There are various reasons one would flatten a high spot found throughout a concrete surface. If you’re planning to start or have already started a concrete floor grinding project, this is the place for you. Learn how to use the grinding machine and other tools to create a smoother surface.
Necessary Tools Used
Two main tools are used throughout this video. These tools are primarily used to locate and diminish high points throughout a concrete floor.
Hand Trowel
- Use a hand trowel with a straight edge to locate and identify a high spot that is creating an uneven floor.
PrepMaster Jr. Grinder
- This heavy-duty grinder can be used for flattening high spots and leveling concrete.
Identifying Concrete Floor High Spots
Identifying a high spot throughout your concrete floor is much easier than you may have originally anticipated. Take an everyday straight edge hand trowel, and place it on its side. If the trowel moves, then the concrete surface is uneven. The trowel will move up and down in a seesaw motion if you come across a rougher surface.
Why Are High Spots a Concern?
A concrete floor gets tons of action, and any high spots or inequalities will wear unevenly, cause irritation, and result in a poor finish. It doesn’t matter if the floor is stained, covered with an epoxy coating, or polished. The more even the floor, the longer it’s going to last.
What Causes High Spots?
High spots are typically caused by mechanical traffic that drives on or works with a large space. This traffic will, over time, cause abrasion in the concrete.
Unfortunately, high spots can cause more issues to a big machine continuously working over it. High spots and rough areas will wear quickly and cause unwanted vibrations to machines working on top of the concrete.
Type of Floor in the Video
In the video, a man named Josh is working on an old concrete floor that has come to settle unevenly. The floor is partially sunk and has cracks throughout. The high spots found were 3/8th of an inch and needed to be flattened.
Diamond Grinding Inserts
Two diamond blades will be used for the flattening of this floor. These diamond grains serve two separate functions, and they’re necessary to see the best results while maintaining the flooring material.
Round 1: 25/30 Grit Diamond Grinders
These grinders are used in the process of grinding concrete, and they have the ability to grind through a considerable amount of concrete.
To clear away the concrete dust caused by the grinder, use your hand trowel and brush it out of the way. All the dust can be moved aside or sucked up with regular shop vacuums.
Under all the dust, you may notice some heavy scratches caused by the concrete grinder. Don’t worry about these; the most critical aspect is that the large floor grinder removed various layers of the concrete floor.
Round 2: 30 Grit 10 Seg Diamond Grinders
The 30 Grit 10 Seg Diamond has much less ability to remove concrete, but due to the beveled edge found on these diamonds, they’ll wear away the very top layer of the concrete floor. This, in turn, will help to get rid of any of those unwanted scratches.
Final Results
Use a regular shop vacuum to remove all the concrete dust on the floor and check out the final results. The end result will show flooring material that is flat and ready for heavy machine traffic.
Over time, you may run into the same problem, but it can quickly be resolved again using this same process.
Perks of a Flatter Surface Area Throughout Concrete Floors
There are definitely perks to having a flatter working surface. When using forklifts and other machinery, it’s essential not to cause harm to the machines, and an uneven floor will cause much more damage than one would like.
Here is a list of perks as to why renting, buying, and using one of our grinding machines will impact your business positively.
- No Vibrations
Vibrations will only add extra stress to your equipment; this will eventually cause decreased productivity in your forklift or other machinery. It’s essential to take care of this immediately to save on maintenance and damages.
- Traffic Won’t Slow
Keeping up with productivity is crucial when it comes to running a successful business. Any uneven flooring will result in machines working harder, but not faster. Concrete grinders are the answer to any of these issues and will surely beat the process to install flooring.
- More Comfortable Riding
Forklifts and other heavy machines can cause uncomfortable rides throughout the day already. With a floor that’s not even, this can end up being much worse on the drivers. Extra vibrations and jolting potentially cause more damage than flattening the flooring.
For More Information
If you want to learn more about any of the products or processes of grinding concrete, follow these steps:
- Reach out to your Buying Manufacturers Direct customer support rep.
- Save money and avoid installing new flooring.
- With our equipment, you can quickly fix it yourselves.
Our products and videos guarantee a quick, simple, and easy way to replace any high spot throughout the concrete barrier. Don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel. If you’d like to stay updated whenever our experts come out with a new “how to” video, click the little bell button.
To learn more about our products, find the right items for your next project, or get a free quote, call us today at (815) 278-1308.