Concrete Guy
Member
There is some interest in concrete polishing on another thread. So rather than hijack that thread I figured I would start a new one. I will explain the different types of polishing and the equipment involved in achieving that polish. Feel free to ask any questions and I will do my best to answer them.
Concrete Polishing is now considered an umbrella term for making a concrete floor shiny. There are different types of concrete polishing with different pros and cons and very different price points. I will try to explain the best I can.
Full Mechanical Polish
This is considered true concrete polishing. It is grinding the concrete with low grit metal bonded diamonds to expose aggregate refine the surface, then moving up in grits to remove the scratches left from the previous grit. A switch to resin bonded diamonds is made around the 100 grit step. Concrete is stronger below the surface, grinding to expose aggregate gets you to the stronger concrete and will provide a more durable floor with a long lasting polish The polish is taken as high as 3000 grit, but to save costs, some stop at 800 or 1500 depending on the customers needs/wants. there are usually 7 diamond steps. A densifier is applied during the polishing process to fill pores in the concrete, which makes the concrete more dense and more polishable. A guard may be applied on top of the final grit. Guards are only needed if you require stain protection. Different guards protect against different stains.
The equipment used for this type of job is purpose built concrete polishing machines. The size of the machine depends on the size of the job. Investments in equipment can range from $5,000 to do jobs under 2,000 square feet, to $80,000+ to do 20,000 foot jobs.
Pros - High reflectivity and clarity. Very durable floor that can last 25 years or more with low maintenance costs
Cons - Expensive to install compared to other options. $4-$6 per square foot depending on size and gloss level desired.
Cream Polish
A cream polish is polishing the top layer of the concrete and not exposing any aggregate. Metal bonded diamonds are not used for this. A 100 grit resin bonded or hybrid diamonds is usually the starting point. A densifier is still applied during the polishing process. Polishes can go up to 3000 grit as well. Since you aren't grinding down to the stronger concrete, this type of polish does not last long. 6 months to 5 years depending on traffic and maintenance. Guards can be used to increase reflectivity and durability, but require more maintenance due to the lower refinement of the surface.
The equipment used for this type of job ranges from standard 175 swing machines to full concrete polishing machines. Investments in equipment range from $3000 for a swing machine and diamonds to do small jobs and all the way up to $80,000+ which is overkill for this type of job, but leaves you the ability to do full mechanical polishes on large jobs.
Pros - Less expensive to install than full mechanical polishes $1.50-$3 per square foot. High reflectivity is achievable.
Cons - Not as durable as a full mechanical polish. Lower clarity. Higher maintenance cost.
Chemical Polish
Chemical polishes are achieved by honing the cream layer with 3-4 different grits of diamonds then applying a guard to achieve reflectivity. An example of this type of polish is the 3M Trizac system. Densifiers can still be used for this type of polish. It can also be achieved with any of the machines I have listed in the other systems.
Pros - Least expensive to install, less than $2 to install. Good reflectivity.
Cons - Least durable. Lowest clarity. Highest maintenance cost.
There are variations of these different types of polishes. They vary in the number of steps the contractor uses, and the number of steps affects the final outcome. The more refined the surface, the greater the clarity achieved. A tip for doing a full mechanical polish, the quality of your polish is determined by the first 2 cuts. The fist cut is the most important and should take about 70% of your time on the job.
Durability of guards. Most guards are "micro acrylic" meaning that they are very thin coatings of acrylic. The higher the level of refinement and the finer the grit, the longer the guard will last. An easy way to visualize this is think of a piece of paper on a rough surface, step on that paper and the rough surface destroys the paper. Not think of a paper on a smooth surface, step on that paper and it will be less damaged than the paper on the rough surface. This is why a full mechanical polish has less maintenance than any other type of polishing. The guard is replaced far less often.
The important thing is to make sure you supply your customer with a floor that fits their needs and budget. Do not oversell a chemical polish as a full mechanical polish. They are very different floors. Many people, myself included, believe that concrete polishing should only refer to a full mechanical polish; while the other types should be called "making a concrete floor shiny." But, that is not the way it is. Educating your customer is key to your survival as a concrete polisher and well as the survival of the concrete polishing industry. Many people can make a concrete floor shiny, but it takes a lot of practice, experience and education to do a full mechanical polish.
That being said there is room in the market for all types of concrete polishing and any good concrete polisher should be able to supply their customer with the floor that fits their needs and budget.
I also teach basic concrete polishing every month at Hard Rock Tool in Anaheim, CA. My next class is Friday, July 28th from 9am -2pm. It's free and lunch s provided.
