The Complete Guide to Polishing Concrete

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Polished Concrete When professionally executed can be a stunning non-wax flooring option that provides spaces with a sleek elegant, professional, and classy appearance. It’s low-maintenance, affordable, durable, and extremely hardwearing flooring option which can be easily remodeled in areas that experience high foot traffic or have to endure the continuous movement of heavy objects. With the right floor grinding equipment, skilled professionals can grind concrete floors either old or brand new to give them a perfect high-gloss, glossy finish. Concrete can also be colored with a variety of shades that increases its decorative and aesthetic range.

It’s environmentally friendly, so for companies that are focused on how they impact the environment, going on polished concrete is a fantastic option to go green. Polishing concrete surfaces reduces the amount of waste produced by using materials on disposal instead of constructing completely new flooring. This method does not require a lot of other products or materials, which means that there is less disposal.

Additionally, polished concrete is abrasive and is reflective, which can increase the amount of light in buildings. The improved ambient lighting will not only enhance the appearance of the space but also enhances security and drastically reduces energy use. With its flexibility in terms of sustainability, durability and longevity that is comparable to carpets and floorboards It’s no surprise that commercial, retail and residential areas are now incorporating this sleek stylish and durable option.

What is polished concrete?

Polished concrete is a process of polishing concrete surfaces using diamond-encrusted floor grinders in the desired level of smoothness and shine like the process of sanding wood. The common misconception is that every type of floor finish made from concrete can be polished. However in the field, there are many different types of finishes. There are a variety of techniques and finishes to pick from starting from the minimal look of high-gloss and speckled matte finish that involves the exposing of aggregate within the slab of concrete. The various finishes and methods are: grind and seal machine-polished concrete, cream matte semi-gloss and high-gloss finishes and more.

Vinyl Floor Polishing Service

A commonly used finishes we recommend to our customers is “Vinyl Floor Polishing Service”. The finish Vinyl Floor Polishing Service offers a satin-like finish to the floor. It is ideal for customers who want an industrial look with a rustic appeal that is a popular choice and a current trend in restaurants and cafes. The benefit of this type of design is the fact that it’s economical and can help protect your concrete floor from staining and spills.

Cream Finish

The cream concrete finish requires for the concrete to have been properly curing, not less than and in the ideal case, greater than 32 MPA in strength, after being laid straight and with a very burnished finish. The distinction between a creamy concrete finish and a polished surface is that the cream finish can be created by not exposing aggregates and switching from diamonds bonded to resin earlier during the process. Because it is cost-effective it is a great choice for those who are looking to save money “cream” finish is perfect for industrial spaces where a strong floor is needed. It’s also the best option for commercial spaces that are that are subject to heavy traffic.

Polished Concrete

Polished concrete is more costly than a ‘grind and seal’ as there are more steps and procedures involved. Based on the finish you want polishing concrete could take between 12 and 18 passes using floor grinders. Diamond discs must be rotated as well as the grit of the diamonds with each step. Between passes the chemical hardener needs to be applied, and then allowed to soak and harden in the concrete slab. This is a complicated and time-sensitive procedure and is the primary reason polishing concrete is more costly.

How to polish concrete?

As with every other specialization polishing is a complex process that requires right tools and equipment in order to produce top-quality results. Concrete polishing is comparable to the process of sanding wood. It is typically performed by huge floor grinders with diamond-encrusted cups mounted on a disc that spins. Diamonds (akin as sandpaper) are employed to grind concrete surfaces to a desired polish and luster. Similar to sanding wood you progress gradually from coarser grits to more fine grit (in this instance grit is the size of the particles in the diamond) Abrasives are used to attain a shiny, mirror-like appearance.

Concrete polishing can be accomplished using dry or wet methods. Each has advantages dry polishing has become the one that is most frequently used in the industry of today since it’s quicker, more efficient, and more environmentally sustainable. Wet polishing makes use of water to cool diamond abrasives to eliminate grinding dust. Because water reduces friction and also acts as an oil lubricant, it extends the lifespan of polishing abrasives. The main drawback of this technique is the cleaning. Wet polishing generates a huge quantity of effluent which the crews have to collect and dispose in a sustainable manner. Dry polishing is not a requirement. water is needed. Instead the floor polisher is linked to a dust containment system which cleans all the debris.

