How to Prepare Floor for Concrete Polishing

The condition of the floor you want to polish has got more impact to the outcome than any other aspect. The condition of the floor will influence the time, labor force, the type of equipment to be used, the time you will take to polish, the initial grit and the production rate of the crew and the machinery. It is therefore very important to prepare the floor before concrete polishing.

Determining the hardness of the concrete

The density, degree of hardness of the concrete is a very important factor when you want to determine the type and grit of diamond to be used. A scratch test kit is used to determine the hardness of the concrete. The kit is based on a Mohs scale of relative mineral hardness. This is the simplest way to determine where the hardness of your concrete ranks on the Mohs scale and will help you to determine which best tools to use.

Clean the floor

Dirt and stains can inhibit the penetration of dyes, stains and this may result in unwanted color variations. Detergents and degreasers are sufficient to remove lightly soiled areas. A poultice powder-a blend of dry absorbent clay can be used to extract stubborn dirt stains and oil from the concrete. Mineral spirits can be poured into the stain and absorb it with a kitty litter to remove oil stains.

Prior to grinding, on some projects, you can remove vinyl tile from the concrete. Removing vinyl tile from a large area, the use of a ride-on machine designed to scrape the tile off the surface is the most effective way. The machines are effective to remove a wide range of materials from the surface like thick coating, thin set mortars, adhesives and floor coverings. The quickest method to remove mastic or adhesive from the floor is to grind it off or rather use a chemical stripping agent. There are accessories that are designed for this specific purpose.

Preparing spalls, cracks, and chips

Before concrete polishing, repairs must be done. The main purpose is to blend the fix to appear alike with the concrete. In order to get the best results, you must use specific products for specific repairs.  For small divots, chips left behind from the carpet tack strips and spalls, there are a variety of different cement based patching compounds you can choose from. Your choice depends on the depth and severity of the area. It should be noted that the best patch might not be an identical match to the polished floor. If the concrete being repaired is colored, then a patching product that can be tinted to match the wanted color can be used.

A traditional skim-coat material can be used for overlaying concrete floors with minor flaws that are no deeper than an eighth of an inch. Anchoring, hydraulic or cement as a patching compound can be used for deeper flaws that are a quarter an inch or greater. Moving crack or active cracks must be repaired before polishing commences.