look needed on the floor.

The stamped method is suitable to apply on either newly poured concrete or any cementitious overlay you add on your existed concrete floor. About the location, this flooring type is ideal for both exterior and interior usage. However, the exterior one is more excellent.

The way to get the wooden appearance is by using special rubber stamps. You can find something like this at home and building stores right now. Or, if you hire a service to create the floor, they usually already have the stamps, so you do not need to provide any.

When it comes to coloring the stamped floor, different methods are available. However, the most popular way is by applying a base color first. It is then followed by the application of the second or even third coats to get the accentuating or antique appearance.

Broom Finish Method

From the name we know that the difference exists in this method is related to the tools we use to create the wooden look on concrete. If being compared to the stamped process, this one will result in a less aggressive texture. Besides, the final result also has a closer look at the real hardwood.

The material needed to perform this method is also less. It is only the coloring techniques that we find to be the same here.

Another thing that you need to know about this method is that it is suitable to use on either old or newly poured concrete floor. It is also an excellent choice for both interior and exterior areas.

Tools and Materials

1. Concrete coating
2. Squeegee
3. Fiber-infused tape with the sizing of ¼” or ½”
4. Special concrete finishing broom
5. Pool or wooden trowel
6. Concrete stain

Steps

1. Apply the concrete coating on the floor by using a squeegee. The purpose is to get not only a smooth but also a uniform finish.
2. Create the desired wooden plank patterns on the coated surface by using fiber-infused tape
3. Add another concrete coat with a squeegee
4. Immediately follow the third step by dragging a concrete finishing broom trough the surface
5. Then, drag the trowel through the wet surface y using the same direction straightaway. The purpose is for creating more realistic wood grain texture on the floor design
6. Let everything sit until it is perfectly dry
7. Pull the tape so you can finally see the wooden plank patterns
8. Color the floor by using a concrete stain on your choice just like what is done on the stamped method

Light Broom Method

If being compared to the previous one, which is a more traditional option, this one is very similar. The differences are located mainly on the texture intensity and the way to apply color for the final wooden look.

FYI, this method is more suitable to choose when you want to build a concrete wood floor in your interior.

Tools and Materials

1. Concrete coating
2. Squeegee
3. Fiber-infused tape with ¼” or ½” size
4. A concrete finishing broom and chip brush
5. Blade or wooden trowel
6. Concrete stain

Steps

1. Apply the concrete coating on the floor with a squeegee
2. Create wood patterns by using the fiber-infused tape
3. Add another concrete coating then lightly brush the surface by using the broom or chip brush. In this step, you must keep the texture minimum
4. Once everything set up, use the trowel to knock down the textured parts even further
5. Wait until everything is perfectly dry
6. Remove the tape to see the patterns
7. Add color to the entire floor by staining each ‘plank’ individually. This action may take more effort and time, but the result will be fantastic.

Grouted Broom Texture Method

This one is another method that you can choose for interior areas. It is also the one considered to be the best to give you the authentic-looking faux wood appearance. The final result is the smoothest compared to all methods that we have discussed earlier.

Tools and Materials

1. Concrete coating
2. Micro-topping concrete
3. Grout color
4. Squeegee
5. Concrete finishing room
6. Blade or wooden trowel
7. Magic trowel
8. Concrete sander
9. Concrete coloring
10. Concrete dye spray

Steps

1. Mix a grout color on your choice with the concrete coating and then apply the mixture on the floor surface by using a squeegee
2. Wait until everything is dry and then use the fiber-infused tape to create the wood plank patterns
3. Make a mixture of concrete coating and color, which is chosen based on the way you want the wood grain to appear later. Then, apply the coat on the taped floor
4. Wait for everything to set a bit and then broom and trowel the surface while it is still wet. Remember to use the same direction with the planks
5. Wait until everything is dry entirely and then apply the micro-topping concrete with a magic trowel on top of the grained surface. One thing that you need to know is that the coat here has the quite same function as grout
6. Wait until cured and then use the concrete sander for sanding the floor
7. Spray the concrete dye to the entire surface to get the color you want

6. A Lot of Color Options Available

Another good fact about the concrete wood floor that you must know is that the color options available are endless. They include the choices of natural tones of wood too.

