Microcement, beton ciré or a resin floor?
You are looking for a quiet floor with a continuous appearance. Soon you encounter several names: microcement, beton ciré, resin flooring, living concrete and lava stone. Sometimes the photographs look alike while the explanations are quite different.
- Author
- Coated Surfaces
- Updated
Hand-trowelled microcement and a self-smoothing epoxy or PU resin floor use different application methods. Beton ciré and microcement are overlapping labels, not proof of an identical build-up. Compare the exact product, substrate, texture, protection and use instructions. You need both a physical sample and a complete quotation to understand the difference.
Understand the names first.
How we make this comparison
We do not choose a universal winner. We compare what matters for your space: the exact system, substrate and complete build-up, appearance, use and care, repair and the full quotation. To establish a performance difference, you need data for both products under comparable test conditions. Where that evidence is missing, we do not assign scores.
This guide is by Coated Surfaces. We apply Forcrete and have a commercial interest in that finish. We are not an independent testing institute and have not carried out a head-to-head laboratory test of these material categories.
To check the technical information yourself, Forcrete brings together product sheets, substrate guidance and care instructions. An example of a PU product is Sika Sikafloor-330; an epoxy example is Sikafloor-1230. These are specific products, not instructions for every resin floor or alternatives we offer here. Always request the information for the system actually proposed in your quotation.
Microcement and beton ciré
These terms are used for decorative finishes with a mineral or concrete-like appearance. Their use overlaps, and different formulations and systems sit behind them. Neither name alone establishes the binder, water protection or care requirements.
Ask for the product and complete build-up. Coated works with Forcrete. That is our choice as an applicator, not evidence that every product described as microcement shares its properties. If you are reading Dutch quotations alongside English information, check product identities rather than assuming that translated labels identify identical systems.
Resin floors
Resin flooring can, for example, use polyurethane or epoxy, with further variation within those groups. Application differs from a hand-trowelled microcement finish, which can affect the visual character. Compare physical examples of texture and sheen rather than relying on the name.
A polyurethane floor is not automatically thicker than every microcement floor. In both cases, consider the complete construction, including the preparation needed in your property.
Lava stone, microquartz and product-line names
Some names refer to an ingredient, appearance or manufacturer's range. They do not necessarily identify a fixed category with universal properties. Ask what binds the material, which aggregates or fillers are involved and how the surface is protected. Compare the specified product, not just its commercial label.
Power-floated concrete
A full concrete floor is a different construction from a thin decorative system over an existing base. Weight, available height and installation all need their own assessment. If that appearance is your starting point, read our comparison with power-floated concrete.
Decide what you want to see in the room.
A photograph can establish direction: warm or cool, quiet or expressive, matte or more reflective. At home, however, you will not view the floor from one camera position. Look at the scale of the marks, visible grain, tonal transitions and the way light returns from a sample.
Stand back as well as looking closely. A detail that dominates a small sample can read differently across a large room. If you want very little visual movement, say so explicitly. 'Concrete look' might mean almost uniform grey to one person and pronounced trowel marks to another.
Bring a timber, cabinet or stone sample into the comparison. The floor is a large part of a room, but it is never experienced entirely on its own. The colour and texture guide goes further into this material conversation.
An example from our work
At the Concept Store Amsterdam, we applied 110 m² of microcement over the existing floor after assessing the base. The lacquer was polished for a subtle sheen. The project shows the selected finish in a retail space, beside timber and in daylight. It is not a comparative wear test or a promise that every existing floor can be retained.
Compare the questions that affect the project.
| Question | Why it matters | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| What is the exact system? | A general name can cover several products. | Manufacturer, range, finish and protection. |
| Can the substrate remain? | Preparation affects work, height and price. | Assessment of your actual floor or wall. |
| What height does it need? | Doors and transitions must remain usable. | Complete build-up, including repair and levelling. |
| What appearance is agreed? | Texture and sheen are difficult to judge in pictures. | A physical reference and expectations for the full area. |
| Is it suitable for this room? | A living room and shower have different demands. | Application and system-specific detail information. |
| How is it cared for? | Daily life is part of the material choice. | Instructions for this precise finish. |
| What happens if it is damaged? | A local repair may remain visible. | Assessment and repair options without an invisibility promise. |
| When can it be used? | Application and curing are separate stages. | Permission for walking, water and furniture. |
If an answer is missing, ask for it. Filling the gap with an assumption makes two proposals look more comparable than they really are.
