Microcement is a thin-coat decorative finish — typically 2–3mm — applied over an existing substrate. Polished concrete is a structural or overlay floor, ground and sealed to a high shine. They look similar in photos. In real life, they perform very differently.
We install polished concrete overlays across London and the South East, and we get asked this question a lot. Here’s the honest comparison, without the sales spin.
What actually is microcement?
Microcement (also called micro-topping or micro render) is a polymer-modified cement product. You apply it in thin coats — usually two or three — and seal it. The finished depth is around 2–3mm. It goes over tiles, wood, existing concrete, almost anything.
It’s popular because it’s fast and flexible. You can coat walls and floors in the same material for a seamless look. In bathrooms and wet rooms especially, that continuous surface is very appealing.
The downside? It’s a coating. If the substrate moves, the microcement cracks. And because it’s so thin, it doesn’t survive the kind of heavy traffic a polished concrete floor does.
What is polished concrete?
Polished concrete is either ground-down structural concrete or a poured overlay — typically 5–8mm — that’s mechanically ground with diamond tooling through multiple grits and then sealed or treated with a densifier. The result is a hard, dense surface that’s part of the floor, not sitting on top of it.
At LFS, we work primarily with overlays. We pour a 5–8mm cementitious screed over your existing floor, grind it flat, and bring up the finish to whatever sheen level you want — from a matte honed look to a high-gloss mirror finish.
The key difference from microcement: there’s real mass here. The floor handles point loads, heavy furniture, and daily life in a way a thin coating can’t.
Thickness: why it matters more than you think
Microcement: 2–3mm. Polished concrete overlay: 5–8mm. Structural polished concrete: 75–150mm.
That extra depth means you can actually grind the surface — exposing aggregate, levelling imperfections, creating that characteristic concrete texture. With microcement, you’re relying on the polymer coating for everything. Scratch through it and you’re into the substrate.
Both options are relatively low-profile, which matters when you’re tying into existing floors or working around door frames. Polished concrete overlays add 5–8mm, so you may need to adjust thresholds.
Durability and maintenance
Polished concrete wins here, clearly. A properly installed and sealed polished concrete floor will last decades. The grinding process densifies the surface — it’s not a coating that can peel or delaminate. You’ll reseal every few years depending on traffic, but the floor itself is effectively permanent.
Microcement is more delicate. It’s susceptible to scratching in high-traffic areas and can show wear over time, particularly around chairs and under furniture. Maintenance is more involved — you need to be careful about cleaning products and reapply sealant more frequently.
In a bathroom or bedroom where foot traffic is light, microcement holds up well. In a kitchen, open-plan living space, or commercial setting, polished concrete is the more sensible choice.
Cost comparison
Microcement is often marketed as the cheaper option, but the gap narrows when you factor in the full installation. A mid-range microcement floor in London typically runs £80–£120/m². Polished concrete overlays from specialist installers like LFS sit in a similar range — usually £90–£130/m² depending on finish level and complexity.
Where polished concrete has the edge is longevity. You’re paying a similar price for a floor that’s going to outlast a microcement finish by 10–15 years in a normal domestic setting. Over the lifetime of the floor, polished concrete is almost always the better value.
Which is better for underfloor heating?
Both work with underfloor heating — that’s one of the appeals of cement-based floors. Concrete is an excellent thermal mass: it stores heat and releases it slowly, which makes UFH systems more efficient.
For polished concrete overlays, we pour over the UFH system as part of the installation. The overlay encapsulates the pipes and gives you a perfectly flat, heat-conducting surface above them. Just make sure your UFH installer has left the right build-up depth.
Microcement can go over existing concrete that already has UFH beneath it, but it doesn’t add thermal mass — it’s just a decorative layer on top.
When to choose microcement
Microcement makes sense when:
- You want walls and floor in one continuous finish (bathrooms especially)
- Floor height is a real constraint and you can’t add 5–8mm
- You’re doing a cosmetic refresh rather than a full renovation
- The substrate is good, stable, and has no movement risk
When to choose polished concrete
Go with polished concrete when:
- You want a floor that will last 20–30 years without major intervention
- The space sees heavy traffic — kitchens, open-plan living, commercial premises
- You want the authentic concrete aggregate look (microcement can’t replicate this)
- You’re installing underfloor heating as part of a renovation
- You want something that can be re-polished or refinished in future
Frequently asked questions
Can you have polished concrete in a bathroom?
Yes. We install polished concrete in bathrooms regularly. The floor needs to be properly sealed — we use a penetrating sealer plus a topcoat — which makes it water-resistant and easy to clean. As a floor finish it works well, though it won’t give you the same seamless wall-to-floor look as microcement.
Is microcement waterproof?
Microcement is water-resistant when properly sealed, but it’s not waterproof in the way a tiled or resin floor is. For wet rooms and shower areas, the quality of the seal matters and it needs regular maintenance.
Which is easier to repair if damaged?
Polished concrete is easier to spot-repair and can be re-ground and resealed across the whole floor if needed. Microcement repairs are trickier — colour matching is difficult and patch repairs often show.
Do both finishes look the same?
Not really. Polished concrete has an authentic aggregate texture and variation that microcement can’t replicate — microcement is more uniform. If you want the raw, industrial concrete look, polished concrete is the only option.
If you’re deciding between the two for a London or South East project, we’re happy to talk it through. Call us on 07730 584 748 or get a quote on our polished concrete floor cost page. We’ll give you a straight answer on which option suits your space.