Types of Diamonds

There are a variety of Cup Wheels made from Diamond that can have different impacts. In general, Cup Wheels are measured in grits. The greater the grit ratio, the smoother appearance it leaves on the concrete. To achieve a more polished look the use of it is recommended to use a Cup Wheel with a high grit ratio is recommended. The different kinds of diamonds that are used are:

Resin Bond Diamonds, are diamonds that are fixed in resin compound. They are suitable for medium-to-fine grinding, starting from a 50 to 3500 grit. Diamonds with Resin Bond are most professional diamonds used for concrete floor Polishing and are rolled through the grits ranging from 50 grit. They are then progressively stage, up to 3000 grit. It is important to note that the wear rate of Resin diamond pads can differ from project to project. The majority of floors are ground using an Metal Bond Diamond (Grit up to 60/80, or 80/100) before beginning polishing the Resin polishing of the bond.
Hybrid Diamond Polishing Pads is a combination of an alloy and a the resin-bonded diamond. They are utilized as a transition tool after the metal bond diamonds to swiftly remove scratches off the flooring. The Hybrid pads have been found to provide high-quality grinding and are suitable for dry or wet conditions.
PCD diamonds also known as polycrystalline diamonds are specifically designed to provide quick, high-speed and abrasive removal of paints, glues coatings, epoxies or other coatings greater than about 3mm.

Step-by-step instructions to polishing concrete Vinyl Floor Polishing Service:

The first step is to make one step using aggressive diamonds of 20grit shoes. This eliminates any imperfections that may be present in the slab, and also helps smooth it out.
Then, we would use a quick-setting filler to repair every tiny hole or cracks the slab.
Then, we’d make use of diamond shoes with 40 grit to smooth the slab even more.
After that, we put the cement densifier on, and allow 20 minutes for it to soak through the concrete slab.
Then we apply an additional 80 pads of resin to smooth the slab more smooth.
After that, we apply another coating of concrete hardener, and then wait for it to dry.
Then we apply 120 grinding pads of resin to smooth the slab even more.
Apply a second coating of hardener for concrete.
In the future, we’ll make use of 240 pads and give them another go.
Apply a second coat of the hardener.
Then, we change to resin pads of 400 grit and repeat the process.
Apply a second layer of the hardener.
We then use 800 resin pads to make another pass.
Apply a second layer of the hardener.
The next step is to use the 1500grit pads to do another run.
Then, we apply the end 3000-resin pads for giving it a final polished appearance.

Applying concrete sealer

Concrete sealers are crucial to protect surfaces from damage to water caused by freeze/thaw cycles, staining caused by dirt and dicing salts oils and other contaminants as well as other contaminants. There are two primary kinds that concrete sealers are film-forming as well as penetrating sealers.

Film-forming sealers are acrylics, epoxies, as well as urethanes which form a layer over the top of concrete. Sealers that form films, particularly those made from acrylics, tend to be more vulnerable to wear and may require frequent reapplication. This kind of sealer is often referred to a topically applied concrete sealer or a coating. Choose the film-forming sealer if prefer a wet or high gloss finish that will enhance the color of the concrete.

Penetrating sealers comprise silanes, siliconates, siloxanes and siloxanes that penetrate concrete and create an effective chemical barrier. Penetrating sealers offer a longer life span and are an excellent choice for applications on the outside. They aren’t prone to peeling or break down, or delaminate or become worn away. This kind of sealer is often referred to as an impregnating cement sealer. It is recommended to choose an impregnating sealer if prefer a natural look that will not alter the appearance of the concrete.

Why choose Vinyl Floor Polishing Service?

Commercial concrete polishing services could be the first step towards making your concrete look better, durable and security for your concrete flooring. Polished concrete is a technique that can only be achieved through the expertise of a professional. This is why you must be sure to hire the most skilled concrete polishing contractors in Sydney. Our skilled operators have decades of expertise in the concrete polishing and grinding business. With a wealth of experience in the field we have the know-how of, expertise and experience to get the polished concrete finish you’ve always wanted. Additionally, we make use of the finest quality machinery and equipment on the market to ensure that our customers have the best possible results.