Frequently Asked Questions About Concrete Floor Polishing
Polishing concrete floors is a meticulous process. It starts with grinding the concrete using a floor polisher equipped with metal bonded diamond tools. The concrete surface is ground to the desired level of smoothness. Then, progressively finer grit diamonds are used, refining and polishing the surface until the desired sheen and smoothness are achieved.
Concrete densifiers are essential in the concrete polishing process. They are chemical hardeners applied to the concrete surface after the initial grinding stages. These densifiers react with the concrete to fill pores, seal cracks, and provide a protective treatment that strengthens and protects the concrete. This ensures that the subsequent polishing with diamond tools results in a smooth, high-gloss finish.
Wet polishing utilizes water to cool the diamond tools and lubricate the concrete surface, which is done using a wet polisher. The water helps in minimizing dust. Dry polishing, on the other hand, doesn’t use water but instead relies on a dust containment system to manage and collect the dust produced during the grinding and polishing process. Both methods can achieve a high gloss finish; the choice often depends on the specific requirements of the project.
Maintaining the shine on polished concrete floors is facilitated by the process itself. After grinding the concrete and achieving the desired smoothness using a series of polishing pads, a protective treatment is often applied. This treatment not only protects the concrete but also makes it more resistant to wear and tear. Periodic re-polishing with finer grit diamonds and using the right cleaning methods ensures the longevity of the high-gloss finish.
