Veterinary clinics are a harder environment than most hospitals for flooring: claws, cages, urine, disinfectants and wet prep areas, often all within twenty metres. Polished concrete can work here, but only with a specification written for animals rather than for offices.

Requirement table

Demand	Specification
Hygiene	Densified, low porosity, coved edges in wet zones
Urine resistance	Two-coat lithium densifier plus stain-resistant sealer
Slip safety	400-800 hone, wet PTV 36+ tested
Claw abrasion	Hard aggregate mix; avoid soft fines at the surface
Chemical cleaning	Sealer resistant to quaternary ammonium and chlorine

Where it works and where it does not

Reception, waiting, corridors and consult rooms are good candidates. Kennel runs, surgery suites and wet prep need coved skirting, higher chemical resistance and joints that will not harbour liquid; there, a resin system is often the better answer and the polished floor should stop at the door.

Urine and odour

Urine penetrates any porous surface and the smell persists in the pores. Mitigation is threefold: densify thoroughly to close the surface, seal with a product rated for urine, and clean within minutes rather than at end of shift. Once urine is in the slab, no coating on top will remove the odour.

Slip and claw grip

Animals need grip more than humans do. A mirror finish in a wet corridor is an injury claim. Specify a honed finish and test wet PTV; in kennel areas consider a light mechanical texture. Gloss in the waiting room, grip in the treatment areas.

Handover points

• Cleaning protocol by zone, with disinfectant compatibility confirmed by the sealer manufacturer.
• Joint filler rated for the cleaners used, not just for traffic.
• Written slip test results and gloss readings.
• Re-seal interval, because clinics clean more aggressively than offices.

The clinic floor is judged by smell and by slips, not by gloss. Specify for those two and the polished concrete will earn its place.