Micro-porous Concrete Plating: Smart, Realistic Options

Summary for micro-porous concrete plating Discussion

Micro-porous concrete plating is not presented as a straightforward electroplating job. David Juarez asked whether a decorative gold or silver look could be applied to a micro-porous concrete part, and whether electroplating was possible. Trevor Crichton said he could not find reliable information on “microporous concrete,” but suggested the surface might first be lacquer-sealed, then metallized and plated if needed. He cautioned, however, that plating over lacquer on concrete would not provide normal metal-to-metal adhesion and likely would not even match paint-on-metal adhesion. For a decorative metallic appearance, he pointed to existing alternatives such as metallic-look epoxy floor coatings and chrome-look paints from vendors like G.J. Nikolas. The practical takeaway is that a plated finish may be technically possible only after sealing and metallizing, but for appearance alone, specialty coatings are likely the more realistic route.