Deep cleaning of concrete floors at the National Stadium – preparing the promenade ahead of EURO 2012
In 2012, Probeton was awarded a prestigious contract to finish the promenade at the National Stadium in Warsaw. The project, carried out just before the opening of the 2012 UEFA European Championship, required us to exercise the utmost precision in cleaning a large-scale concrete slab that had previously been surface-hardened and impregnated with sodium silicate.
Technology: How do sodium silicates harden concrete?
When properly applied, sodium silicates react with the concrete, forming an extremely hard layer on its surface (reaching 7–8 on the Mohs scale). Our task was not only to remove construction debris, but above all to enhance the gloss and smooth out the surface texture.
This process was based on advanced mechanics:
- Aggressive polishing: The use of specialized pads (including black diamond/polishing pads) allowed for the perfect leveling of the silicate microstructure.
- Even light reflection: By smoothing the surface, we achieved a glass-like sheen while maintaining full resistance to heavy foot traffic (thousands of fans).
The result: “The older, the better”
In the flooring industry, we often say that well-maintained concrete is like fine wine. A few years after the project was completed, during a match featuring the Polish national team, we had the opportunity to reassess the condition of the promenade. The concrete slab at the National Stadium still looks excellent, which confirms the durability of the silicate technology we used.
