Concrete Processing: The Difference Between Concrete Grinders and Polishers

Although the terms ‘concrete grinder’ and ‘concrete polisher’ are used almost interchangeably, these machines actually perform different jobs for different effects. It’s important that you understand the differences between the two in case you end up buying the wrong machine for your requirements.

This guide breaks down the differences between the two machines by looking at how they’re used in the workplace to achieve their desired effects.

What is Concrete Processing?

But first, you may be asking what is ‘concrete processing’? Both concrete grinding and concrete polishing are parts of this umbrella process. Essentially, concrete processing is returning a surface as close to its original state as possible by removing defects and resealing it. This process has a lot of steps and each must be meticulously followed in the right order to get the best results.

Concrete Grinding

A concrete polisher is the machine that’s used to wear and grind down the surface of concrete to expose its aggregate. This is done via a series of blades on the bottom of the concrete grinder which have different pads attached to them. These pads have varying abrasion levels and the grinding is done by starting with a coarser pad and gradually moving to one with a finer texture. This removes less and less of the top layer of the concrete each time to gradually achieve a smoother-looking finish.

Concrete grinding machines are particularly good at removing glues and coatings, smoothing out any irregularities in the surface, and preparing concrete slabs for new coverings and paints.

Concrete Polishing

A concrete polisher can be thought of as a finer version of the concrete grinder. This is because it follows the same steps as concrete grinding, only that it does this to achieve a smoother finish. The pads attached to the blades have tiny bits of diamond in them that rotate in a regular pattern to achieve a finish with the desired level of ‘shine.’

It’s after the application of the sealant, glue, or other top layer substance when the ‘shine’ will show after having polished to a fine degree. This is because less light is trapped by the aggregate and more is allowed to escape by bouncing from the smooth surface and reflecting back to you, appearing more shiny.

Although they both involve similar procedures, it’s important to recognise that concrete grinders and concrete polishers are different machines that have different effects. Where grinders focus on reducing the level of a surface in an efficient manner, polishers are more focused on achieving a uniform finish for a shinier look.

Concept Flooring Technology has a range of both machines in stock for you to hire. If you have any further questions about concrete grinders and polishers, or if you’d like to know about any of our other services, then don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling us on 01494 485952 today!

/by

A Guide to Using Dust Control Machines

Ensuring that your facility uses the correct dust control machines can save you a lot of money in the long run. However, it’s important to understand how they work and which type of machine will be best suited to your requirements before purchasing one.

How Do Dust Control Machines Work?

In all construction sites dust is a health and safety risk as well as a risk to quality control. Not only can it be harmful to the quality of your work but it can also be harmful for your employees if they breathe it in or if it irritates their eyes.

To mitigate the amount of dust in the air during construction, dust control systems draw dust and particles from the air through a filter that collects this unwanted residue before discharging the purified air back into the surroundings.

More often than not, companies that make dust control machines create them to fit particular pieces of machinery. Although this means that the most optimal connection is made between the dust control machine and the plant machinery it’s attached to, it also means that compatibility is often a problem when trying to buy one. Thankfully, Concept Flooring Technology hosts a broad range of dust control machines to ensure that we have the appropriate solution for you.

Types of Dust Control Machines

Dust Extractor: Dust extractors work on the principle of high volume air travelling at a low velocity. This makes them good for higher quantities of dust and they have much larger tubes to avoid any blockages.


Wet Vacuum: In contrast to dust extractors, wet vacs use a low volume of air travelling at a higher velocity, making them ideal for smaller quantities of dust in a smaller surface area. The benefit of a wet vac is that liquids can also be vacuumed as well as dust, making them doubly useful in a lot of situations.

Air Scrubber: Air scrubbers are more passive ways of getting rid of dust in industrial settings. They use purification filters to remove contaminants in the air which is slowly circulated through the system. The fresh, clean air that is produced by the air scrubber is then released in its place.

Why You Should Use a Dust Control Machine

There are a number of benefits to using a dust control machine. Not only will they ensure that your equipment lasts longer but your employees will be working in a much safer and more comfortable environment. Both of these factors save your business money over the long term, making them a cost effective addition to the facility. The safety they provide will also make your business more attractive to potential investors and clients.

Not only do they keep your workplace safer for your employees but dust control machines can also save your business money in the long run. This is why it’s important to have them installed. This guide has explained exactly how they work and what different types are available in order to help you understand your specific requirements before making such an important purchase.

At Concept Flooring Technology we have a host of types of dust control machines and we are industry-leading experts in this field. If you have any further questions about dust control machines, or if you’d like to know about any of our other services, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 01494 485952 today!

/by

3 Key Reasons Why You Should Hire Flooring Machines

Many jobs require very specific pieces of equipment, whether this be a dust control machine, a handheld or pushed floor grinder, or some form of cleaning machine. These are often costly investments which makes hiring them a cost-effective solution in many circumstances. 

