Microcement guide

Microcement vs polished concrete

Love the look of polished concrete? Microcement gives you a similar seamless, industrial style without pouring and grinding a new slab. It’s a hand-trowelled finish about 2–3 mm thick that goes over the floor you already have, and onto walls, stairs and even showers.

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The short answer

Microcement gives you a similar seamless, concrete-style finish at about 2–3 mm, without pouring and grinding a new slab. It goes over the floor you already have, suits upstairs rooms and carries on up walls and stairs. Polished concrete is the slab itself, so it’s floors only, and heavy.

Polished concrete is typically 100 mm or more of concrete, poured, left to cure, then ground and polished with heavy machines. Microcement is trowelled by hand in thin layers, so there’s no new slab, no weeks of curing and no grinding on site.

Politura microcement, our own traditional mineral microcement, is the closest we do to the look of polished concrete, and can be polished without wax. For showers and wet areas, ErreLAB Spatolato gives you the soft, trowelled look of microcement with the toughness of epoxy.

At a glance

Microcement: About 2–3 mm, trowelled by hand
Polished concrete: A ground and polished slab, typically 100 mm or more
Walls and stairs: Microcement, yes. Polished concrete is floors only
Existing floors: Microcement goes over them. Polished concrete needs a new slab

Is microcement better than polished concrete?

If you’re renovating, or want the look anywhere other than a ground floor, we think so. Here’s what it gives you.

No new slabIt goes over the floor you already have, so there’s no breaking out, no pour and no weeks waiting for concrete to cure.

Done in daysPolitura and ErreFast take 2–3 days, ErreLAB 4–5 days, with no heavy grinding machines on site.

Extremely hard wearingErreLAB Spatolato is an epoxy resin built for busy homes and commercial floors. Politura is quartz-based (Mohs 7) and scratch resistant to a steel file.

Floors, walls and showersOne continuous finish across floors, walls, stairs and worktops, and with ErreLAB, into showers and wet rooms.

Light enough for upstairsAt 2–3 mm it suits upper floors, mezzanines and timber floors, with the right primer.

Your colour27 Politura colours, and over 200 across the ErreLAB charts, with colour matching for most RAL and NCS colours.

Tested performanceSpatolato is slip rated R10 as standard (R11–R12 with Top Clear SOL), fire rated Bfl-s1 and A+ for indoor air quality.

Easy to live withStain resistant and seamless, with no grout lines and no wax to keep topping up.

Fits around the buildBecause it’s applied at the end of a project, it can go on once the kitchen and joinery are in.

Is microcement cheaper than polished concrete?

It depends on what’s already there. On a floor you already have, microcement saves the cost of breaking out and pouring a new slab, the curing time and the heavy machinery. On a new build where a slab is being poured anyway, the sums are closer, so it’s worth pricing both.

Microcement cost also depends on which system you choose, so there’s no single price per m². Here’s what moves the price on each side:

What changes the price	Microcement	Polished concrete
Materials	Depends on the system: Politura microcement, ErreFast or ErreLAB	The concrete mix, and any added colour or aggregate
The floor underneath	Goes over sound concrete, screed and timber once prepared and primed, and over well-bonded tiles with ErreLAB	Needs a new slab, or a thick polished overlay
Labour	A skilled, hand-applied finish over 2–5 days, depending on the system	Pouring, curing, then grinding and polishing
Machinery	No heavy grinding machines on site	Heavy grinding and polishing machines
Other rooms and surfaces	The same finish can carry on up walls and stairs	Floors only, so walls need a separate finish

Tell us about your floor and we’ll give you a price for the right system.

The closest finish: Politura microcement

Politura microcement is our own traditional mineral microcement, and the closest thing we do to polished concrete. It’s quartz-based, one of the hardest microcements on the market, and hard enough to polish without wax, so you get that polished feel without the upkeep of a waxed floor.

Need it in a wet area? ErreLAB Spatolato is a resin made to mimic traditional microcement: a smooth, trowelled finish with soft, tone-on-tone movement. As an epoxy resin it’s harder wearing and more stain resistant than a mineral microcement, and waterproof at every layer, so it also goes into showers and wet rooms.

Explore Politura microcement or explore ErreLAB Spatolato.

Spatolato at a glance

Type: Epoxy resin
Slip: R10, or R11–R12 with Top Clear SOL
Fire: Bfl-s1 (EN 13501-1)
Colours: Three ErreLAB charts, plus RAL and NCS matching
Time: 4–5 days

ErreLAB Spatolato flooring in contemporary living room

Politura and Spatolato floors

6 photos

Shops, restaurants and homes with Politura and ErreLAB Spatolato floors.

