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Hi Stacy with carpet there are 3 basic types of finish, each with certain advantages. 1. Loop pile. As the name suggests the yarn is stitched into the backing and forms a loop. As the fibre is continuous it is the strongest construction and if you place the loops close enough you get a very hard wearing carpet. this is why most often the loop is used in commercial carpet. Use wool with this style and it lasts for years. Comes in plain colours (eg sisal) or with a multi flecked (Berber) 2. Cut pile. When the yarn is actually being stitched into the backing, the loop is cut (hence the name). There are two styles in cut piles, being the twist and the plush pile. The twist has a textured look due to the yarn treatment, and the plush has a very smooth velvet style of finish. The plush is the one you see the footprints /vacuum marks in the most and when all other things are equal it is also the weakest style. 3. Cut and loop. Manufacturers create patterns by doing sections in loops and sections in a plush. I mention the above so you understand what it is you are looking at. I caution my clients on wool in a plush pile as it is very prone to what is called watermarking. This is where the lie of the yarn changes direction in patches permanently and you get a two tone look ie it looks wet in patches. we have just installed a high quality 100oz twist pile (in a chocolate colour) on a thick underlay to our bedrooms, theatre and lounge... Looks stunning and it is DELUXXXXE to walk on in the morning with bare feet! hope that helps... cheers

Hi Chris The cheapest option is Grind & Seal, but we usually recommend Mechanically Polished Concrete for inside of a home. This is by far a better option, if you were to go for a Matte or Satin finish it is less expensive than a higher gloss finish. Mechanically Polished Concrete does not have a top coat sealer requiring drying and curing time and does not need re-applying in the future which will save time and money in the long run. Because Polished Concrete does not require drying or curing time it can be used as soon as the process is completed unlike the Grind & Seal option. All floors are slippery when wet, a non slip agent can be added to a top coat sealer which would be the Grind & Seal method which we do apply in a shower area if there is not a shower base. Polished Concrete in Matte and Satin finish does have a very good slip rating, has no grout lines as with tiled floors where dust can get trapped therefore it is a wonderful easy to clean flooring solution. Hope this helps, I have provided some details regarding the 2 main processes below There are 2 different finishing processes / methods that are commonly called Polished Concrete, they are very different so it is important that you know the difference & which process/method you want and which is being used on your concrete Polished Concrete - 12 to 17+ step process During this process the concrete is ground to the desired level of stone exposure. After grinding the concrete surface, the Polished Concrete process begins. This process has a densifier applied in multiple stages that is absorbed into the concrete which hardens and strengthens the concrete. A Polished Concrete Floor is Polished in Multiple stages in a Refining Process using diamond tooling & resin pads. A penetrating sealer is applied in the final buffing stage to complete the process The "Polished Concrete" process has "NO TOP COAT SEALER" applied therefore there is no drying or curing time required so your space can be used as soon as the process is completed Grind & Seal (a 3 to 4 step process) This is NOT Polished Concrete. Grind & Seal is often referred to as Polished Concrete, this is the cheaper substitute that gives a "Polished Concrete Look" With the Grind & Seal method the concrete is ground to the desired level of stone exposure and a TOP Coat Sealer is applied such as water based, solvent based, urethane, acrylic or epoxy requiring 5-7 days to dry & cure

We're currently building and have out down blackbutt. It's only been laid, still to be sanded and top coated. We plan to just finish with a satin waxy product. I'd have to ask hubby what exactly it is. But we don't intend to stain. We've seen this finish on 2 recent builds and it looks fab. A small pic of ours. I can take a larger one of the entire open plan room if you wish. This was just one I had on the iPad :) We love the blackbutt. We originally chose as it was cheaper than spotted gum. Ours is standard grade so has more knots, etc than the higher grade. I actually prefer the feature of the standard grade. We have kids and a dog so hopefully will cope ok.