Methods for finishing concrete to provide a glossy surface

Abstract

Systems and methods for treating concrete, which include wetting a surface of concrete with a colloidal silica and, with silica on the surface, finishing the surface. The surface may be finished with a power trowel.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for finishing concrete, comprising:
 wetting a surface of uncured concrete with a colloidal silica; and   power trowelling the surface of uncured concrete with the colloidal silica in place on the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein wetting the surface of uncured concrete comprises wetting a surface of uncured concrete within at least about forty-eight hours after initially pouring the uncured concrete. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein power trowelling the surface of the uncured concrete comprises applying finishing blades to the surface of uncured concrete. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein applying finishing blades to the surface of the uncured concrete includes orienting the finishing blades at an angle of about five degrees to about forty-five degrees to the surface of the uncured concrete. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein power trowelling the surface of the uncured concrete includes:
 moving a power trowel over the surface of the uncured concrete in a first general direction; and   moving the power trowel over the surface of the uncured concrete in a second general direction, the second general direction being different from and transverse to the first general direction.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein power trowelling the surface of uncured concrete includes applying pressure to at least a portion of the surface of uncured concrete. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein wetting the surface comprises wetting a hardened surface with the colloidal silica. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein wetting the surface and power troweling the surfaced imparts the surface with a glossiness of at least about 70 gloss units. 
     
     
         9 . A method for polishing concrete, comprising:
 wetting a surface of concrete with a colloidal silica; and   power troweling the surface of the concrete with silica in place on the surface.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein wetting the surface comprises wetting a surface of fresh concrete. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein wetting the surface comprises wetting a hardened surface or a dried surface of the concrete. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein power troweling the surface of the concrete comprises power troweling the surface while the surface is wetted with the colloidal silica. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein, while wetting the surface, while power troweling the surface and/or after power troweling the surface, the silica reacts with calcium hydroxide exposed to the surface. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein power troweling the surface removes concrete particles from the surface and reduces the sizes of the concrete particles to about the same size as or a similar size to the sizes of particles of the silica. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein, while wetting the surface, while power troweling the surface and/or after power troweling the surface, the silica reacts with concrete particles or dust removed from the surface while power troweling the surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the silica follows water into the surface of the concrete as a relative humidity of the concrete decreases, increasing a rate of penetration of the silica into the surface of the concrete. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein wetting the surface and power troweling the surfaced imparts the surface with a glossiness of at least about 70 gloss units. 
     
     
         18 . A method for polishing a surface of concrete, comprising:
 wetting a surface of concrete with a colloidal silica, the surface comprising a hardened surface or a dried surface; and   power troweling the surface while the surface remains wetted with the colloidal silica.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein power troweling comprises eliminating curling of the surface of the concrete. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein power troweling comprises eliminating high spots and low spots from the surface of the concrete.