Micro concrete floor by Marius Aurenti
From béton to béton ciré: what is the history and evolution that led to the creation of the name and its worldwide recognition as a French speciality?
If the term “waxed concrete” has become a specifically French semantic that has spread to become a generic word, it’s because the history of this concrete floor, as much appreciated as it is desired, has undergone significant evolution over the last 40 years. Marius Aurenti has been at the forefront of this history, contributing to the evolution of specific materials for making micro concrete and adapting protection systems to make them suitable for everyday commercial and residential use.
Marius Aurenti, who founded the company in 1982, explains:
“The company was created to accompany theuse of concrete in architecture and decoration.
Architects and construction companies were constantly faced with the problem of protecting concrete, which by its very nature was difficult to protect and clean.
Architects such as Jean Nouvel, Claude Parent, Sir …, consulted us to find a way to remedy this protection.
Similarly, companies such as SNCF and RATP, which put new structures into operation when lines opened, were confronted with problems of dirt and graffiti, which were difficult to remedy.”
“By offering treatment solutions using anti-graffiti polyurethane protection films and concrete lasures, we succeeded in solving these problems for walls as early as the 1980s, in partnership with an English manufacturer.”
Micro concrete in the 80s
The 80s were a golden era for concrete, which found its place in architecture under theimpetus of great architects such as Le Corbusier.
Concrete, an often hidden building material, becomes a facing material facing material for walls and micro concrete for floors..
The history of micro concrete floors
At the time, concrete floors were mainly structural slabs that needed to be covered.
However, there were attempts to make these slabs both structural and functional in modest buildings.
Examples of traditional concrete floors:
- Portugal: Floors tinted by adding pigments to a surface layer (Betão Alifado technique),
- Spain, Balearics, Greece: Smooth concrete floors,
- Morocco: Tadelakt and the specificity of Marrakech lime.
The origins of micro concrete go back thousands of years, even to Roman times (types of flooring known as opus).
1990-2000: The renaissance of waxed concrete in France
In the 1990s, the renovation of old urban factories provided an opportunity to use industrial paving to create micro concrete floors.
Marius Aurenti played an active part in this renaissance, offering treatment solutions to renovate these industrial buildings and transform them into contemporary homes.
The innovation of millimetric micro concrete
In the 90s, Marius Aurenti worked on a new generation of micro concrete for floors, reducing loads and using high-strength quartz sands.
Gradually, he created a millimetric micro concrete for floors, offering :
- A perfect mastery of color,
- No need for splitting,
- Varnish protection for intensive use.
This innovation took place in La Ciotat, near Marseille, and the first worksites were built around Marseille and Aix-en-Provence.
Architects encouraged the company’s first projects, and the method of coloring micro concrete was refined using pigments from Roussillon.
Surface preparation and protection systems
To improve the production of micro concrete for floors, Marius Aurenti works on surface preparation systems and defines two major product families:
- Primers for porous floors,
- Primers for sealed floors (especially for renovation over tiles).
Improvements in polyurethane varnishes have led to the development of a new-generation concrete protection system.
Unlike wax, these varnishes offer :
- Permanent chemical protection,
- Easy maintenance.
Why Marius Aurenti micro concrete is a benchmark today
Through this evolution, Marius Aurenti has created a unique micro concrete for floors:
- Suitable for indoor and outdoor floors (terraces, walk-in showers, worktops),
- No need for joints,
- Resistant to stains and intensive use.
This innovation broke new ground in contemporary decorating, and micro concrete has since been exported to many countries, becoming an essential material for architecture and interior design.
40 years of history
From its foundation in 1982 in La Ciotat to the creation of millimetric micro concrete, discover the history of Matières Marius Aurenti, its key stages and its commitment.
References
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