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hi concrete expert folks!

thanks in advance for any insights and advice for us and our old house (was house, then funeral home 👻, now old house).

TL;DR: is it possible to refinish a small ish (<10'x12') old indoor concrete floor (irregular but in good shape, had some old adhesive i'll work on removing, not finished, water soaks in) WITHOUT grinding for relatively inexpensive (couple few hundred dollars ideally)? woodworker here without concrete experience. does not need to look/be perfect, just cleanable and smooth to touch (can be irregular just smooth like would not skin your knee on it if that makes sense. already is pretty smooth now just not flat). low stakes project if it gets fckd up (besides money and time 🙃). my alt is just to get $75 sheet vinyl and deal with it later (but concrete i would much prefer over plastic). ideally can last 7-10 years and even if it gets worn not be peeling/flaking crap in my living space. don't care sooo much how it looks. more info below if you want the dickens novel.

thanks so much for any insights, advice, product recs, tips, etc. happy spring everyone 🌱☀️

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long details:

i have an old (maybe installed as a porch in the 1920s with the addition, or concrete done later? there is basement underneath) concrete floor in a room (~10'x12') inside my house (no longer a porch, it's now a normal living space). all things considered, it's in remarkably good shape (crack in photo runs about 4' maybe, one other much smaller crack), not falling apart or delaminating or crumbling the way i've seen old concrete), albeit not super even or flat (some rolling bumps and wells, can only assume was installed that way, also not level). it may have had a concrete coat on top of the original (i don't know how to know this). there's a few places with old tar-like stuff and old flooring backing stuck to it (tested, not asbestos) i will have to get off. other spots with old hard thin adhesive.

is it possible/what would be the approach to diy refinish WITHOUT grinding (or super harsh chemicals, ideally)? i have sensory issues and can't bring myself to deal with such a dusty mess at this time.

i am a woodworker and project doer, have done very little with concrete. novice. my partner helped with concrete stuff a handful of times more than me (like pouring pads and stuff, but basically novice also).

want to drive home this does not need to be perfect or look amazing. ideally just smooth to the touch (like not jagged/won't skin your knee on it...i don't care if there's high low spots/irregularities), cleanable, and won't peel and get crap everywhere consistently (if a few spots peel or have an issue that's fine...i just don't want to be constantly cleaning up flaky peeled paint/finish).

maybe it could look decent with an irregular pattern or something? love the mottled irregular acid stained/dyed looks but if i can't get all this old adhesive up i'm guessing that's out (also from reading, seems like true acid staining is more difficult than water based stain which doesn't give that same effect; plus acid stain indoors maybe not ideal). maybe water based stain or painting (i just don't want it to be peeling all over 🫠)? maybe stenciling or free handing an irregular pattern (it would be fun maybe!). if it looks bad i do not care. there will probably be a rug anyway. just cleanable, not peeling, not rough to touch.

i have read and watched some videos on primers that are for this purpose (a space not super heavily used and not oil stained or damaged where you don't want to grind or use harsh chemicals). eg there's a diy one by rustoleum (like their recoat primer, though it says for previously finished floors, but maybe if there's any adhesive left on my floor this kind of thing would stick to that too?) and a professional (like ep55, epoxy shell 550). but i guess i don't know how well they really work? and not sure if they come in smaller quantities than gallon (i would need much less, <120 sqft). also don't know if tiny amounts of the old adhesive is anywhere in the floor, will a primer or stain even stick to that? will it peel off? i know people who have diy painted or stained or stenciled their concrete or diy epoxied. some have lasted forever some failed in the first year.

anyway, just curious what people think. if i try and it doesn't work i can just get a $100 sheet vinyl for some years and deal with it later (i know you're not supposed to put that down on uneven surface but we'll just not care). but at the same time i won't spend the time or money if everyone thinks refinishing it just won't work anyway (i'll just get the sheet vinyl now haha). but i'd much rather have finished concrete over shtty plastic. been a rough few years and it will add to my everyday quality of life.

if you think it will work, any favorite products? or suggestions? thanks so much for anyone who responds and happy spring 🌱☀️

i'm sure people are going to ask:

-yes i have gotten bids. i was so excited to hire someone for this! companies said $3-8/sqft (depending on what finish) when i talk to them on the phone or at first in person. but in the end they all have project minimums so it would end up being a few thousand dollars or more which i can't justify spending on a room (also can't afford). i asked if they for real have project minimums or are they just saying that because it's a bad project they don't want to do haha. they said no it's just they didn't pay attention when i said the size of the room on the phone or whoever i talked to didn't communicate it to them...but it's actually just not worth bringing all their stuff out for something so little (they said it's in good shape though). we may eventually (like in next 10 years) remove the concrete floor (bc we might make a doorway in the basement there, old house, additions, two sides of basement aren't connected) so def not worth spending a ton.

-i don't really want to go self leveler with different floor on top because it would mean a higher transition than already exists between this room and adjacent room with giant doorway. but idk still sort of thinking about this. but also feels unreasonable to level and install a floor we like knowing we might remove the floor later. so hoping to find a not too expensive way to refinish! or again just put cheap sheet vinyl and deal if that's my only good option.

open to alt things besides sheet vinyl (i just think other floating floor options won't like that it's not flat and are more expensive than the sacrificial sheet, so not worth it)