What is burnt cement? Learn how to apply it to your works!
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Have you heard about applying burnt cement to floors and walls? This is a trend that arrived in the world of architecture a few years ago and continues to gain strength - and can be used in the most diverse types of environments.
Formerly, burnt cement was widely used on construction sites and outdoor environments, but several modern and sophisticated spaces incorporate this technique to give a rustic touch. Its application can take place on the wall, the floor, and even the ceiling of residential and commercial spaces.
The secret to the popularity of burnt cement lies in its versatility. Despite being a rustic finish coating, burnt cement combines well with various other materials, and makes it possible to create charming decorations, without losing the elegance and sophistication of the spaces.
More than that, it is an economic and resistant choice, easy to apply and that guarantees a unique and exclusive result - after all, the results are always different.
Considering this reality, more and more people want to include the burnt cement technique in the composition of their environments - whether in their own home, office or commercial establishment. New buildings, major renovations or simply small touches can take advantage of this.
But how to apply burnt cement to your works? What are the precautions that must be taken to ensure a good result? And how to preserve an environment with a burnt cement floor or wall? Check it out soon below!
Much is said about burnt cement, but do you know what this concept is? Despite what the name suggests, the process doesn't involve setting fire to the walls of your house.
In fact, burnt cement is composed of a mixture of cement, sand and water - forming a versatile mortar to be used in your works.
It is a technique that results in a coating that is very durable and has great resistance to abrasion and is very difficult to break. Aesthetically, its surface works as a single, seamless piece.
In addition, burnt cement attracts attention due to its ease of cleaning, making it a very practical type of coating for everyday use.
The look of burnt cement can be perfectly adapted to various projects - both in more rustic proposals and in contemporary works. For this reason, there are numerous applications of this technique that can be explored in a work.
In addition to an attractive design, burnt cement makes environments feel larger and more integrated, as they seem to form a single piece. And the coating makes it even easier to clean.
With all these characteristics, burnt cement is already used on all surfaces in a room: floor, wall or ceiling. It also reaches the most diverse rooms in a house: kitchen, living room, bedroom, office, balcony, kiosk, among others.
And business projects are not left out of that. Burnt cement is also used in offices, factories, living spaces, stores, and others.
When we talk about burnt cement, the truth is that the limit is your creativity.
Thanks to its appearance and versatility, burnt cement can bring several benefits to your works. Here are the main reasons for opting for this coating technique:
The interior design and decoration guides and specialists make this very clear: burnt cement is a great alternative for creating a sophisticated aesthetic. The industrial and rustic proposal is trending, especially when mixed with more modern items. Therefore, we are talking about a technique that contributes to the creation of modern and beautiful environments.
As we have seen throughout this article, burnt cement can be used on floors, walls, and ceilings - but its applications don't stop there. There are also more varied applications - such as American kitchen countertops, washbasin sinks, columns, stairs, and even niches.
You will check it out in detail below, but let's get started: the application of burnt cement is done in a very simple and practical way.
In addition to being a simple technique to apply, another highlight is the absence of grout on the floor - which generally takes a long time. In other words, we are talking about a more practical and agile option.
Are you thinking that all these benefits come with a high cost? Nothing like that! The application of burnt cement has a much lower cost than other alternatives - such as porcelain tile floors, for example.
The effect of burnt cement coating is achieved by applying a simple cement mortar to the wall, with some care to ensure the effect of burnt cement on the final result.
Basically, the coating is made with a simple cement mortar, which requires three basic elements for its manufacture: cement, sand and water. In some cases, it may also be interesting to increase the mortar mixture with additives to improve adhesion and avoid potential cracks or cracks after drying.
As additional materials, it is necessary to use a drill to smooth the floor, a saw for expansion joints, and a product for waterproofing and ensuring a finish with good durability for the surface. When choosing the materials to be used, there are still some precautions regarding the desired floor finish.
While normally the preferred finish is the stained gray itself characteristic of burnt cement, it is possible to obtain shades of gray or even add other colors to the mix with the use of pigments.
Burnt cement is a coating produced with simple materials, but performing the technique correctly to guarantee a good result requires a series of care.
There are several steps that must be followed in order for the coating to acquire the desired resistance and finish. But what are those steps? Check out the step by step on how to apply burnt cement below:
The first step in applying burnt cement is to prepare the surface that will receive the mortar - be it floor, wall, ceiling, or another option. Regardless of the chosen surface, it must be properly leveled and cleaned.
