Both grinding and polishing are distinct and crucial steps in the concrete finishing process. Grinding primarily focuses on the process of removing rough and coarse surfaces and imperfections from the concrete, while polishing is more to do with refining the surface so that it has a noticeable smooth and shiny finish. To get the ideal aesthetic from your concrete surface, both grinding and polishing are vital parts of the process.
Concrete Grinding
The process of concrete grinding focuses mainly on the removal of rough surfaces. For example, floor finishing requires you to remove all the imperfections and rough parts before you can start buffing and polishing. Grinding also works to remove old coatings. These can be weather proofing coatings, non-slip coatings or even something as simple as a paint coat.
The process uses more abrasive tools compared to polishing, as you require a more aggressive approach to the surface preparation. Concrete grinding is ideal for heavy-duty tasks such as levelling uneven floors in preparation for polishing and buffing.
Concrete Polishing
This is the process of refining the surface to achieve a sleek, shiny look. Polishing is referred to when talking about the finishings of a surface and is done to create an aesthetically pleasing result. To get the best results from concrete polishing, you will need to use finer tools and finer abrasives to create that smooth finish you are looking for. The process is typically done after concrete grinding to get the ideal high-gloss finish.
Polishing is crucial for visual appeal. A non-polished surface will not only be uncomfortable to walk on and use as flooring, or even a bench-top for that matter, but it will also look unprofessional and unfinished.
When Both Are Needed
For some projects, both grinders and polishers are necessary to achieve the result. This is often the case for freshly laid concrete, as it will almost certainly need to be grinded to remove all those imperfections, followed by a solid polish to create the ideal finish. The simplest way of understanding the differences between the two is to think of grinding as a way of preparing the surface, while polishing enhances it for visual appeal.
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