Sanding concrete by one's own hands: technology and equipment

Before you finish the concrete floor, you should make sure that the surface is even. Prior to application of impregnation, dedusting, coating with varnish or paint, it is necessary to prepare the surface. The first stage of work is the grinding of concrete. Next, consider how it is conducted and what tools can be used.

Characteristics of the process

Sanding concrete is one of the varieties of surface treatment. With its help, the old coating is removed, the screed is leveled before applying the strengthening impregnations, protective varnish, liquid coating, decorative thin-layer paint. Preliminary surface treatment is performed 3-5 days after pouring. The final grinding is carried out after the base has completely hardened.

Why is it necessary to grind concrete?

Today the floors are very popular. The technology of their application assumes absolute evenness of the surface. Properly executed grinding of concrete not only will allow to level the base. It will ensure its reliable adhesion to polymer coatings. High-quality grinding of concrete gives strength to the floor. This will save later on the materials to care for him. In addition, there will be no need to carry out frequent restoration of the foundation. The polished concrete floor is suitable in almost any interior. Such a surface perfectly tolerates the environmental conditions: the base is moisture resistant, resistant to aggressive influences, high permeability, the movement of heavy equipment. All these properties are acquired during the grinding of concrete.

Where are the treated surfaces used?

Grinding of concrete, the price for which starts from 220 p / m ² , is carried out in premises of different purposes. The most widespread use of such surfaces was in supermarkets, large stores, residential and office buildings, restaurants and cafes. The polished floor can be seen in hotels, salons, theaters, medical institutions and educational institutions. Within the private domain, such a foundation is made in the courtyard in front of the entrance, in the cellars. Grinded concrete floors are an excellent covering in garages, economic and country constructions.

Important points

From a new concrete floor it is necessary, first of all, to eliminate the lime milk. It appears in the process of pouring in the course of the dissolution of the solution. If the surface is old, the aim of grinding is to remove the uppermost damaged layer. In addition, the treatment allows to eliminate any contamination. In the process of grinding, the deformed areas with cracks, chips, rips, jags, ripples and other flaws are aligned. After treatment, the top layer of the surface becomes fresh. In this case, the adhesive properties of the substrate also increase.

Types of processing

Sanding concrete is carried out by wet and dry method. However, regardless of the method, the equipment is used the same. Wet treatment is usually done on a base covered with mosaic or marble chips. With this method, an abrasive disc is used to grind the concrete. As a result, an almost perfect surface is formed. On a conventional concrete foundation, as a rule, a dry grinding method is used. Here it is necessary to say 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 the eyes. Visibility in dry processing is better. This means that the wizard can immediately fix them if there are any shortcomings in the work. To eliminate dust from the room, special industrial vacuum cleaners are used. In the process of wet surface treatment, water pumps are used.

Equipment and tools

You can buy the necessary devices in any building material store. The equipment is produced mainly by European and American manufacturers. Professional grinding machines 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 are substantially obeying the process. The greater the weight of the machine, the better the processing quality. However, for working at home, even simpler tools will do. For example, many masters are grinding concrete with a Bulgarian. Actually, there is no need to purchase expensive equipment for small-scale works. For the treatment of the floor at home, a diamond cup is used to grind the concrete. For one or another type of coating uses its own granularity. Specialists recommend using a disc with a score of 25-30. For the treatment of the first layer, grain 40 is suitable. The larger the nozzle for grinding concrete, the higher the load the tool can withstand.

Features of the screed

Grinding can be carried out on any concrete surface. The result of the treatment will depend on the fillers, the time during which the coating lies, and its brands. The screed can have a thickness of 3 mm. At the same time, pits and tubercles are allowed on the surface. However, the difference in the difference should not be more than 5 mm. When choosing the material for the screed, you must take into account the purpose of the room. For a warehouse of a small area, a garage, a production hall, the concrete of the brand M150-M300 is perfect. The solution has high strength and the necessary qualities for processing. To make the floor more durable, concrete of the brand more than M300 is used. With regard to the filler, the best option today is the fine fractional crushed stone of metamorphic and magmatic rocks. If polishing is subsequently assumed, then the use of marble or granite chips is allowed. With such a filler, you can create a rather original surface. The material with marble chips is processed quite easily. Granite and gravel are considered to be complex bases for grinding. Specialists do not recommend the use of a high density filler. At the same time, a too low indicator can worsen the quality of the floor.

Preparation of the substrate for treatment

This stage is very important. First you need to remove the old cover. After this, different potholes and scratches may appear on the base. As a rule, such defects are removed with the help of continuous grinding. This, in turn, may entail additional costs. In the preliminary stage, you should check the smoothness of the surface. If there are defects, you will have to increase the number of diamonds on the disk. If necessary, repair all cracks on the surface. Also, make sure that there is no reinforcing wire or reinforcement bars in the top layer. The obligatory stage is to determine the strength of the coating. To do this, tap the entire area of the base. If it detects a fragile patch, you will have to re-pour the entire floor. To determine the rigidity, it is sufficient to process a small area with a grinder.

Grinding concrete with own hands

The work can be carried out 2 weeks after the solution has solidified. During this period, the base will gain the necessary strength. Before polishing the floor is treated with a reinforcing agent. This mixture reacts with calcium hydroxide, as a result of which a mineral-binder compound is formed 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.

The final stage

At the end of grinding, skirting boards can be installed and surface processing can be carried out. To create a glossy base, polyurethane varnishes are used. They are applied by brushes and rollers directly after grinding to the surface, cleaned of dust. The varnishing of the floor is usually carried out in several layers.