The concrete space

The Basics of Concrete Polishing

WHAT IS CONCRETE POLISHING?

Being in the commercial and industrial flooring industry, we hear many different terms that can be confusing like shot blasting, DOI (Distinctness of Image) or RA (Roughness Average). Concrete polishing is the refinement of concrete surfaces using chemicals, metal bonded and resin bonded diamonds to achieve the desired finish. There is an endless amount of combinations between chemicals and metal/resin bonded diamonds to help obtain the desired finish. Our 40+ years of experience helps in understanding what is the best combination in your particular circumstance. The Concrete Polishing Association of America classifies finished gloss levels from 1 (flat) to 4 (highly polished) and aggregate exposure as A (little aggregate), B, C and D (large aggregate) depending on depth of desired surface cut.

So how does one achieve the different levels of aggregate exposure?

Chemicals, metal bonded and resin bonded tooling each perform different roles in refining concrete surfaces.

Chemicals include cutting agents, densifiers, guards and stain repellents and can all be used to affect the sheen of a floor. Metal bonded diamonds are used for the initial grinding or cutting steps of the concrete surface and the grits of these diamonds range from 8 to 150 in most cases. Resin bonded diamonds are used for the refinement and polishing steps of the concrete polishing process. These diamonds are used to eliminate scratches created by the metal bonded diamonds during the grinding or cutting steps. They are also used to achieve the desired gloss level. Resin bonded diamonds range from 50 to 3000 grit in most cases.

The desired finish will determine which materials and tooling are required during the concrete polishing process, even as far as the minimum number of abrasive passes for a specific level of gloss. From low sheen to a high gloss reflective finish, here at Hoover Wells we can meet your flooring needs.

Check out the complex job we had over at the toledo MUSEUM of art.

VIEW CAST STUDY

The experts at Hoover Wells will be glad to assist you with any of your concrete polishing needs. When you deal with Hoover Wells, you are always left covered.


Published on:

10/26/2018

Author:

Skipper Clark

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THE HOOVER WELLS ADVANTAGE:

  • 40+ years of experience
  • Commercial & Industrial Floor Systems
  • 230+ million square feet made perfect
  • Safety being no accident
  • Rez-Stone epoxy coatings
  • 21,000+ projects done
  • Custom fabricated equipment
  • Service for many industries
  • 95+ employees on staff

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