Sanded and polished concrete finishes produce an extremely representative look. The interplay between the lighter matrix and coloured aggregates produces an interesting and vibrant finish. One that is particularly smooth, which makes it difficult for dirt and dust to settle and which in turn means that the façade will not lose any of its charisma even after many years.
Between around three and six millimetres of the concrete’s surface is removed with diamond discs during the sanding process to completely expose the grains of aggregate. The faces of the precast concrete elements are also sanded to ensure that corners and edges also remain clean.
Big picture:
Façade made of white, elaborately processed pre-cast concrete parts.
Project: Kaufhaus Tyrol, Innsbruck, AT.
Photo: BetonBild. Architect: David Chipperfield Architects, Berlin, DE