Concrete is one of the strongest and longest-lasting building materials in existence. Yet, even this rock-solid material must sometimes be smoothed out or finished. Commercial concrete laid even excellently might have imperfections appearing over time. Unevenly level surfaces, small cracks, and surface flaws may detract from the appearance and usability of your concrete features or property.
Indeed, sanding is an efficient technique for giving your concrete a more pleasing appearance and making it more functional.
What Does Sanding Concrete Do?
Enhancing Surface Smoothness
Despite the strength of the concrete, the surface is usually uneven and thus has to be smoothened. Sanding concrete helps give it a uniform finish by removing any bumps, ridges, and imperfections. It is highly desirable in concrete countertops patios, and exposed interior walls.
Preparing for Sealing or Painting
Sanding, of course, is a crucial step in preparing concrete for sealing or painting. A smooth surface is an ideal condition that results in maximum adhesion of all kinds of pains, stains, and sealants. Whichever you want to do, it will help the material you use go on better and last much longer.
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Improving Aesthetics
Sanding can perform magic on concrete. For instance, polished concrete floors have become popular in commercial property environments due to their shiny, up-to-date look. You can, with the aid of sanding, give it a finish equal to a high gloss.
Remove Stains and Discoloration
Like most materials, concrete will go through its share of stains and discolouration with time. Weathered or simply split on and worn down with everyday use, the concrete will be significantly improved with sanding to remove these kinds of problems and bring back the look of your concrete.
Reveals Decorative Aggregates
Sometimes, the concrete mixture contains decorative aggregates like pebbles or coloured glass. Sanding reveals these beautiful elements, thus providing a unique and visually striking surface.
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Sanding Concrete: Manually vs. Machine
The size and scope of your project will largely determine the method you use to sand concrete. There are two ways to go about it:
Hand Sanding
This is a viable option for small areas or delicate work. In this method, concrete polishing pads or diamond sandpaper embedded with diamonds are used ranging from coarse grits of 30-60 for first leveling finer 200-400 for a polished finish. It is effective, however, very slow and laborious.
Machine Sanding
For large commercial concrete surfaces like floors and patios, power tools are the way to go. A few of the most common options follow:
- Angle Grinder: This is a very versatile tool that can take diamond grinding discs for very efficient removal and leveling of concrete.
- Orbital Sander: This is ideal for producing a smooth finish over flat surfaces. If possible, get one that gathers dust to minimise the chances of inhaling dust.
- Floor Grinder: This heavy-duty machine is specifically designed for large-scale sanding and polishing commercial concrete floors.
Pro Tip: No matter what route you take, safety must be your number one priority. Wear appropriate eye protection, a dust mask, and gloves to protect yourself against dust particles and flying debris.
Tools Required for Concrete Grinding
Concrete Grinder
The concrete grinder, as already established earlier, is the most effective and dependable power tool designed for grinding and sanding concrete floors. It comes with many attachments, depending on how fine one would want the sanding to be.
Diamond Sanding Pads
The best pads for sanding concrete are diamond pads. They are sturdy and are designed to withstand the toughness of concrete surfaces.
Vacuum System
You will also need a vacuum system to keep the workplace clean. There is way too much dust produced during the sanding process, so to control this, a vacuum will do a good job.
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How to Sand Concrete: Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Prepare the Area
One would have to prepare the area before sanding starts. Remove all the furniture or other obstacles that are likely to interrupt the sanding process. If you are doing the work indoors, cover the items that you do not want dust on to be around you.
Step 2: Select a Proper Sanding Pad
You have to select the right pad for the diamond sanding pads depending on the project and working purpose. Coarse pads are put up for large-scale sanding projects accompanying the removal of larger imperfections or cravings. A finer pad will have to be used when finishing out and polishing.
Step 3: Begin Sanding
Sand your concrete grinder by mounting the sanding pad with a coarse pad as you work toward finer pads until you reach the desired smoothness. Operate your grinder with sweeping, circular motions, avoiding moving in straight lines, which might result in grooves or uneven places on your floor.
Step 4: Maintaining the Surface is Clean
Use the vacuum system to suck the dust off the surface all the time. Along with making your surroundings neat, it will also facilitate easy viewing of the progress of work done by you.
Step 5: Complete the Surface and Seal It
Once you are at the smoothness point you want to be, you are at the point where you finish the surface. Lastly, sealer or even paint can be applied once the concrete is completely clean and no longer has moisture.
Looking To Achieve A Flawless Finish On Your Concrete Surfaces?
At Ready Mix Concrete London, we are a team of experienced concrete specialists equipped with the latest technology and expertise to handle any sanding or polishing project. Contact us today for a free consultation and let us help you transform your concrete into a work of art! Follow us on our social media platforms for the latest updates.