I know it was a lengthy post but if you have any questions feel free to ask.
Concrete Polishing is now considered an umbrella term for making a concrete floor shiny. There are different types of concrete polishing with different pros and cons and very different price points. I will try to explain the best I can.
Full Mechanical Polish
This is considered true concrete polishing. It is grinding the concrete with low grit metal bonded diamonds to expose aggregate refine the surface, then moving up in grits to remove the scratches left from the previous grit. A switch to resin bonded diamonds is made around the 100 grit step. Concrete is stronger below the surface, grinding to expose aggregate gets you to the stronger concrete and will provide a more durable floor with a long lasting polish The polish is taken as high as 3000 grit, but to save costs, some stop at 800 or 1500 depending on the customers needs/wants. there are usually 7 diamond steps. A densifier is applied during the polishing process to fill pores in the concrete, which makes the concrete more dense and more polishable. A guard may be applied on top of the final grit. Guards are only needed if you require stain protection. Different guards protect against different stains.
The equipment used for this type of job is purpose built concrete polishing machines. The size of the machine depends on the size of the job. Investments in equipment can range from $5,000 to do jobs under 2,000 square feet, to $80,000+ to do 20,000 foot jobs.
Pros - High reflectivity and clarity. Very durable floor that can last 25 years or more with low maintenance costs
Cons - Expensive to install compared to other options. $4-$6 per square foot depending on size and gloss level desired.
Cream Polish
A cream polish is polishing the top layer of the concrete and not exposing any aggregate. Metal bonded diamonds are not used for this. A 100 grit resin bonded or hybrid diamonds is usually the starting point. A densifier is still applied during the polishing process. Polishes can go up to 3000 grit as well. Since you aren't grinding down to the stronger concrete, this type of polish does not last long. 6 months to 5 years depending on traffic and maintenance. Guards can be used to increase reflectivity and durability, but require more maintenance due to the lower refinement of the surface.
The equipment used for this type of job ranges from standard 175 swing machines to full concrete polishing machines. Investments in equipment range from $3000 for a swing machine and diamonds to do small jobs and all the way up to $80,000+ which is overkill for this type of job, but leaves you the ability to do full mechanical polishes on large jobs.
Pros - Less expensive to install than full mechanical polishes $1.50-$3 per square foot. High reflectivity is achievable.
Cons - Not as durable as a full mechanical polish. Lower clarity. Higher maintenance cost.
Chemical Polish
Chemical polishes are achieved by honing the cream layer with 3-4 different grits of diamonds then applying a guard to achieve reflectivity. An example of this type of polish is the 3M Trizac system. Densifiers can still be used for this type of polish. It can also be achieved with any of the machines I have listed in the other systems.
Pros - Least expensive to install, less than $2 to install. Good reflectivity.
Cons - Least durable. Lowest clarity. Highest maintenance cost.
There are variations of these different types of polishes. They vary in the number of steps the contractor uses, and the number of steps affects the final outcome. The more refined the surface, the greater the clarity achieved. A tip for doing a full mechanical polish, the quality of your polish is determined by the first 2 cuts. The fist cut is the most important and should take about 70% of your time on the job.
Durability of guards. Most guards are "micro acrylic" meaning that they are very thin coatings of acrylic. The higher the level of refinement and the finer the grit, the longer the guard will last. An easy way to visualize this is think of a piece of paper on a rough surface, step on that paper and the rough surface destroys the paper. Not think of a paper on a smooth surface, step on that paper and it will be less damaged than the paper on the rough surface. This is why a full mechanical polish has less maintenance than any other type of polishing. The guard is replaced far less often.
The important thing is to make sure you supply your customer with a floor that fits their needs and budget. Do not oversell a chemical polish as a full mechanical polish. They are very different floors. Many people, myself included, believe that concrete polishing should only refer to a full mechanical polish; while the other types should be called "making a concrete floor shiny." But, that is not the way it is. Educating your customer is key to your survival as a concrete polisher and well as the survival of the concrete polishing industry. Many people can make a concrete floor shiny, but it takes a lot of practice, experience and education to do a full mechanical polish.
That being said there is room in the market for all types of concrete polishing and any good concrete polisher should be able to supply their customer with the floor that fits their needs and budget.
I also teach basic concrete polishing every month at Hard Rock Tool in Anaheim, CA. My next class is Friday, July 28th from 9am -2pm. It's free and lunch s provided.
I know it was a lengthy post but if you have any questions feel free to ask.
