Six common problems we inspect
When we look at polished concrete problems, these are the checks we may run, depending on the issue. They're not stories about past customer repairs. We'll go over what we find on your floor with you. For a new floor or a full redo, see our concrete polishing service.
Dull traffic lanes
- What you might see
- A walking path looks less shiny than the floor around it.
- What can cause it
- Grit wearing the surface down, leftover residue, a worn protective coat, or a change in the polish itself.
- What we check
- How it's been cleaned, which pads were used, and how it compares with areas that stayed covered. When it makes sense, we try a gentle cleaning test on a small area first.
- What we note after inspecting
- Whether cleaning changed the look, which layer is affected, and anything we still can't tell.
- What we note after the repair
- The cleaning, fresh protective coat, or repolishing we actually did, and how the test area turned out.
Scratches
- What you might see
- Fine lines or deeper grooves catch the light.
- What can cause it
- Grit tracked in on shoes, furniture dragged across the floor, the wrong pads, or damage during construction.
- What we check
- How deep the scratches go, where they are, and how the room is used. If the job calls for it, we then test a small area you agree to.
- What we note after inspecting
- Whether the damage is in a protective coat or in the concrete itself, and what the test could and couldn't show.
- What we note after the repair
- How much of the floor you asked us to restore. We won't promise that a spot repair will disappear completely.
Uneven gloss or grinding marks
- What you might see
- Swirls, stripes, or patchy reflections show up under the lights.
- What can cause it
- Grinding scratches that weren't fully polished out, concrete that's harder in some spots than others, residue, or a product applied unevenly.
- What we check
- The floor under the lighting we agreed on, the scratch patterns, and the notes from the original job.
- What we note after inspecting
- The pattern we saw and what points to the cause. We won't guess which grinding steps were used on the original job from a photo alone.
- What we note after the repair
- The fix you approved, and how any test area looked before we went further.
Staining or dark patches
- What you might see
- A spill mark or dark patch is still there after normal cleaning.
- What can cause it
- Something soaked in, contamination, moisture, or differences in how the floor was treated.
- What we check
- What was spilled, what's already on the floor, and the floor's history. When it makes sense, we then try a gentle test on a small area.
- What we note after inspecting
- Which layer is affected and what came out or didn't. If moisture keeps coming back, we look into that separately.
- What we note after the repair
- The cleaning or restoration you approved, and any difference you can still see.
Edges differ from the main floor
- What you might see
- The strip along the walls shows a different amount of stone or a different shine.
- What can cause it
- Big machines can't reach the edges, the edges were worked differently, or the slab was just different there to begin with.
- What we check
- How the edges compare with any sample and what we agreed on for them, plus the corners and the spots where the floor meets other surfaces.
- What we note after inspecting
- The difference, and how closely the edges can really match with the tools that fit there.
- What we note after the repair
- Whether you were happy to live with the difference or had us redo the edges after a test.
Cracks, patches and old flooring marks
- What you might see
- You can still see lines, patches, or the outline of old tile.
- What can cause it
- The slab's history, patch material that doesn't match, or staining that goes deeper.
- What we check
- Any photos from before the work, and any sample. We also check whether the slab is moving or one side of a crack sits higher.
- What we note after inspecting
- Whether it's residue on the surface or a difference in the slab that won't go away.
- What we note after the repair
- The repair we agreed on, and whether you accepted how it looks or chose a different finish. Cosmetic work won't fix a slab that's moving.
What not to put on the floor before we inspect
- Don't use acid etchers, vinegar, harsh alkaline cleaners, or solvent strippers when you don't know what finish is on the floor.
- Hold off on wax, mop and shine products, oil soaps, or a new sealer until we've checked they won't react with what's there.
- Don't experiment with scrubbing pads, sanding, grinding, or burnishing we haven't agreed on.
- Clean up a fresh spill safely the way you normally clean the floor. Don't leave a slip hazard just to keep it for a photo.
Use the inspection record to write down what you saw, what we checked, what we found, and what we fixed.
Every project starts with an on-site evaluation. Actual scope, pricing, and expected results depend on your specific substrate condition, environment, and project requirements. The website describes our services in general terms. Your signed proposal governs the actual work.
Reference: Manufacturer cleaning guidance. Reviewed September 19, 2026. If that guidance doesn't match what we went over for your floor, ask us, and follow the product's current instructions.
