Epoxy
A coating applied over the slab. It offers colour, metallic and decorative effects, chemical resistance and a fully sealed surface, and it can cover a slab that is structurally sound but visually poor.
It needs a dry, properly prepared substrate — moisture in the slab is the single biggest cause of coating failure.
Polished concrete
The slab itself, ground and densified. It cannot fail by delaminating because there is no coating, and it ages gracefully — but you get the slab you have, including its aggregate and history.
Choosing
Colour control and chemical resistance point to epoxy. A sound, attractive slab and long-term durability point to polishing.
- Want a specific colour or metallic effect: epoxy
- Chemical or oil exposure: epoxy
- Good existing slab, natural look: polished concrete