We hear from The Preparation Group on how to specify tools and equipment for polishing hard floors.
SMOOTH OPERATOR
Hard floors, including concrete, decorative screeds, terrazzo, marble and resin, can be transformed with the correct equipment. Surfaces are polished using metal bonded diamond shoes followed by resin bonded diamond pads, attached to grinding equipment that generally has variable speed functionality.
There is a vast array of diamonds to choose from to suit different models and sizes of grinders and in various grades or grits. The principle in simple terms, is to grind down to the desired level e.g. to expose aggregate and then to work up the diamond grades in a series of ‘stages’ from coarse to fine. The first stages remove surface scratches and then polishing can proceed until the specified aesthetic finish is achieved.
It is important that material manufacturers’ guidelines are adhered to when selecting grinding equipment and diamond accessories; equally important is the correct selection of diamond to perform their function to maximum effect.
Polishing can be a ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ process, with some machines having water tanks like the Terrco range of machines or a water feed pipe port as in the STG450 or 250SP Grinder. Wet grinding and polishing will increase the diamond life and enhance the polished result. It can however be a messy process, creating slurry that needs to be removed via a wet vacuum. Grinding ‘dry’ and attaching the machine to a dust extractor is a cleaner route.
On certain floors it can be very difficult to attain the desired result by dry polishing alone and it can cause the surface to ‘scorch.’ Therefore, dual purpose vacuums are ideal for switching between dry and wet polishing. The Preparation Group’s M450 Dry/Wet Vacuum for example, can efficiently deal with both dust and slurry with no clogging of the filter.
To tackle edges, corners and hard to reach areas, a hand grinder or a machine with edge grinding capability would be needed, fitted with the equivalent tooling as the larger machines to allow the same polishing stages to be replicated.
When selecting equipment and tools, you need to consider:
• Is the initial surface smooth or rough? • What is the composition of the surface? • What is the aggregate type and percentage? • What is the thickness of material to be removed?
• How many stages are recommended by the materials manufacturer? (always refer to their guidelines)
• What finish is to be achieved? • Does the process involve wet application? • Does the process require dust extraction? • Are there edges to be prepared?
36 | MACHINERY, TOOLS & ACCESSORIES
It is vital that the operator understands the flooring material that is to be ground and polished and is able to match the diamond bond and grade of accessories for the task.
Knowing how the machine and speed of operation affects the performance, wear and polishing properties of the selected accessories is also important in order to avoid excessive wear of the diamond, or ‘glazing’ of the diamond which can lead to the scorching of the floor. Having this knowledge also ensures that no undue stress is placed on the grinding machine, avoiding an inefficient operation that takes longer to complete and damage to the floor.
Diamond accessories are often referred to as ‘hard’ or ‘soft’. A hard bond is for a soft floor such as marble and a soft bond for a hard floor like granite.
Grades or grits range from coarse to fine; the higher the number, the finer the grade. 16g would be coarse and 3000g fine, the latter producing a highly polished finish.
The material manufacturer will recommend the number of stages suitable to produce the chosen aesthetic effect for the specified product. Generally, three to five stages are specified, of which one would be grinding, followed by a series of polishing stages. For high gloss finishes further stages maybe required.
www.thepreparationgroup.com
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