Polishing Concrete Floors – What Not To Do
The process of polishing concrete floors only looks simple and uncomplicated. Here are some common polishing mistakes many people make.
Contrary to belief, polishing concrete floors is a very scientific process. Polishing experts use special concrete polishing machines, diamond segmented abrasives, chemical hardeners, and other types of tools. That’s why rushing dry polishing or wet polishing procedures is never a good idea.
If concrete floors aren’t polished correctly, they can be left with various types of stains, scars, and imperfections –
- Ghosting – When concrete isn’t polished properly, there’s always some degree of “ghosting” on its surfaces. Ghosting refers to the dirty white or grey marks on concrete surfaces. Although this cosmetic issue doesn’t affect the performance of the concrete floor, it’s still not a problem that building owners enjoy.
- Two-Tone Concrete – When contractors get concrete from two different sources, there are subtle colour differences on concrete floors. If such concrete structures aren’t properly polished using different types of polishing tools, they look out of place.
- Trenches – The formation of trenches on densified and dustless concrete floors doesn’t just make them aesthetically unpleasing; it also makes them accident-prone. Without proper polishing, concrete floors can get cracked or layered. These cracks, when left unaddressed for long periods, go on to create trenches that make the concrete floors unlevelled.
- Scratches – Scratches on concrete floors become harder to remove the longer they’re left unaddressed.
By regularly polishing concrete surfaces, these risks can be avoided very easily. However, improper polishing can make matters worse. Here are some common concrete polishing errors that must be avoided –
Not Assessing The Floor Before Starting
Before polishing concrete surfaces, users must inspect them for signs of levelling issues. If the surfaces aren’t levelled properly, the polishing tools may get damaged. Not ensuring that the concrete surfaces are clean, flat, and well-levelled is a major mistake that could lead to unnecessary losses.
Not Working With The Right Type Of Metal Bond Diamond Tooling
Metal bond diamond tools are frequently used for polishing concrete surfaces. While professional providers of concrete polishing services know exactly how to use these tools, many first-timers fail to understand how these metal bond diamond tools work.
Non-specialists need to remember one rule when working with these tools – soft bond diamonds are meant for hard concrete, whereas hard bond diamonds are meant for soft concrete. Working with wrong bonds will not only disrupt the polishing procedures, but users may also end up causing permanent damage to their tools.
Not Eliminating Persistent Scratches Straightaway
When polishing concrete surfaces, users must keep an eye on the results they’re producing. For example, metal bond diamond tools often cause faint scratches on concrete surfaces. If these scratches are visible, users must remove them immediately. These scratches won’t disappear on their own. They’ll keep appearing across the concrete surface. So, removing these problem scratches as soon as they’re spotted is very important.
Not Following Government Rules
The main reason why building owners are advised to partner with professional concrete polishing experts is a large number of regulations regarding cutting/polishing concrete. Toxic materials like silica dust may get released into the air during concrete polishing procedures. Professional concrete polishing experts always follow these government rules!