What is concrete grinding?

Concrete grinding is essentially the preparation of a concrete surface. Grinding works to remove surface imperfections and irregularities, thus preserving and enhancing the concrete. The process will level, smooth and clean a concrete surface, and has both aesthetic and functional uses. Concrete grinding creates both a safer environment for users, as well as a better looking and more usable one.

Grinding is an effective way to prepare your concrete, and leads to plenty of benefits.

What is concrete grinding useful for?

Surface preparation and finishing

Floor preparation is extremely important in ensuring the longevity of your flooring option. All types of floor coatings require a clean, even and porous surface to enable the coating to penetrate and help with adhesion. When preparing concrete to receive a new flooring option, it needs to be even and clean.
The quality of the concrete will affect the overlaying floor, particularly for polished floors. If you don’t provide the right conditions on your concrete slab, your floor coating will not stick as well. Plus, it won’t last as long, as residual contaminants can compromise the structure of the floor. Concrete grinding can create a smooth and level surface to apply various coatings over. Once the grinding has taken place, any type of floor can be safely and easily applied.

Coating removal

Many substances used on the surface of concrete will absorb over time into the porous concrete. This makes them very difficult to remove. These substances and coatings can be removed by grinding the surface of the concrete to restore it to a clean condition.
Concrete grinding is effective in removing:

  • Stubborn tile/lino/carpet glue
  • Paint
  • Dirt
  • Sealers
  • Waterproof membranes
Concrete restoration and polishing

Over time, concrete surfaces can absorb a great deal of wear and tear. Concrete can be damaged by heavy traffic, relentless exposure to the weather and imperfections that occurred during construction. Grinding the concrete helps to restore a smooth and usable surface by removing imperfections and inconsistencies. It can also even out surfaces that have lifted (for example, from tree roots or soil expansion).
It’s an effective way of restoring old or damaged concrete surfaces to a more attractive and functional state. Smoothing and shining the concrete will give it a more modern, fresh and attractive finish. As well, grinding can expose the aggregates to improve the aesthetic look of the flooring.

FAQs

Concrete grinding improves the quality and safety of a concrete surface. Advantages include:

  • The smooth finish achieved by concrete grinding is comparable to brand-new concrete
  • Restoring a smooth surface to the concrete will prevent the cost of breaking up, removing and re-laying the concrete in the future
  • Fewer trip hazards, by smoothing rough and uneven surfaces, and thus fewer potential compensation claims in a workplace scenario
  • Ensuring workplace floors are in excellent working condition
  • A more durable and longer-lasting surface in high traffic situations
  • A more cost effective and time-efficient way of restoring and preserving concrete surfaces

The length of time taken will depend on the area of your concrete slab and how much work needs doing. Please contact us for an obligation-free inspection and quote.

Concrete grinding is performed using a tool which consists of a rotating head containing abrasive discs that help to smooth and level the concrete surface. We also have HEPA vacuums connected to these grinders to make sure that no harmful dust enters the atmosphere. Smoothing the rough concrete surface will reveal a much smoother, shinier and more attractive surface.

Concrete grinding is a cheaper alternative to polished concrete. You can seal the floor after grinding, to give it a shiny finish and make it impervious to liquids. But like any coating, this will wear over time. You will need to replace the sealer every 2 – 7 years, depending on the amount of traffic.
When you polish concrete, there is no coating to wear away, so this type of floor will last much longer. The process of polishing also hardens and densifies the concrete, making it less likely to crack.

Due to the nature of the grinding process and the equipment and safety precautions required, it’s best to hire a professional.

Contact Us For A Quote

Lloyd Specialised Coatings is large enough to handle any enquiry yet small enough to ensure that you receive a personalised tailored service. Whether your job is internal, external or both, we will provide an itemised quote for all of our services.

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