Side by side

Both give a seamless, concrete-style floor. Microcement does it without the slab, and goes much further.

Thin coating

Microcement

Thickness: About 2–3 mm in total
Where it goes: Floors, walls, stairs, worktops and bathrooms, depending on the system
Over existing floors: Yes, with the right primer for what’s underneath, so there’s no new slab to pour
Weight: Light, so it suits upstairs floors
How it’s laid: Trowelled by hand: Politura and ErreFast in 2–3 days, ErreLAB in 4–5 days
Look: Soft, trowelled movement; Politura can be polished to look similar to polished concrete
Showers and wet rooms: Yes, with ErreLAB; we also recommend tanking
Colours: 27 Politura colours and over 200 ErreLAB colours
Hard wearing: Extremely: epoxy resin (ErreLAB) or quartz at Mohs 7 (Politura)

Read the microcement guide →

Ground slab

Polished concrete

Thickness: The slab itself, typically 100 mm or more
Where it goes: Floors only
Over existing floors: Needs a new slab or a thick polished overlay
Weight: Heavy, so it suits ground floors and new builds
How it’s laid: Ground and polished with heavy machines, after the slab has cured
Look: Plain grey or exposed stone, depending on how deep it’s ground
Showers and wet rooms: No
Colours: Mostly natural greys, or a coloured slab
Hard wearing: Very, once ground and sealed

Which microcement should you use for the polished concrete look?

Where	What we’d recommend	Good to know
Living spaces and hallways	Politura microcement	The closest to polished concrete, polished without wax
Upstairs and timber floors	Politura microcement or ErreLAB	At 2–3 mm it suits upper floors, with the right primer
Showers and wet rooms	ErreLAB Spatolato	Waterproof at every layer; we also recommend tanking
Walls and stairs	The same system as the floor	One continuous finish, which polished concrete can’t do on walls
Shops, hotels and restaurants	ErreFast or ErreLAB	See the commercial guide for slip and fire data

Which lasts longer, microcement or polished concrete?

Both can last for many years when they’re done properly, and our team has worked with microcement since the early 90s.

What decides it is the work you can’t see: a sound floor underneath, careful preparation, the right system for the room and the right sealer. Politura microcement is made from quartz sand at Mohs 7, and ErreLAB’s epoxy resins are extremely hard wearing and stain resistant.

What to get right with microcement

Microcement gives its best when it’s done properly. Here’s what matters most, and how to get each one right.

A skilled handIt’s applied by hand, so the result depends on who applies it. We can put you in touch with people in your area who apply our products, and we train applicators too.

A sound floorThe products are designed not to crack, but cracks or movement in the floor underneath can show through. Repair cracks first, and fix anything loose.

Movement jointsExisting movement joints must be carried through the finish, just as they would be with concrete.

The right systemPolitura microcement and ErreFast suit bathrooms but not direct water, and only the Outdoor versions go outside. We’ll help you choose.

Questions about microcement and polished concrete

Can microcement look like polished concrete?

It can come close. Politura microcement is the closest we do: it’s a traditional mineral microcement that can be polished without wax for a polished-concrete feel. It comes in 27 colours, including plenty of greys.

Can I have the polished-concrete look upstairs?

Polished concrete is a heavy slab, so it rarely suits upper floors. Microcement is about 2–3 mm, which makes it the practical way to get the look upstairs, and on walls and stairs.

Is microcement as hard wearing as polished concrete?

Yes, for homes and busy commercial floors. Politura microcement is made from quartz sand at Mohs 7, one of the hardest microcements on the market, and scratch resistant to a steel file. ErreLAB Spatolato is an epoxy resin built for heavy use, stain resistant and waterproof at every layer.

Does it work with underfloor heating?

Yes. Run new underfloor heating for at least 28 days, then switch it off before starting.

Which should I choose?

If you’re renovating, want the look upstairs, or want it on walls and stairs too, choose microcement. Call our technical team on 01472 240 340 and we’ll help you pick the right system.

Is microcement the same as polished concrete?

No. Polished concrete is a thick slab that’s ground and polished. Microcement is a thin, hand-trowelled finish of about 2–3 mm that goes over an existing surface, and can look similar.

Is microcement cheaper than polished concrete?

On an existing floor it can save the cost of a new slab, the curing time and the heavy machinery. The price depends on the system and the floor underneath, so ask us for a price.

Will microcement crack like concrete?

The products themselves are designed not to crack, but cracks or movement in the floor underneath can show through. Repair cracks and carry movement joints through the finish.

Can I use it on stairs and walls?

Yes. Microcement can run across floors, walls and stairs as one finish, whereas polished concrete is floors only.

More microcement FAQs →