Microcement is transforming our homes into havens of quiet luxury
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Normally the word concrete would not crop up in my vocabulary when it comes to interiors — usually it errs on the side of feathery cushions, toe-snuggling rugs and invitingly soft sofas.
Then the growing trend for microcement as an alternative finish to tiling in bathrooms and kitchens comes along offering visual appeal, developing one of the most heavy-duty building materials into a level of refinement to rival any fine surface finish.
It’s typically composed of cement powder, quartz powder and resin mix which is then applied in a thin layer to just about any surface it seems, even kitchen worktops. The result is a combination of industrial chic meets polished concrete, with all sorts of colour options available to elevate it out of the dense grey we associate with polished concrete floors.
Elise Peng, owner of Dublin-based interior designers EP Interiors, has been specifying it in some of her projects. “It’s quiet luxury with a high-end aesthetic to give a cosmetic update to the bathroom,” she says. “You can use it instead of tiles so you’re not buying adhesive and grouting and there’s no waste with off-cuts so it’s cheaper and more sustainable.
"If you’re renovating, you can apply it over existing tiles so it saves removal and gives you a quick refresh of the bathroom. But you do need to make sure the bathroom is waterproofed properly before using it.”
The growing popularity of the product has meant Kerry-based Gintaras Bendaravicius, owner of Mymicrocement, gave up being a tiler after 18 years to work exclusively with microcement in 2022. "It's a big change in interior design," Gintaras, from Killarney.
"Any walls or floors can be done in it and you have an endless choice of colours. You'll never have to paint it. You can also have different textures from stone effect to smooth as glass. It's a super flexible product."
He also cites what he sees as its particular value over regular concrete when doing up a property. "Polished concrete is difficult to pour in a renovation," he says. "Microcement is easy for a renovation and there are no joins. It's only 4mm thickness so if you have underfloor heating it will come up much faster than it would through concrete."
It seems we’re only starting to get on board with the trend here in Ireland but it has been thriving in other parts of Europe, according to Anna Bougharbel of Cork-based Maison Anna B, a microcement and lime paint specialist boutique service. She first discovered the product as an option when she was choosing finishes for her own home.
“Short and simple, we were building our house and looking at the interior choices and we were attracted to micro cement,” she says. “I’m French and it’s everywhere in France but there are not many providers here in Ireland. We wanted the seamless look, no tiles, no grout. The texture is fabulous, it really brings you somewhere else, the feeling like you’re on holiday.”
Having it in her own ensuite bathroom and living with the practicality and aesthetic prompted her to set up her business, and far from it involving cement mixers outside our front door, the application technique requires skill and attention to detail. “You need patience to apply it, an eye for detail, a feminine eye," she says. It can work on many surfaces, bathrooms, backsplashes, fireplaces and kitchen counters.
“Lots of people are looking for materials that are beautiful,” she says, “and they’re being bolder now with materials. Microcement is a coating, and it’s low-maintenance but you will need to reseal it after seven years or even longer.”
Day-to-day maintenance is easy according to Rob Hennessy who has used microcement in his Passage West, Co Cork home.
Fans of RTÉ’s will remember when presenter Hugh Wallace visited him at the start of his mammoth and ongoing renovation of his period house back in 2022.
Tackling his en-suite bathroom earlier this year, he opted for the product as he knew he didn’t want tiles.
“I looked into different finishes,” he says. “No matter what you do in a house it’s always down to the finish and the microcement is a stunning effect. There are hundreds of colour choices so you never have to paint it. I went for a light cream. It’s a small room and I didn’t want it to look dark.”
It’s an interesting choice for a period property but this is something Rob took into consideration when making his decision, blending the contemporary aesthetic of microcement with vintage elements like a repurposed washstand which he’s turned into a sink unit.
“I brought in the old to work with the new,” he says. “The ensuite is now one of my favourite rooms.”
Having lived with it for eight months since it was done by Anna Maison B, does he have any advice for a homeowner considering it as a finish?
“Make sure the surface is skimmed with the standard plaster finish first,” he says. “Anna primed it and put two coats of microcement on it over two days. I absolutely love it. I’m now planning to have elements of it in other rooms, and I love not having to clean grout.”
- Instagram.com/ep_interior_design
- Instagram.com/maison_annab
- Instagram.com/victorian_renovation_glenbrook
- Instagram.com/mymicrocement