Equipment Guide
When purchasing equipment, it is important to consider your choices carefully.
Mechanical Polishing Equipment and Tooling
Grinder System:
Equipment used in conjunction with metal or resin bonded diamond pads to remove the top layer of a concrete surface, using progressively finer and finer grits, until a flat, highly reflective surface results.
When comparing equipment, consider your needs:
- Counter Rotating: Easier to obtain a uniform scratch pattern because of the movement of the heads
- Stationary: Requires more expertise to obtain a uniform scratch pattern
- Wet Polish: Water is used to cool diamonds resulting in a slurry which must be disposed of
- Dry Polish: Water is captured in bags using a vacuum system
- How to use weight: The relationship of downward pressure and grinding speed
Vacuum System:
A commercial grade vacuum system that uses HEPA filters to capture dust particles.
Roto-Miller Planing Machine:
A tool used for extensive stock and high-build coating removal. Numerous vertical diamond blades are used to remove up to 3/8" of material per pass, leaving a corduroy finish that is then smoothed by a planetary grinder.
Diamonds:
Diamond tooling consists of two parts: the diamond and the bond, a material which holds the diamonds. The bond is also referred to as the matrix.
- Metal Bond Diamonds: used for coating removal and grinding steps
- Resin Bond Diamonds: used for polishing steps
- Hybrid Bond Diamonds: a metal/resin hybid diamond that is excellent for new construction
- Polycrystalline Diamonds Scrapers: a heavy coating removal tool
- Diamond Scraper: similar to the PCD
- Cup Wheels: used for hand tool grinding steps
Topical Polishing Equipment and Materials
Industrial Sprayer:
A low pressure spraying device used to evenly distribute dyes, densifiers, and other chemicals.
Autoscrubber:
A machine equipped with brushes, pads, and scrubbing heads to mop and clean floors.
Pads and Brushes:
- Buffing Pads
- Diamonds Pads
Products
Products: Lithium, Sodium, or Potassium
- Stripper: A chemical used on new construction to penetrate, soften, and lift films.
- Densifier: Permanent hardening compound for concrete
- Sealer: A product which lines the pores of the concrete to prevent penetration from stains or spills. Sealers can be topical (sits on the surface), penetrating (sinks into the concrete to protect it from within), or semi-penetrating.
