Microcement Flooring:
the Homeowner's Guide
We cover every flooring option, tell you where each one wins and loses, and help you figure out if microcement is the right call before you spend a dollar.
You have flooring options. Here's how they actually stack up.
Every flooring material has a glossy brochure and a list of benefits. What's harder to find is an honest breakdown of where each one struggles, and which rooms it genuinely doesn't belong in.
We work with all of these materials. This is what we'd tell a family member before they made a decision.
Hardwood
Warm, classic, adds real home value. The undisputed winner in bedrooms and dry living spaces — but moisture is its enemy.
Tile
Water-resistant and hard-wearing. Best for wet zones — but those grout lines are a long-term maintenance commitment.
LVP / Vinyl Plank
Has come a long way. Great for rentals and budget renovations, but doesn't fool anyone up close and doesn't add home value.
Polished Concrete
Incredible aesthetic in the right space. Requires an existing slab — you can't retrofit it, and it's cold, hard underfoot.
Microcement
Goes over almost any existing floor. Seamless from room to room. Grout-free. And it looks like nothing else on the market.
Which flooring wins where
It's not paint. It's not epoxy. Here's what microcement actually is.
Microcement is a cementitious polymer coating — 2 to 3mm thick — applied by hand in layers over virtually any existing hard surface. It bonds chemically to what's underneath it, cures to a seamless continuous finish, and can be sealed to any level of sheen from raw matte to near-gloss.
Unlike tile, it doesn't require removal of what's already there. Unlike epoxy, it's genuinely breathable and tactile. Unlike polished concrete, you don't need a slab — it can go over hardwood, ceramic tile, plywood, or existing concrete without raising your floor height more than a few millimeters.
See it installed
The benefits worth knowing about
Not a marketing bullet list — the actual reasons it works for the homes we install it in.
The potential downsides of Microcement Flooring
Cause if we only told you the good stuff, you'd be right to question everything else.
It's not a DIY project
Application technique matters more than the material itself. Wrong mixing ratio, skipped primer, applied over a damp slab — any of these will crack, delaminate, or stain. The result you see in portfolio photos requires trained hands.
Higher upfront cost than tile
The labor is specialized, and the system requires multiple coats with dry times between each one. You're paying for a 3–5 day precision process. The price is real — we'll cover the numbers in the cost section.
Repairs can show
If the floor is damaged and needs patching, the repair may be visible because the original was applied as one seamless layer. A quality product and professional installation dramatically reduce the chance you'll ever need one.
The floor is only as good as what's under it
If your subfloor has active cracks, moisture problems, or structural movement, those issues have to be addressed first. A good installer will assess the substrate before any microcement goes down. An honest one will tell you if it's not the right time.
What installation actually looks like
Every application follows this sequence. Skipping or rushing any step is how problems happen.
Easier to maintain than tile. Here's the full picture.
Day-to-day care
Long-term schedule
This is our favorite place to add heated floors. They pair perfectly with this surface and are surprisingly affordable. Once you have them, you will wonder how you ever lived without them.
FAQs
If you have unanswered questions, just give us a call.
No more than tile, and usually less. The visible trowel texture gives microcement a naturally grippy surface. For wet external areas, we use an aggregate finish specifically chosen for slip resistance. We've never had a slip issue on an installed floor, and slip rating tests confirm it.
Microcement is only as stable as the substrate underneath it. If the subfloor has existing cracks, movement, or structural issues, those can transfer through. This is why substrate assessment and prep work come first — not as an upsell, but because it's the difference between a floor that lasts 20 years and one that doesn't. Applied over a sound substrate with proper primer and mesh reinforcement, cracking is extremely rare.
Yes — in most cases. Microcement bonds to hardwood, ceramic tile, stone, plywood, MDF, existing concrete, and most other hard surfaces. The main requirements are that the substrate is stable (not actively moving), dry, and properly primed. We assess this on every job before committing to an install plan.
Dogs: fine. Claws will eventually put micro-scratches in the sealer over time, same as they would on hardwood or tile. The sealer protects the microcement itself. Heavy furniture: use felt pads, same as any hard floor. Dragging without protection can scratch the sealer surface. The floor itself won't indent or dent under static load.
Warmer than tile, not as warm as hardwood. It's a stone-based material so it doesn't retain heat the way wood does. That said, it works exceptionally well with radiant underfloor heating — the thin application doesn't impede heat transfer, and a heated microcement floor is genuinely pleasant underfoot in winter.
Absolutely, and we recommend it. The color and texture of microcement can look quite different under different lighting conditions and on different substrates. We can provide samples of the finish colors and textures we work with, and we also show photos from real past projects in conditions similar to yours.
Polished concrete requires an existing concrete slab and involves grinding the surface down with heavy machinery. It can't be retrofitted onto most existing floors. Microcement is an overlay — applied at 2–3mm over virtually any existing surface, no machinery required. They look similar but the installation process and application context are completely different.
Yes, it can be patched — though as we mentioned in the cons section, a patch may be slightly visible since the original was applied as one seamless layer. The key is that a quality product with proper sealing rarely needs repair. We've done hundreds of installations and patch calls are uncommon. When damage does occur, it's usually from an impact or a maintenance issue that could have been prevented.
What it costs, and what moves the number
Real numbers. We're not going to make you call to find out if this is in your budget.
How to hire a microcement installer
The quality of the result depends almost entirely on the installer. Here's how to evaluate one before you commit.
If you're in the Seattle area,
we're your guys.
DuetRight is a Seattle-based installation crew. We've installed microcement floors across Seattle and the surrounding area — bathrooms, kitchens, entryways, open-concept living spaces, and staircases. Every one of them done right, or we don't put our name on it.
If you're outside the Seattle area, the hiring checklist above is your roadmap for finding the right installer wherever you are. We're happy to answer questions and point you in the right direction regardless.
Get a free estimate
Tell us a bit about your project. We'll follow up within one business day.