What is a floor grinder?
A floor grinder is a machine which uses rotating discs to clean, polish, smooth or resurface flooring. They’re commonly used on concrete flooring, but they can also be used on hardwood or stone floors. Floor grinders can be used to prepare a floor (by removing leftover adhesive, paint or glue, or levelling the surface), or they can be used to polish and finish the floor to a high shine. Floor grinders are available in walk behind or ride-on models, as well as smaller, handheld grinders.
How does a floor grinder work?
Floor grinding machines all work in roughly the same way, although there is a difference in their quality, power and abilities. Abrasive pads on the bottom of the machine grind off the top surface of the floor, helping to level it out or remove surface level blemishes. Some floor grinders use slightly different pads to clean and polish the floor and give it a shiny, reflective surface.
An operator moves the machine over the surface of the floor in a smooth, even motion, while discs underneath spin around. Each disc holds a pad which grinds or polishes the floor (depending on the pad material). Floor grinders can have just one disc, or as many as six working at once.
Diamond-coated discs and diamond blades are common abrasives used in floor grinding machines. They’re available in a range of grits ranging from coarse to fine and it’s important to select the right level for the job (more on this later).
Floor grinders can be used in both wet and dry conditions depending on their application. Wet floor grinders use water to cool down the diamond pads and remove excess dust. Water helps to reduce friction and increase the lifespan of your machine, but it can be quite messy to work with.
If you’re using the dry method, the machine will polish the floor while containers within the grinder remove and store the dust. Both methods are often used for best practice; the dry method will remove any imperfections or uneven sections of flooring, and the wet method can polish the floor to give an attractive finish.
Major applications which require floor grinders:
Floor grinding and levelling
This application is most commonly used on concrete floors, as the surface must be properly
prepared before repainting or adding a coating. Floor grinders can be used to level the floor and smooth away any inconsistencies or damage in the floor’s surface or edges. Coarse diamond discs will be needed
for this application, and you may need to go over the surface several times to achieve your desired result.
Polishing
Once a floor has been prepped and made level, it can then be polished to a high shine. Different discs may need to be used during the polishing process, with a move towards finer abrasives
with each polish. Floor polishing is highly effective, and it gives an attractive, mirror-like shine to surfaces such as concrete.
Stone flooring applications
Floor grinders are ideal for use on concrete, but they can also be used on other stone flooring materials, such as marble or granite. Floor grinding can change and restore the appearance of stone flooring by levelling the surface, preparing the surface for treatment or polishing the stone to a reflective shine.
Screed removal Screed is often confused with concrete, but there are differences in the finish, the size of aggregates used and the mix consistency. Screed is poured as a thin layer to create a smooth coating on a floor, and it’s often found underneath tiles. When renovating or repairing a floor, you may need to remove an old layer of screed first. This can be done using a floor grinder, which will grind down the top layer until the screed is gone.
Paint, latex and adhesive removal
If you’re replacing flooring like carpet, vinyl tiles or rubber, you’ll first need to use a stripping machine to remove the existing flooring. Once this is done, it’s likely that they’ll be some adhesive, latex or paint left behind. Concrete flooring may also have some patches of an existing coating that will need to be removed before repainting or resealing.
If you need to remove paint, latex or adhesive from a floor, you can do so using a floor grinding machine. They provide a chemical-free way to remove any existing paint or coatings and ensure the floor is prepared for the next stage.
How to use your floor grinder effectively
Floor grinders are versatile and powerful machines, but it’s important to know how to use your
grinder effectively. This will make the job much easier and give you the required finish you’re after.
Pick the right diamonds
Choosing the right diamond pads is crucial to achieve your desired finish. You may have to experiment with a few different types but it’s worth doing as much research as you can beforehand. This includes understanding different bonds and segment styles, as well as testing the concrete hardness if possible.
You’ll also need to think about whether you’re removing material (like glue or screed) and if you’ll be polishing the floor afterwards. Diamonds that are too abrasive could scratch the floor beyond repair.
