Modern polished concrete flooring is not only stylish, but also durable and very affordable, so it is worth considering installing it when building or renovating your home or workplace as a very practical flooring solution.
Before you can polish concrete floors, they must be stripped down to a clean, firm surface that is easy to polish. This can be done with mechanical grinders or with the use of chemical strippers.
Chemical strippers are solvent based which generally use methylene chloride, a very strong, reactive and flammable oxidizer which requires the user to wear protective clothing and respirators or biochemical strippers which are much friendlier to the environment. They generally take longer and may require repeat applications to remove some surfaces, but they are much friendlier to the user and the environment. They also have the advantage that they are less dirty and can be cleaned with water.
The first step in stripping your old floor is to remove all of the old cement from the surface along with any coating that may be there, including tile, grout, paint, or epoxy.
When deciding on the best method, consideration must be given to the ability of the operators, the limitations of the site, and what needs to be removed or dismantled from the floor.
It’s also important to consider how you want the finished floor to look, whether it’s indoors or outdoors, how it will be used, and whether there are any designs or patterns you want to keep or blemishes you want to eliminate.
The best approach to having your own polished concrete floors effectively and efficiently is to do the job in stages. The following steps will help you do the best job with the best results.
- Step 1: Sweep the floor well
Use a broom or vacuum to remove dirt or debris so the floor is clean.
- Step 2 – Mop the floor with clean water and a mild detergent
The mop will remove light stains and also pick up any remaining dust so you can properly inspect the floor.
- Step 3: Dry the floor and inspect it carefully
It is important to dry the floor properly and then do a visual inspection of all areas of the floor so you can see if any repairs are required.
- Step 4: Buff the floor with a coarse (500) grit buffer.
This will effectively remove stubborn stains that get lost on concrete and rough areas.
Start at one end and grind/polish the floor systematically from side to side to evenly cover the entire floor in a circular motion. Try to avoid overlapping, but pay special attention to spots and rough areas.
- Step 5 Polishing with a fine grit polishing wheel
Using a circular motion, buff the entire floor, the entire surface should look smooth, clean and even with any remaining stains and rough areas removed.
- Step 6: Polish with an extra fine grit (1500) polishing wheel
This step will give your floor a nice glass-like shine. During this part of the polish, you should overlap the circles as you go in a rhythmic circular motion across the floor.
- Step 7 – Apply an Appropriate Concrete Floor Polish
Apply the correct floor polish with the grinder to give your floor an extra long-lasting shine and adequate protection.