Where do you start in your situation?
| Your starting point | What to compare first | The next step |
|---|---|---|
| You want hand-applied marks and variation. | Samples of the exact microcement or beton ciré finish in the room's light. | Agree the colour, texture and sheen with the applicator. |
| You want as little visual movement as possible. | Samples of the proposed finishes, including a PU or epoxy resin floor. A resin floor is not automatically uniform. | Ask what appearance is achievable; 'concrete look' is not specific enough. |
| You want to keep existing tiles. | The base, required preparation and total height for every proposed system. | Read what matters when applying microcement over tiles before assuming they can remain. |
| You are choosing a shower or bathroom finish. | The application, drain, junctions and full build-up, not just the surface. | Read the bathroom guide and have the details assessed. |
| You want to understand daily use. | The care instructions for the exact finish and the options if it is damaged. | Our care guide explains the questions for microcement, not the instructions for every floor type. |
| Your main concern is budget. | The same area, preparation, detailing and total price including VAT. | Use the Coated cost examples to understand the items, not as rates for other systems. |
There is no universal winner. A suitable sample without a suitable base is not yet a suitable floor; a low rate without a complete scope is not a complete price either.
Scratches, wear and stains are different.
Scratch resistance concerns damage from a scratching object. Wear resistance concerns material loss through use. Stain resistance concerns the effect of substances on a surface. A good result in one area does not answer the other questions.
A finish may tolerate ordinary use and still be damaged by a sharp object. A laboratory value also needs context. Ask which texture, sheen, protection and test method a performance statement covers. Do not transfer a result for a polished finish to a matte version without an explanation.
Describe actual use too: grit near the entrance, furniture movement, a wheeled office chair or a busy shop. These details help turn broad performance language into a useful selection discussion. No general material name guarantees that a pet, chair or dropped object cannot cause damage.
Bathrooms and heated floors need complete solutions.
For a bathroom, compare more than the word 'waterproof' in two brochures. The application, full build-up, drain connections, corners and maintenance need to fit. A water-resistant product is not a complete answer to a shower junction. Our bathroom page explains what matters for Coated's application.
For underfloor heating, the heat source, installation, screed and finish each have requirements. Ask about preparation, installation information and procedures. 'Conducts heat' alone predicts neither an energy bill nor how quickly the room will warm up.
The floor build-up guide explains why the base and finish are considered together. Its model does not establish thickness or heating performance for your property.
Compare complete quotations.
A lower rate per square metre does not necessarily mean a lower project total. One quotation may include preparation that another lists separately or has not yet assessed.
Compare floor and wall areas separately, the assumed substrate condition, preparation, complete system and chosen finish. Include niches, edges, stairs and junctions. Identify demolition, waste removal and arrangements for doors, skirting and sanitary fittings, even where they are outside the quoted scope.
Ask which measurements and tasks are confirmed and which are assumptions. Six square metres of bathroom floor is not the same scope as that floor plus the walls. Record anything not yet assessed, such as repairs beneath existing tiles.
Compare the total including VAT and distinguish fixed prices, estimates and provisional sums. A provisional sum is not a fixed final price: ask how it is settled and how unexpected work is agreed. VAT follows the actual work offered, so do not assume one rate applies to the whole renovation.
Use and first-use instructions belong in the comparison too. Our cost page shows how separate items add up in worked examples. If one quotation omits an item, ask for clarification first. Comparing totals alone does not make two different scopes equivalent.
When another option may fit better.
What are the drawbacks of microcement?
Microcement involves more than choosing a colour. These considerations can decide the choice:
- The base must be suitable. Repairs and preparation may still be needed; the finish does not correct an unstable substrate.
- It is hand-applied. Marks and variation belong to the selected finish. If you want a nearly uniform appearance, assess a sample and discuss expectations for the full surface.
- Repairs can remain visible. A continuous surface has a different repair approach from separate elements. A local repair may differ in colour and texture.
- Use needs planning. Curing follows application. Suitable cleaning and protection remain necessary afterwards; low maintenance does not mean maintenance-free.
These points do not make microcement automatically better or worse than another system. They help match the choice to your expectations. For an example of daily use, read our experience with a lived-in microcement floor. Those observations apply to the finish and circumstances described there, not every microcement floor.
Frequently asked questions.
Is beton ciré the same as microcement?
The terms overlap in practice. You need the product name and complete build-up for a reliable comparison, not just the label.
Is lava stone always harder?
The name does not establish that. Compare specified products, the same property and comparable test conditions. Hardness does not answer questions about stains, maintenance or repair by itself.
Is microcement the best choice for pets?
Discuss daily use and compare the precise finish. Scratch resistance, texture, care and surface protection still matter. No general material name guarantees freedom from damage.
Which finish is easiest to maintain?
That depends on the actual finish and use of the room. Ask for its concrete care instructions. 'Low maintenance' becomes useful only when you know what actions are required.
Is microcement always cheaper than a resin floor?
No. The material name cannot establish that. Substrate, area, preparation and detailing determine the project price. Compare quotations with the same scope and consider the total including VAT. Current Coated rates and preparation items are on the cost page; they are not a price indication for another flooring system.
Choose around your space.
Bring a few visual references and explain how the space will be used. We can discuss which Forcrete finish fits that direction and which conditions matter. Our completed projects show the material in real rooms.
