Do I Need to Hook a Vacuum to a Concrete Floor Polisher?

Dry vs. Wet Polishing

• There are two primary types of polishing done on concrete floors. When concrete floors are wet-polished, water keeps the dust from flying into the air. On the dry systems, there is less mess because there is no resultant water slurry. However, there would be massive amounts of dust if there wasn't a way of controlling it. This is done with a separate system that attaches to the dry polisher to suck up all of the used abrasive material and concrete dust.

Environmental Protection Agency Guidelines

• EPA guidelines are in place that govern the use of vacuums and air filtration for contractors working with various power tools that produce high volumes of dust, such as concrete polishers. Concrete Polishing Magazine published an article speaking about the 2010 guidelines that state that power tools that produce high amounts of dust must be ventilated and have the dust controlled by a vacuum system that utilizes HEPA filtration. This helps keep the air safe for workers.

Specialized Vacuums

• If you are dry polishing a concrete floor, you need to use a specialized vacuum designed to work with concrete polishing. Other industrial or shop-vac type machines often won't work properly. This is because the quality and quantity of the concrete dust produced during the process may clog lesser machines. Vacuums made to work with floor polishers can easily handle the type of dust that you'll be producing. The increased cost of the machine or rental is offset by the delays and repair costs you might encounter if using a lesser vacuum.

Connection

• Machines designed to dry-polish concrete should have a connection tube where you can attach the vacuum system. Always read the instructions and ensure you're connecting the vacuum properly, otherwise a great deal of dust and particulates will be released into the air. If the system is connected properly, as much as 98 percent of the dust should be trapped inside the vacuum, leaving the room extremely clean when you're finished polishing the floor.