Before finishing the concrete floor, make sure its surface is even. Before applying impregnation, dust removal, coating with varnish or paint, it is necessary to prepare the surface. The first stage of work is grinding concrete. Next, consider how it is carried out and what tools can be used.
Process characteristic
Grinding concrete is one of the varieties of surface treatment. With its help, the old coating is eliminated, the screed is leveled before applying reinforcing impregnations, protective varnish, bulk coating, decorative thin-layer paint. Surface pretreatment is carried out 3-5 days after pouring. The final grinding is carried out after the base has completely hardened.
Why polish concrete?
Today bulk floors are very popular. The technology of their application implies absolute flatness of the surface. Properly performed grinding of concrete will not only allow you to level the base. It will provide reliable adhesion to polymer coatings. High-quality grinding of concrete gives strength to the floor. This will save later on materials for the care of him. In addition, there will be no need for frequent restoration of the foundation. Polished concrete floor is appropriate in almost any interior. Such a surface perfectly tolerates environmental conditions: the base is moisture resistant, resistant to aggressive influences, high traffic, moving heavy units. All these properties are acquired in the process of grinding concrete.
Where are the treated surfaces used?
Grinding concrete, the price of which starts at 220 r / m 2 , is carried out in premises for various purposes. Such surfaces are most widely used in supermarkets, large stores, residential and office buildings, restaurants and cafes. Polished floors can be seen in hotels, salons, theaters, medical facilities and educational institutions. Within the framework of private ownership, such a foundation is made in the front yard, in the cellars. Polished concrete floors are an excellent coating in garages, utility and country buildings.
Important points
First of all, it is necessary to eliminate lime milk from a new concrete floor. It appears during the pouring process along with the separation of the solution. If the surface is old, then the purpose of grinding is to remove the topmost damaged layer. In addition, the treatment eliminates any contamination. During the grinding process, deformed areas with cracks, chips, sagging, nicks, ripples and other flaws are smoothed out. After processing, the top layer of the surface becomes fresh. At the same time, the adhesive properties of the base also increase.
Types of processing
Concrete grinding is carried out by wet and dry method. However, regardless of the method, the equipment used is the same. Wet processing is carried out, as a rule, on the basis covered with mosaic or marble chips. With this method, an abrasive disk is used for grinding concrete. The result is an almost perfect surface. On a conventional concrete base, the dry grinding method is used, as a rule. It must be said here that this option takes more time, and there is a curtain of dust in the air. But, according to most experts, this is better than wet sludge covering your eyes. Dry handling visibility is better. This means that the wizard can immediately correct them when it detects flaws in the work. To eliminate dust from the room, special industrial vacuum cleaners are used. In the process of wet surface treatment, water drains are used.
Equipment and tools
You can purchase the necessary devices at any building materials store. The equipment is manufactured mainly by European and American manufacturers. Professional grinders are quite expensive. But at the same time, the quality of their work is quite high, and the service life is very long. Many units are endowed with additional functions that significantly facilitate the process. The greater the weight of the machine, the better the processing quality. However, for working at home, simpler tools are also suitable. For example, many owners grind concrete with a grinder. Actually, there is no need to purchase expensive equipment for small-scale operations. To process the floor at home, a diamond cup is used for grinding concrete. For this or that type of coating, its own granularity is used. Experts recommend using a disk with an indicator of 25-30. Grain 40 is suitable for processing the first layer. The larger the nozzle for grinding concrete, the higher the load the tool can withstand.
Features screeds
Grinding can be carried out on any concrete surface. The result of processing will depend on the fillers, the time during which the coating lies, and its brand. The screed may have a thickness of 3 mm. In this case, pits and tubercles are allowed on the surface. However, the difference in differences should not be more than 5 mm. When choosing the material for the screed, the purpose of the room must be taken into account. For a warehouse of a small area, a garage, a production workshop, concrete of the M150-M300 brand is perfect. The solution has high strength and the necessary qualities for processing. To give the floor greater strength, concrete of a brand larger than M300 is used. As for the filler, the fine-grained crushed stone of metamorphic and igneous rocks is considered the best option today. If polishing is subsequently anticipated, then marble or granite chips are allowed. With this filler, you can create a rather original surface. Material with marble chips is processed quite easily. Granite and gravel are considered to be difficult bases for grinding. Experts do not recommend the use of high density filler. At the same time, a too low indicator can degrade the quality of the floor.
Preparation of the base for processing
This stage is very important. First of all, it is necessary to remove the old coating. After that, various potholes and scratches may appear on the base. As a rule, such defects are removed by continuous grinding. This, in turn, may entail additional costs. At the preliminary stage, you should check the evenness of the surface. If there are defects, you will have to increase the number of diamonds on the disk. If necessary, close all cracks on the surface. You should also make sure that there is no reinforcing mesh or reinforcement rods in the top layer. A mandatory step is to determine the strength of the coating. To do this, tap the entire area of the base. If an unstable area is found on it, then the entire floor will have to be re-poured. To determine the stiffness, it is enough to treat a small area with a grinder.
Do-it-yourself concrete grinding
Work is allowed to be carried out 2 weeks after the solidification of the solution. During this period, the base will gain the necessary strength. Before grinding, the floor is treated with a hardener. This mixture reacts with calcium hydroxide, resulting in the formation of a mineral-binding compound on the surface. It closes the pores and makes the screed more resistant to moisture. Surface treatment with a grinder is carried out gradually in any direction convenient for the master.
Final stage
At the end of grinding, you can install skirting boards and carry out surface treatment. To create a glossy base, polyurethane varnishes are used. They are applied with brushes and rollers immediately after grinding to a surface free of dust. Floor varnishing is usually carried out in several layers.