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Concrete Polishing
Additional Information
The Process Of Polishing Concrete
Polishing concrete is similar to sanding wood. Machines equipped with diamond-segmented abrasives grind down concrete surfaces to the preferred degree of gloss and smoothness.
The segments are coarse enough to eliminate minor pits, stains, blemishes, or light coatings from the floor, preparing for final smoothing. Depending on the condition of the concrete, the initial rough grinding generally comes in the following steps.
- The Initial Grinding
The initial grinding informs how well you’ll do in the rest of the processes. This process works to remove blemishes and minor pits that may have developed on the floor. The end game will be to ensure the concrete is as flat as possible. Therefore, work on it until you are satisfied that all the raised ground is back in its place and all the deeps are raised accordingly.
- Fine Grinding
The next step you need to take is to do some fine grinding of the concrete floor. Put your diamond abrasives to work and improve on the work of the first stage. Using heavy-duty polishing machines, you need finer grits of the polishing disk to get the floor to the preferred gleam. Professional call the process lapping. Once you are through, use rags to remove all the dust and remain with a clean, smooth floor. You can test the finished surface with your hand; it should be smooth.
- Applying Polishing Compound
Apply a polishing compound on your smooth concrete floor to get an even smoother surface. The simple step allows your floor to get more sheen than just any traditional polishing you get from machines. This process adds to the professional look. Also, the process profits you by cleaning off undesirable debris from the polishing process.
- Final Grinding
Once you are through with applying your polishing compound, you may need to move up to an even higher grit of polishing disc. For example, for a high-gloss finish, consider a grit disc as high as 1500 or finer. The ending grit disc that you use will highly depend on your finished desired look.
You can compare your grinder pads with sandpaper working on wood. Grinding using your coarsest polish pad peels away the concrete’s top layers and eliminate any existing finishes on the area. Therefore, once you are satisfied with the surface grinding, check for any holes, cracks, or other concrete damage.
You can opt to use an epoxy or other fillers to repair the cracks and cover the gaps.