Not only can you try before you buy, but it saves you carrying around expensive equipment and having to maintain a fleet of machines that you don’t use very often.

Try Before You Buy

The other benefit of hiring equipment is that they give you the opportunity to try out different models before you buy them. More often than not, plant machinery is a costly upfront investment that generally comes with added costs and maintenance requirements. This makes it important to thoroughly consider whether or not you need a certain piece of equipment.

Hiring machinery for projects is a good way to do this. Not only do you get familiar with the piece of equipment you’re looking to buy, but you can compare it to other models and you’ll get a good idea of how much you’ll need to use it if you buy one.

Individual Projects

Hiring equipment is the perfect solution if you only need certain machines for very particular jobs a few times a year. As mentioned, some equipment is very expensive to buy outright, especially if it isn’t used that often. Rather than lugging around large, expensive pieces of equipment that can easily be damaged or stolen, hiring this equipment for short periods of time is a great alternative.

Especially if you can group these types of jobs so that they all fall in the same hire period, this is a very cost-effective way of using key equipment without having to buy it.

Less Worrying About Maintenance

A key factor that often slips peoples’ minds is that you also won’t need to bear any of the maintenance or insurance-related costs for the machinery. As they’re complex pieces of equipment, a lot of flooring vehicles have high maintenance costs. Meeting these costs is important to ensure that they work to the highest quality possible.

Hiring this equipment helps you to avoid these added costs. Not only this, but trusted hiring companies like Concept Flooring Technology are industry-leading experts. Hence, their maintenance will be far beyond anything that can be learned by somebody acquiring these machines for the first time.

With an endless amount of sales and offerings and a general emphasis on consumerism, it can be tempting to buy all the equipment you need for particular jobs. However, this can be a poor business decision. Instead, you should hire the same machinery and avoid incurring extra costs whilst also trying this machinery out thoroughly before you buy it.

Here at Concept Flooring Technology, we understand these benefits and seek to help your business make sensible decisions. If you have any further questions about our machine rental service, or would like to speak to us about our other products and services, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today by calling 01494 485952!

/by

From Concrete Scabblers to Polishing Machines: What Kind of Flooring Equipment Can You Hire?

No matter what job you are undertaking, there are a variety of flooring machines available to hire that you can use for any job, big or small. Whether you need floor cleaner hire or sanding machine hire, a flooring equipment company will be able to rent out a range of machines that can help you get the job done safely and efficiently, while also being cost-effective. 

Here are the different types of machines available to hire:

Preparation floor grinders and sanders

One of the first steps of floor renovation is to prepare the floor using preparation floor grinders and opting to use sanding machine hire. These are used to strip down any surface level contamination and level the floor ready for other machines or products. Most preparation floor grinders will be multi-purpose and effective in removing old coatings as well as grinding and sanding. These grinders use a variety of blades such as diamonds to wear down the floor surface through spinning discs to buff away any surfaces or coatings.

The SPE DFG400 Grinder uses diamond discs to grind medium sized flooring areas. It’s perfect for the removal of old coatings or scarifying to remove oil/ dirt deposits. You can choose what size grinding blades you want depending on the job at hand. If the material is more abrasive such as clay and granite, you will require diamond blades with a soft bond in order to optimise the grinding process.

If you are undertaking a large industrial scale grinding project without access to electricity outlets such as grinding a car park or roof work then a machine such as the Blastrac BG250P Grinder will be a great machine for the job. This kind of preparation grinder runs on petrol so you don’t need to worry about finding power outlets. It’s also an aggressive grinder which works rapidly and effectively to help you cover large sections of floor surface.

It’s important to properly prepare the floor for the renovation so that it can be appropriately treated with the right coatings and overlays to finish the job. Sanding machine hire is also essential to ensure any previous paint or coatings are lifted before polishing or treatments are added.

Floor Scabbler

Floor Scabblers are used to remove surface-level paint or coatings, to add a decorative or textured coating to concrete or to prepare your concrete surface for sealing or grouting. It is a great way to remove contaminants, adhesives or markings prior to any further work you are going to undertake. It may also be necessary to use a floor scabbler if you are planning on creating a non-slip surface, perhaps in a warehouse or garage.

Floor scabblers work either by using petrol or electricity to power several cylinders known as drums which are loosely fitted with small cutting tips that rotate to grind down the concrete. Another type of scabbler uses compressed air to wear away at concrete with a hammering action, like many tiny jackhammers working simultaneously.

A floor scabbler is the best way to efficiently resurface concrete and prepare it for sealants and overlays, add a rough texture or remove surface imperfections. They are also beneficial for concrete levelling, if the pour of concrete was not level and needs to be, you can use a scabbler machine to level out the concrete. The same goes for concrete grading such as creating ramps for wheelchairs or to drain rainwater away from the house.

