Compared
Polished concrete vs microcement
Polished concrete is the slab, ground and polished, at €90 to €150 a m² (PMAC). Microcement is a 2 to 3 mm cement coating trowelled on top (KC Berry), at €80 to €140 a m² supplied and laid on a house floor (Ireland Microcement).
- €90 to €150 a m²PMAC's published range for a polished concrete floor
- €20,000two quotes for 190 m² of mid-range polished concrete in a city new build, about €105 a m² (Selfbuild Ireland)
- 28 daysthe least time a new slab cures before it can be polished (PMAC)
- from €55a m² for a standard finish on floors over 100 m² (Selfbuild Ireland)
FreeNo obligationOne contractor rings you, not fiveNothing agreed until you accept a written price
Side by side
The two side by side
| Microcement | Polished concrete | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A thin coating, trowelled on and sealed | The slab itself |
| Thickness | 2 to 3 mm | The slab, usually about 100 mm with pipes in it |
| Floor, supplied and laid | €80 to €140 a m² | €90 to €150 a m² |
| Over old tiles | Yes | No: the slab must be bare |
| Walls, showers, stairs | Yes | Floors only |
Thickness: KC Berry and PMAC. Microcement price: Ireland Microcement. Polished price: PMAC. Over tiles: Microcement.ie.
Prices
Published microcement prices
| Job | Published price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Microcement floor, residential, supply and install | €80 to €140 a m² | Ireland Microcement |
| Microcement, supply and install | €80 to €150 a m² | Ireland Microcement |
| Microcement, 30 m² open-plan floor on a new screed | €2,700 to €4,800 | Ireland Microcement |
| Microcement, materials only | €35 to €70 a m² | KC Berry |
| Polished concrete (Ireland Microcement's comparison) | €100 to €200 a m² | Ireland Microcement |
None of these sources says whether its prices include VAT. Ask for every written price to say.
Ireland Microcement's own comparison puts polished concrete higher than microcement. The polishing firms' own figures start lower.
Renovations
In a house you already have
Microcement's big advantage is in a renovation. Microcement.ie says it can go over existing tiles and screed with no effect on underfloor heating, and Ireland Microcement says polished concrete needs a new slab in a renovation. That's true where the existing slab won't polish. Where it will, grinding the slab you have is the job. See polishing an existing floor.
Choose
Which suits you
- A new build or extension with a fresh slab: polished concrete. The slab is there anyway.
- Old tiles you don't want to lift, or bathrooms and walls to match: microcement.
- A sound existing slab: price both.
See it first
Polished concrete in your own room
Take a photo of the room, pick a finish and a sheen, and see the floor polished before anyone quotes. Free, in under a minute.
- Upload a photo, or answer 4 questions.
- We pass it to one contractor that covers your county.
- They ring you with a written price.
Preview of your photo, not a guarantee. Your photo goes to Google's Gemini service to make the picture and isn't kept.
A photo that works
- Daylight, lights on if it's dull.
- From the doorway, so most of the floor is in the shot.
- A building site is fine: the slab, the plaster, the lot.
- Hold the phone level, not pointed at your feet.
Free quote
Get a price in 4 taps
Tap what you need and leave your number. It goes to one polished concrete contractor that covers your county, and they ring you back to look at the floor and give you a written price.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is microcement cheaper than polished concrete?
Published ranges overlap: €80 to €140 a m² for a microcement floor (Ireland Microcement), €90 to €150 a m² for polished concrete (PMAC).
How thick is microcement?
2 to 3 mm (KC Berry).
Does microcement work with underfloor heating?
Microcement.ie says it goes over existing tiles and screed with no effect on underfloor heating.
Is microcement the same as polished concrete?
No. It looks similar, but it's a thin coating. Polished concrete is the slab itself.
Where these numbers come from (1 public source, checked 3 November 2026)
Sources (6)
Prices and facts on this page were checked against these published pages. We are not connected to these businesses.
- PMAC: pmac.ie
- KC Berry: kcberry.ie
- Ireland Microcement: irelandmicrocement.com
- PMAC: pmac.ie
- PMAC: pmac.ie
- Microcement.ie: microcement.ie