Concrete grinding is a flexible method of cutting concrete. You may want to prepare a floor for tiles or floating floorboards by removing old grout or adhesive or preparing it for polishing. Concrete grinding applications can include the removal of trip hazards between uneven concrete slabs. Concrete grinding, as opposed to concrete sawing or drilling, uses an abrasive force on the concrete surface to create a smoother or more level surface.
What are the different kinds of concrete grinding?
Concrete grinding is classified into three types:
- Scarifying Concrete
Scarifying concrete is typically used to reduce a trip hazard between two uneven slabs of concrete. These are commonly found on public sidewalks, at schools, or anywhere a trip hazard is to be avoided. Scarifying is typically the first step in a bigger grinding project to smooth or repair a concrete slab. On each pass, a scarifier may produce up to 3-4mm grooves. Concrete scarifying is accomplished by utilizing a machine that drives a series of rows of thick tungsten washers arranged on a rod like a series of washers. These tungsten discs spin at tremendous speeds, carving grooves into the concrete. When strolling along any slightly uneven public pathway, you can often observe the work of a concrete scarifier.
- Grinding Concrete
Concrete grinding, in general, refers to the preparation of a concrete floor for tiles, floating floorboards, or concrete polishing. In this case, concrete grinding generates a flat surface while also eliminating glue, paint, or other surface flaws that will damage the new surface that will be laid on top of it. In this meaning, concrete grinding comprises of a big abrasive diamond-coated disc that rotates at high speed to remove a thin top layer of concrete. Going over the surface in a continuous manner guarantees that the surface is level and devoid of surface defects.
- Polishing Concrete
Many individuals want to have a beautiful polished concrete floor in their house or workplace. These can look beautiful, but they are also rather expensive. To achieve the necessary mirror polish, a lot of what is basically concrete grinding is required, but with less and less abrasive diamond coated discs. The expense is in the time and resources required to conduct repeated passes over the surface.
