Simply put, polishing concrete is similar to sanding wood. Heavy-duty polishing machines equipped with progressively finer grits of diamond-impregnated segments or discs are used to gradually grind down surfaces to the desired sheen and smoothness.

Preparation:

The floor is ground to remove epoxies, glues, sealers & paints. When it is necessary to remove coatings, more aggressive diamonds are used.

Fewer number of segments = heavier head pressure on the floor

Grits usually range from 06 to 50

Coatings as thick as ¼ inch can be removed in one or two passes

Metal Cuts:

Three or more cuts with the use of coarse diamond segments bonded in a metallic matrix. Depending on the condition of the concrete, this initial rough grinding is generally a three- to four-step process.

The heavier the machine and subsequently the grinding head, the more material comes off in a single pass.

Densifier:

Applied after metal cuts – increases compression strength & abrasion resistance.

Polishing Cuts:

The next steps involve fine grinding of the concrete surface using diamond abrasives embedded in plastic or resin matrix.

Note: It is important to proceed with each successively higher grit until desired finish is achieved.

Dye &/or Topical Treatments:

Dye is applied during the final steps of polishing.

Topical treatments are applied last.

It is generally agreed that the concrete must be polished through the sequence of grits ending with 800 thru 3000 grit diamonds to be considered true polished concrete.