QA

How To Grind Down Concrete

What is the best way to grind down concrete?

For a small job, rent an angle grinder equipped with a diamond grinding wheel ($50 a day or less). It’s the perfect tool for taking down just a few high spots or tough-to-reach areas near walls. Be sure the one you rent comes with a means of attaching a vacuum to suck up the dust.

Can concrete be ground down?

Any pre-existing concrete can be ground down and smoothed with the right devices and skills. But, the ease and difficulty of the concrete grinding can vary depending on how old the slab is. In general, older concrete is much easier to grind.

Can I grind concrete with an angle grinder?

An angle grinder can be used to level, smooth and polish concrete by grinding it down. They can also be used to remove paint and floor adhesives. To grind concrete with a angle grinder you need a diamond cup wheel, a dust shroud attachment, and a vacuum cleaner.

Can you grind your own concrete?

Use the Right Type of Abrasive Grinders typically come with many different types and grits of grinding disks or pads for various applications, but if you want to grind a concrete floor, you’ll need to use 36-grit disks or pads. Also, be sure to maintain a slow pace during grinding to avoid swirl grinding passes.

How much can a concrete grinder remove?

How much will a concrete grinder remove? A grinder can take off up to 1/8 of an inch of material with each pass — less than a concrete scarifier, which cuts into surface coatings and the underlying concrete and can cut about 1/4 of an inch with each pass.

How can I grind concrete without dust?

Control methods and work practices that reduce dust accumulation in concrete cutting and grinding include: Wet Cutting (Water Spraying) – This engineering control helps to eliminate silica dust from ever becoming airborne and is the most efficient method of dust control in concrete cutting and grinding.

Is it hard to grind concrete?

Concrete grinding is actually a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. Obviously, this depends so much on what you are trying to do and the circumstances, but the basic operation of the machines was easier than expected.

Can you sand down concrete?

Can You Sand Concrete? Even though concrete is a very hard material it is possible to sand concrete but it can only be done with the correct abrasives. Always opt for diamond grinding wheels or diamond polishing pads when sanding concrete.

How long does it take to grind down concrete?

Most users report that grinding down to an original floor for harder concrete could take up to 6 hours for 500 ft. This would include larger jobs covering the same surface area but having more to remove, like certain glue types or other imperfections stuck in the cement.

What kind of grinding wheel for concrete?

Diamond discs. Diamond discs are the best when it comes to grinding sturdy materials like precious stones, carbide cutting tips, concrete. For concrete, diamond discs are your best bet as they tend to last longer.

Can you smooth rough concrete?

To smooth a rough concrete slab, you will need to brush off all debris with a broom, then wash away the grime with a mop using neutral cleaner and warm water. Next, you will want to identify the areas with cracks or misshapen areas.

Can I use a metal grinding wheel on concrete?

Wheels intended for use on masonry are made with a silicon-carbide abrasive. Metal-cutting wheels contain either zirconia or aluminum oxide, depending on their intended use. Silicon-carbide abrasive particles are sharper and harder, and thus continue cutting efficiently on concrete or other masonry surfaces.

How much does it cost to grind down concrete?

Cost to Grind Concrete Floor The cost to grind a concrete floor is $1 to $4 per square foot. Grinding or sanding concrete removes adhesives and curing agents, opens up the pores, removes the smooth look, and flattens the surface. Then, polishing hones the surface to a shine for $2 to $6 per square foot.

Should I use water when grinding concrete?

The main role of water here is to cool down the diamond tooling and also provide lubrication to reduce friction. Additionally, a great deal of concrete grinding contractors prefer this method not just because of familiarity but also because water reduces the dust particles inhaled by the operator.

How deep can a concrete grinder go?

The key to their versatility are the grinding attachments, which are available in a variety of types and grits to suit different applications. Because grinders use rotary action rather than impact to remove material, the depth of material removal is limited to about 1/8 inch, depending on the type of attachment used.

How do you fix rough concrete?

Fill the damaged areas with epoxy resin to the surface level of the surrounding concrete floor. Use a putty knife to fill the crack or hole in the concrete, and then level the top of the resin with the floor using the knife. Allow the patch to dry overnight.

Can I sand concrete with sandpaper?

For basic sanding, use sandpaper with the grit between 40-60. To remove minor irregularities, use 80-120 grit sandpaper. For perfect finish and smoothness, use superfine sandpaper with grit ranging between 200-400. If there are severe imperfections, then you need to use a floor grinder or special diamond disc.

Does grinding concrete create dust?

One of the biggest problems you’ll face when grinding concrete is the sheer amount of dust and silica that’s kicked up as you go. This problem can’t simply be ignored—this dust is very dangerous and can lead to health complications, such as silicosis.