Grinding a concrete floor: methods and necessary tools

There are a number of reasons that make grinding a concrete floor a fully justified operation. Improving the operational and external characteristics of the treated surface, it can be both a preparatory and an independent repair measure. It is also gratifying that you can do floor grinding on your own: for this, it is enough to study the methods of the procedure and “arm yourself” with all the necessary tools.

It should be noted that the final result of the processing of the concrete surface directly depends on the quality of the grinding performed. The latter involves the removal of the upper layer of the screed, which is not able to “boast” of optimal strength and decorative appeal. If, however, we single out those tasks for the solution of which grinding is used, then their list looks as follows:

• the elimination of a weak top layer during the construction of a new concrete floor, providing for the disposal of various surface defects;
• Preparing for finishing polishing or applying a decorative coating, which need to create the most even base;
• the creation of roughness, which allows to increase the strength of adhesion of the concrete surface to the self-leveling floor;
• restoration of the lost characteristics of the old base, involving the removal of a worn outer layer;
• providing the best operating conditions, achieved by getting rid of the upper part of the concrete surface - the source of harmful dust mist.

It should also be added that the implementation of grinding allows to obtain a surface that can “boast” of the following obvious advantages:

• reliability, thanks to which a concrete floor can withstand severe loads - both static and dynamic;
• high maintainability, not implying significant financial costs;
• resistance to compounds whose components are fats or aggressive chemical compounds;
• compliance with current environmental safety standards;
• the ability to organically fit into almost any modern interior.

As for the concrete surfaces that are not subjected to grinding, they all lose their main quality - strength. This is primarily due to the fact that defective areas of the untreated floor are subject to crumble. In addition, such surfaces strongly absorb moisture, which is especially noticeable in open spaces, as well as in apartments and other rooms located on the first floors.

One of the best solutions that can cope with this task is considered to be a “helicopter”. It is a high-performance grinding machine, the processing elements of which are arranged in the form of blades.

Another common option, the use of which allows to level a concrete floor, is a grinder - an angle grinder equipped with diamond cups or abrasive discs. It also allows you to achieve the desired result, but still the rent of professional tools significantly speeds up the implementation of the planned procedures.

Practice shows that specialized grinding machines have a number of noticeable advantages. In particular, they have the following useful features:

• the ability to change the speed of work items;
• dosed water supply when performing wet processing of the concrete surface;
• collection of waste generated during the grinding process.

Professionals note that the quality of the procedure being carried out is determined by the mass of the equipment used: the more the latter, the better the final result will be. The only drawback of powerful machines is the high cost of rent, due to which it is reasonable to grind floors with their use only on large areas.

If we list the main advantages of Bulgarians, then first of all, it is necessary to include their cost-effectiveness and the possibility of high-quality processing of hard-to-reach areas. The optimal solution for leveling the surface of a concrete floor is an average grinder, whose disk has a diameter of from 150 to 180 mm. The use of such a power tool is not particularly complex, and the main condition, the observance of which allows to achieve the desired result, is accuracy. Ignoring this recommendation can lead to damage to the treated surface, and sometimes to injuries of varying severity.

Another tool that may be needed to clean up a concrete floor is a polishing machine. It is needed in situations where the owners of the premises do not plan to lay a decorative coating on a polished surface. This unit is very ergonomic, and its efficiency allows you to get a polished concrete floor with the least amount of time.

Grinding is a procedure that can be performed on any concrete surface. As for the time that is best suited for its implementation, experts consider that the period after 15-20 days from the moment of potting. The reason for this is quite prosaic: grinding before a specified time can lead to the breaking of gravel from the coating, which did not have time to acquire the proper hardness.

Before you start grinding the concrete floor, the owner of the room The following significant points should be taken into account:

• If there is any coating on the old concrete base, it is necessary to assess the degree of difficulty of its removal. In addition, in such cases latent damage to the floor can be found - a problem that often requires a serious investment of time and effort.
• Prior to the abrasive treatment of the concrete surface, it should be checked for evenness. In a situation where the substrate suffers from significant elevation changes, the grinding intensity needs to be increased.
• Subject to the presence of expansion joints and cracks, they must be carefully repaired.

• In order to determine the degree of strength of the floor, you need to tap it before polishing.
• Given that the processing of the concrete surface involves the use of power tools, you should first check the parameters of the network used. If the obtained values ​​do not correspond to the declared values, measures should be taken to stabilize the energy supply.
• In a situation when there are gaps between the plinth and the floor, it is necessary to get rid of them. This condition is mandatory, as evidenced by current construction regulations.

Another action that allows you to get a clear idea about the specifics of the treated floor is to check the surface material for rigidity. It is carried out by means of a grinding machine, which needs to be held on any part of the concrete floor.

To date, there are two types of grinding concrete surfaces - wet and dry. Each of them has its own remarkable features:

• Wet grinding. As a rule, the described technique is relevant for indoor use. In most cases, similarly treated concrete floors, which include marble aggregate - aggregate, making the surface more beautiful and reliable. The considered method of grinding involves the use of water, which has a softening function, reduces the amount of generated dust and reduces the heating of abrasive elements.It should be added that wet grinding is possible only in heated premises equipped with effective drainage systems.
• Dry grinding. Experience shows that the presented method is significantly more popular than the previous one. At the same time, this processing method is time consuming, which is explained by significant volumes of rising dust. Until it settles, grinding is not recommended in order to minimize the likelihood of making mistakes. The only thing that can help in this situation is the use of construction vacuum cleaners that can “boast” of maximum performance.

To begin with it is necessary to carry out the rough grinding carried out by means of circles or nozzles with a grain size of 25-30 grit. Performing this procedure allows you to get rid of small bumps, thanks to which the concrete surface becomes visually even.

The next step is sanding the floor using nozzles and circles, the grit of which is in the range of 40-100 grit.This procedure involves the removal of a significant layer, so that the concrete surface acquires maximum strength. The task at hand can be solved either by hand tools (for example, an angle grinder at home), or by more productive devices - up to industrial-grade installations, if their use is justified.

Grinding with the grinder, whose abrasive element has a grain size of 400 grit or more, deserves special attention. The logical result of the use of such a tool is a concrete floor with optimum resistance to wear. Experts point out that such surfaces are undemanding to care and do not need facial coatings.

Upon completion of the grinding of the concrete base, it must be impregnated with a sealing agent - a composition that significantly increases the surface resistance to strong mechanical stress. As for situations where the floor should be given maximum smoothness, they imply the use of abrasive elements with grit from 300 to 1500 grit, and in some cases up to 3000 grit.

The number of stages that allow to properly polish a concrete surface is determined by the decorative requirements imposed on it.

Speaking about the features of such a procedure as grinding a concrete floor, it makes sense to list several recommendations, each of which is interesting in its own way:

• The materials that contain the marble crumb are best processed, and worst of all, the mixtures with sedimentary gravel and granite. It is also important to take into account that aggregates with too high density complicate the procedure of grinding, and with a lower density, they significantly deteriorate the quality of the installed coating.
• If the floor will be used at an industrial facility, it is reasonable to treat its top layer with a top ping - a mixture that makes the surface more durable. The main component of such compounds is cement, combined with quartz, basalt, corundum materials, metal particles and other aggregates.

Finally, it remains to state that sanding the floor is an excellent solution to problems requiring the elimination of not too strong irregularities of the concrete surface. This procedure is quite realistic to do with your own hands, not forgetting the recommendations mentioned in this material. Provided that everything was done correctly, the owner of the premises will receive a beautiful and durable floor, fully justifying the time, money and time spent on it.

You will learn more about sanding a concrete floor in the following video.