Anthracite concrete floor in a house in Heist-op-den-Berg

Project · residential concrete in Heist-op-den-Berg

In this house in Heist-op-den-Berg, the owner chose a dark, anthracite concrete floor. We added the pigment in the top layer. The floor forms a calm base for a personal interior with light furniture, a red cabinet and musical instruments.

Dark residential concrete with its own character

The owner saw the possibilities of concrete as an exposed floor in his home. The choice fell on anthracite: a dark colour that clearly defines the interior, but due to the natural nuances of the concrete does not appear as a single flat paint layer.

In the photos you can see how the floor interacts with the furniture and daylight. Different nuances appear by the windows than under the seating area. This play between material and light is part of the character of a polished concrete floor in the home.

Anthracite pigment in the top layer

For this execution, the concrete was first placed and then anthracite pigment was incorporated into the top layer. The colour is therefore in the finished surface with this method. This differs from concrete where the entire mass is coloured in advance.

The choice between both methods depends on the project and the desired finish. It influences, among other things, how edges and any later treatments can look. Also read our explanation about concrete coloured throughout to understand that difference.

What exactly do the photos show?

When these images were taken, the owner was already living in the house and the floor was in use. The concrete curing had not yet been removed at that time and the floor had not yet been waxed. The customer had chosen to carry out that further maintenance themselves later.

Curing is intended to protect young concrete during early hardening. It is not the same as a maintenance wax or a final surface protection. Which subsequent steps are necessary depends on the product used and the chosen final finish. You can read more about this at concrete curing.

What to watch out for with a dark concrete floor?

A dark floor can provide a beautiful contrast with light walls and furniture. At the same time, dust, light residues or local signs of use can stand out differently on a dark shade than on light grey concrete. This makes maintenance and realistic expectations important when choosing the colour.

Therefore, view reference photos in context with the space: amount of daylight, window orientation, furniture and chosen protection all influence what you see. A screen photo is a good source of inspiration, but not an exact colour sample for a new project.

Caring for the floor after installation

Protect the floor during further work against sand and damage. For regular maintenance, follow the advice associated with the applied finish. Do not use aggressive cleaning agents just because they happened to work well on another floor.

On our page about cleaning a concrete floor you will find more explanation about daily maintenance. For protection of the top layer, you can also consider the options of impregnating concrete view. The correct treatment depends on the existing condition and the desired result.

Residential concrete in your home

This project shows how an anthracite concrete floor becomes part of a lived-in interior. For a new installation, we consider not only the colour but also the available build-up height, substrate, connections and joint layout. This way, the floor choice becomes concrete rather than just a nice image on paper.