To do this, remove the furniture from the room and clean the area to remove any loose dust or dirt. If there are stains from oil or other chemicals, you can wash the surface with water and mild soap.
With the surface ready for the application of the burnt cement, it's time to make the mixture. To do this, three ingredients will be needed: cement, sand and water.
Normally, a cement and sand trace of 1:3 or 1:4 is used - that is, one measure of cement for three or four of medium sand. Sift each of the materials individually, and gradually add the water until a homogeneous mixture with the desired texture is obtained.
The time has come to apply the burnt cement to the surface. To do this, it is recommended to moisten the floor that will receive the mortar for better adhesion. Splash some water on the surface, and pour in the mortar mixture, taking care that the thickness of the layer is neither too thin nor too thick.
As the mortar is applied to the surface, use an aluminum cutter or ruler to smooth and level. For this step, a vibrating ruler can also be used, if available.
We have reached the stage that differentiates the application of the burnt cement technique!
While the mortar is still wet, spread dry cement powder over the entire surface. Wait for the mixture to absorb the powder and then pass the cutter over the entire length again, making circular movements. This will ensure the characteristic effect of burnt cement after drying.
The process of applying burnt cement is not yet finished after firing. O Healing process it is essential to ensure the strength and durability of the result, avoiding the appearance of cracks and cracks.
To do this, we have to consider that cement takes a few days to dry - and the curing process must be slow and always moist. Prevent the sun from hitting the surface directly for the first 72 hours, and maintain the moisture of the mortar by wetting the floor every 8 or 12 hours, for 5 to 8 days. After that, you can let it dry completely and proceed to the next steps.
When applying burnt cement to floors, it is necessary to make cuts of the expansion joints a few days after concreting. These joints allow the cement to have space to carry out its thermal movements, and prevent cracking or displacing the floor - especially on large surfaces.
Normally, the joints should be at a distance of no more than 4 meters. Demark a 4x4 mesh and make the cuts using a saw.
We have reached the final stage of the process of applying burnt cement!
After the burnt cement has dried (and the expansion joints in the floor have been cut), the surface is ready to be finished. For a finer finish, you can sand the surface before applying the waterproofing finisher.
It is important to use a product to protect the surface and ensure the durability of burned cement, and many people use waxes or resins for this purpose. However, be careful when choosing the product, as it can alter the color of the result, or even stain the cement and damage the desired effect.
To ensure a beautiful and long-lasting result with the application of burnt cement, there are small precautions that must be taken. Let's highlight the main of them:
To ensure a successful burnt cement application, it is also important to know the common problems that may arise. See which are the main ones:
To obtain even better results by applying burnt cement to your works, you can count on the help of Blok products — which offers high quality products for different types of works.
Cement is a porous material, which needs to be protected by a layer of product after its application. Without it, the burnt cement wall is subject to the most diverse types of problems, such as the appearance of stains, cracks, moisture, mold, and the incorporation of dirt into the surface.
As a result, there is a risk of losing the beauty of the burnt cement effect, requiring reapplication of the material and bearing new costs of maintaining the coating.
Therefore, it is recommended to finish the burnt cement wall correctly, using a resistant and waterproof material, able to guarantee the protection of the effect of your coating against all types of imperfections.
For this reason, Blok developed BlokSeal CC, a high-performance, silane-siloxane-based water repellent, which promotes an invisible layer of protection and prevents infiltrations.
Specially developed for those who work with wall coverings, BlokSeal CC is a product that easily repels water, preserving the entire surface for much longer without altering the color and brightness of the finish.
Avoid infiltration, stains, efflorescence and darkening of the surface with the water-repellent silicone BlokSeal CC, which also prevents dirt from accumulating.
BlokSeal Floors is a high-performance water repellent, specially developed to offer maximum protection to floors porous.
When applied, BlokSeal creates an invisible layer of protection, which prevents water infiltration and does not modify the appearance of the materials, ensuring that the effect of the burnt cement remains intact after its waterproofing.
In addition to protecting your burnt cement floor from water and humidity, BlokSeal Floors helps to reduce wear and water retention, as well as the accumulation of dirt, reducing maintenance costs and promoting more safety, even in high-traffic areas.
Did you like the tips for applying burnt cement to your works? Do you want to learn more about Blok products for successful projects? Then visit our page or contact our team!
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