For the best result, of course, we suggest you choose special coloring for concrete, which is usually sold in the form of staining or dyeing products. They are also available in so many types, including the ones that you must apply with a brush or the ones that you can directly spray on the surface.

If you question whether or not you can use a wood stain on the concrete floor, we can say yes, you can. However, the process might not be as easy as when you use particular products for a cementitious surface because you must do special preparation first.

The thing that you need to pay more attention to is the fact that the color of the concrete wood floor can fade after some years. It is mainly if you do not perform proper regular maintenance and cleaning to it. Besides, something like this can also occur as a result of improper sealing.

When you face such a situation, there are several actions that we recommend you to do. First, you need to clean the floor properly. Next, you can see whether or not you need any color improvement or not. Lastly, you can reseal the floor to give the right protection it needs.

7. Concrete Flooring That Looks Like Wood Ideas

Now that you already know about the most fundamental facts about the concrete wood floor, it is time for you to get inspired. Below, we will share some ideas about how you can include the flooring type in your home design, including in the interior and exterior. Check them out!

The Use of Concrete Wood Floor in Porch

In this first idea, you can see the concrete wood floor in the porch area. From the appearance, we can see that it gets a light brown stain with a bit of grey undertone. The surface also looks glossy as if it is real polished or waxed hardwood.

The use of this flooring type in the porch is quite widespread. Although the area is roofed, we all know that it still belongs to the exterior home parts.

About that, the use of concrete instead of a real hardwood floor is well-known as a more beneficial choice. This flooring type can deal with any weather-related and outdoor conditions better.

It also means it is a better home investment because of its strength and durability. With it, you do not have to prepare any cash for remodeling or even replacement in any time soon.

Concrete Wood Floor in Patio

Another widespread outdoor usage of concrete wood floor is in the patio. You can apply this idea in either roofed or non-roofed one.

The example above is one that does not come with any roof to protect it from the sun and the rain. In this kind of situation, the concrete floor is better than the real hardwood from the fact about its resistance to different types of outdoor conditions.

As you can see in the pic, there is a grill there. It means the patio also becomes an outdoor cooking space that is perfect for barbequing while spending quality time with either family or friends.

The choice of the decorative concrete floor here is again excellent. It is because you do not have to worry that the cooking activity will cause any damages on the floor surface. Even if you accidentally drop some spills, burnt woods, or even live coal on it, there won’t be any severe damages caused.

Rustic Concrete Wood Floor in Front Entry

This next idea is about the use of concrete wood floor in the front entry. From it, there are at least two critical things that you must know.

The first is related to the fact that entry belongs to the category of high traffic areas in houses. Although there are wood species strong enough to endure the traffic, still the floor that is made from concrete is stronger.

The second thing is that the faux wooden floor here can support the rustic exterior design of the house. Although the primary material is concrete, it still has the appearance of wood that makes it excellent for the style. You can also include the floor in your rustic interior design if you want to.

Faux Wood Floor from Concrete in Kitchen

Another place that makes the faux wood floor an excellent choice is the kitchen area. This idea is suitable for all types of kitchen, including indoor, outdoor, and semi-outdoor.

There are some reasons why the concrete wood floor is perfect for the cooking area. However, the most important ones have a relation to the fact that the kitchen is not only a high-traffic place but is also prone to spills, stains, and heat.

Concrete Wood Floor in Basement

The last but not least idea that we want to present to you here is the use of the faux wood concrete floor in the basement area. As we all know, this place is located in the lowest part of a house, and it means that the moisture level in there is higher.

By choosing a real hardwood floor, you may get a fabulous look. However, it is you may find damages on it because of some moisture-related problems. When your choice goes to the decorative concrete, you should not be worried about all those.

8. Closing

Those are all the facts and ideas about concrete flooring that looks like wood that we can share with you. It seems this flooring type is indeed an option that you have to take into consideration. It is especially when you are thinking about using hardwood but do not want to deal with some possible problems, difficult maintenance, and higher price.

Hopefully, all the information that we share here is useful for you.