Here are the types of floor scabblers you may look to hire from a flooring equipment company:

Light-weight floor scabbler machines are best used for smaller areas that need grinding. The Airtec Rt2000 Scabbler is powered either by petrol or 110v and ideal for general purpose jobs such as removing rubber, coatings and adhesive. This machine comes fitted as standard with a tungsten tip flail drum. The flooring machine hire company can build the drum set up differently if you require the machine for a particular job, such as car park line removal.

For larger jobs that require more power, opt for something more heavy-duty such as the Airtec RM320 Planer. This planer is a self-propelled 320mm machine that is ideal for concrete reduction across large areas. This kind of machine is great for abrasion and grinding of concrete, asphalt, markings, level differences, rubber deposits, plastic coatings and dirt crusts and cutting of seams in concrete, milling of asphalt surfaces among many other things. This machine works through the use of rasping and milling wheels, loosely placed on a rotating work drum.

Scabbling is a fast, safe and cost-effective way to prepare concrete surfaces, perfect for preparing concrete for the next steps or making a concrete surface safer.

Floor grinder rental

Concrete grinders and concrete polishers are used as a finishing tool for floor restoration by using rotating discs of abrasive diamond to level and smooth out surfaces. You can hire concrete grinders as handheld or walk-behind and are powered by either gas, propane or electricity. You can use different pads to achieve a different finish, so whether you are levelling a floor or producing a high-shine finish to your concrete floor, there’s a different grinder for the job. 

Depending on the size of the floor you are planning on grinding, there are different types of grinder polishers. A handheld grinder such as the 180mm Hitachi G23SC3 is perfect for hard to reach places covering a small area, while still providing a heavy-duty grind for your concrete.

If you are looking to grind a slightly larger area you may choose something like the Blastrac BMG435 Grinder Polisher which is a walk-behind polishing machine. This machine is suitable for concrete, terrazzo and natural stone and can be used as both a grinder and polisher using a variety of both metal and diamond tooling. You can also hire machines specific for edges and hard to reach places. The HTC 270 Edger will help you perfectly grind tight and impractical areas of flooring, giving you the desired finish.

Using a concrete grinder polisher to finish your flooring will give you a beautiful and contemporary floor solution, perfect for a range of commercial and residential spaces. Grinding concrete with the appropriate machinery helps to improve the durability of the floor and give it an improved surface which looks brand new, without having to fork out a lot for a replacement floor.

Cleaning machines

If your flooring is already completed with grinding and polishing processes, then regular upkeep of the floor is important. Flooring machine hire companies will provide floor cleaner hire to help you stay on top of the maintenance of your flooring. Scrubber dryers are the best for this job as they clean and dry the floor in one pass over and help you to get the job done quickly and safely. Scrubber dryers can be hired as a walk-behind or sit-on, depending on your preference and what kind of floor cleaner hire you need. They work by using rotating brushes which rapidly deep clean the floor. The water residue is then collected by a system of squeegees and a vacuum, leaving the floor clean and dry.

The Numatic TRO650 Scrubber Dryer is a sit-on cleaning machine perfect for large areas that need regular cleaning. It has a 120 litre capacity and has 3.5 hours of running time so you can make sure every part of your floor gets cleaned.

If you are in need of a slightly smaller machine, the Numatic TT4045 Scrubber Dryer is ideal for exceptionally dirty and rough floors and has a 40 litre capacity.

Floor cleaner hire helps to save time, increase cleanliness and safety standards as well as being a more wallet-friendly option than the up-front costs of buying a machine for your business.

Machines for tile stripping

Besides grinding, there are many other machines for hire to help renovate your floor including stripping machines. These machines are suitable for pulling up a variety of materials including tiles, carpet and vinyl and offer a fast and effective option to remove any previous flooring.

The Blastrac BMS220 Stripping Machine uses stripping blades with a bevelled edge to pull up things like tiles and carpet. 

Floor grinding, polishing and sanding can be a messy job so floor machine hire companies will also hire out wet vacs and industrial vacuums for clean-up. With a wide variety available, it’s important to choose the right one for the job. The Nilfisk CFM S3 Dust Extractor helps to clear any dust or debris from your work space and has a 100 litre capacity as well as meeting asbestos requirements to keep you and your team safe.

Concept Flooring provide a wide range of floor grinder rental machines for any job

If you’re undertaking a floor grinding project, big or small, Concept flooring has the right machine for you. Our friendly team will be more than happy to advise you on which machine to hire, whether you need a scrubber dryer or floor scabbler. Get in touch with us today to find out more.

