Most Sunshine Coast polished concrete jobs run 3 – 6 days on site. A grind & seal is faster. A full mechanical polish with full aggregate exposure on a rough old slab is slower. Here's what a normal week looks like on one of our jobs.
Day 1 — Site set-up, moisture test, first grind
We arrive early, mask up doors and joinery, set up dust extraction, moisture-test the slab and start the first metal-bond diamond pass. This opens the slab, removes any coatings and exposes aggregate to the chosen depth.
Day 2 — Crack chase, joint fill, second grind
Any cracks are chased, vacuumed and filled with a colour-matched epoxy. Control joints get a semi-rigid fill. We follow with a second grind so everything reads as one continuous surface.
Day 3 — Honing (50, 100, 200 grit)
Progressive resin-bond passes. The floor smooths out, the scratch pattern from the metal bonds is removed, and the slab starts to accept a sheen.
Day 4 — Densify, polish (400, 800, 1500 grit)
Lithium silicate densifier is applied and worked into the slab. The polishing passes begin — this is where the deep, glass-like reflection starts to appear.
Day 5 — Final polish (3000 grit) and seal
The finishing pass, a penetrating stain-block sealer, a final buff and walk-through. You can be back on the floor in socks the same evening; furniture goes back the next day.
What stretches the timeline
- High-moisture coastal slabs (add 1 day for a moisture-tolerant primer)
- Full aggregate exposure (adds a grinding pass)
- Existing tile removal or heavy glue contamination
- Complex layouts with lots of edges, stairs or corners
- Trade coordination on active build sites
Ready to talk about your slab?
A local Sunshine Coast crew, specialist polished-concrete finishers, and a written quote after every site visit.
Frequently asked
- Can we live in the house while you polish the floor? +
- Usually not — the process is dusty (even with extraction) and loud. Most clients move out for the week or restrict the crew to sealed-off zones.
- How soon can we walk on it? +
- In socks, the same evening as the final pass. Full furniture return the day after. Cars back into a polished garage 48 – 72 hours after the sealer goes down.
