Concrete Grinding & Finishing Supplies

Grinder

• The strength and durability of concrete prevents you from grinding away damage and stains with sandpaper or a hand-held grinder. You'll need to rent or purchase a large, motorized grinder that you push across the concrete to grind off the top surface layer. Choose a grinder with a vacuum port, EDCO Inc. recommends. This allows you to attach an industrial workshop vacuum and cuts down on the lung-irritating dust that grinding produces. Special diamond grit plates attach to the grinder to create a smooth surface on the concrete.

Safety Equipment

• Grinding and polishing a concrete surface produces a number of potential health hazards, even if you are outdoors during the process. Eye protection in the form of shatter-resistant goggles keeps irritating concrete dust from obscuring your vision. Hoses and spray nozzles help you keep the concrete wet, cutting down dust as well. The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services says that a respirator isn't enough to prevent silicosis, a serious lung disease that comes from inhaling silica dust from concrete and other materials.

Repairs

• Two special supplies help you strengthen the newly ground concrete surface and fill cracks. A special chemical combining silicates and a penetrating liquid hardens the surface of concrete after grinding to prevent spalling and other damage, says the Concrete Network. Any cracks still visible after grinding require filling with concrete patching epoxy. Skipping these treatments will allow the surface to become damaged and unattractive again shortly after the grinding and polishing process.

Decorative Finishes

• To add a more exciting design to a concrete slab that is being polished, apply a concrete stain while the surface is still rough. The liquid stain applies slightly unevenly, but this creates an artistic look if done carefully. Painted concrete can't be polished, but stained concrete polishes just as well. You'll need a polishing compound to buff the floor with to complete polishing after the grinding is done. A motorized polisher makes this part of the process much faster than applying polish by hand.