/by

Four Commercial Environments that Require Concrete Grinder Hire

Concrete floors are great for a range of commercial environments due to their long lifespan, cost-effective maintenance and reflective and hygienic properties. They are also  able to withstand the heavy foot traffic of a lot of visitors and create an upscale flooring option for high-profile reception areas, offices, hairdressers and retail buildings. Installing a concrete floor in your commercial space might require you to hire concrete grinders in order to achieve the fine polished finish you’re looking for. A concrete grinder is used to grind concrete and level and polish the floor using rapidly rotating disks, you can use different grit sizes to achieve different levels of shine.

Here are four spaces that might require concrete grinder hire.

Offices

Upgrading your office by adding concrete flooring is a great decision and will create a space that is easier to clean and looks great, providing a professional first impression to potential clients or business associates. To achieve a polished concrete floor for your office, it’s wise to hire a concrete grinder from a professional flooring machine hire company and use their expertise to advise you on the best grinders for the job.

Restaurants

Whether you’re opening a new restaurant or renovating an existing one, hiring concrete grinders will create a contemporary stylish finish to your restaurant. Polished concrete flooring is ideal for cafes, breweries, coffee shops and bakeries and hiring a concrete grinder will give you a level surface suitable for bar areas, dining rooms and waiting areas.

Schools and universities

Educational institutions have to withstand a lot of foot traffic, where hundreds of students travel across campus to get to their next class. These areas are ideal for durable concrete flooring solutions and will require concrete grinder hire in order to ensure a level, non-slip floor for students and staff to safely travel around school. Museums are a similar commercial space that would require concrete grinder hire, as such a large area of flooring needs to be levelled and polished to make the space safe and attractive for a large number of visitors.

Retail spaces and shopping centres

Retail spaces rely on an attractive shopfront to draw in customers and require a durable and alluring floor. This is when concrete grinder hire would help to elevate your retail space by creating a polished floor for your shop. Levelling and polishing your concrete floor creates a professional and welcoming aesthetic that reflects light well and is easy to maintain.

Here at Concept Flooring Technology, we supply a range of commercial floor buffing equipment including polishing finishing grinders and preparation grinders to give you a great finish to your commercial space. Our friendly team have years of experience in commercial flooring solutions and will be able to answer any questions you have regarding our flooring machines for hire. Get in touch with us today to find out more.

/by

How to Choose the Correct Grinding Blade for Your Concrete Grinding Job

The success of your concrete floor grinding comes down to selecting the right tools for the job including the right grinders and blades. Concrete grinders use diamond pads to grind down the concrete with hard synthetic diamonds, they come in a variety of grit sizes and types so it can be slightly confusing knowing which to pick.

Here’s our guide to choosing the correct diamond blades for your concrete grinding job.

Diamond grit sizes

Grit is measured in micrometres and given a numerical value based on its size. The smaller the grit number the bigger its size so, a 30 grit pad will have bigger diamond particles than a 100 grit pad. In a lot of concrete grinding jobs such as floor grinding, 30 to 40 grit pads work well to start. You can then move up to finer grit sizes. If you’re working on a polishing job, use 60 to 80 grit next and continue increasing up to 3000 grit until you achieve your desired look.

As a general rule, use 30 to 40 grit as a prep grit, 18 to 20 as an aggressive removal and 80 to 100 for polishing. Choose a finer grit after this if you still want a more polished concrete floor.

Bonds

The bonds of your grinding tool are what hold the diamonds in place and to get the right finish on your concrete floor, the bonds need to break down at the correct rate to release new diamonds at the right time. Grinding is a mutually abrasive process of both the tool and the concrete, so the wear rate of the tool should be equal to the wear rate of the slab. The bond should match the size of the diamond to allow the bonds to wear and expose new sharp edges of the diamond.

Hard vs. soft concrete

You need to take into account whether the concrete you’re grinding is hard or soft as this will affect the type of diamond abrasives you need to get. By choosing the right grit for the concrete, you’ll ensure the pad lasts longer. For example, using hard diamonds to grind hard concrete will not produce the desired result because grinding hard concrete doesn’t produce much sand. So, when the diamonds break and blunt, the metal bonding around them is not worn away as easily meaning the diamonds do not become as exposed as they would with soft concrete, which produces more sand during grinding. 

If you are grinding hard concrete, it’s better to use a lower grit size, around 20 and a soft bond, so that the bond and the diamond wear down at the same rate. 

Concept Flooring Technology offers a wide range of grinder consumables including diamond blades for concrete grinding in a variety of grit sizes. We also offer flooring machine hire to help you get the job done. Contact our friendly team today to find out more.

/by

Looking For Commercial Renovation Ideas? Here’s How a Grinder Polisher Can Transform Your Floors

Many businesses look to reform and reorder their commercial spaces to benefit their business long term. This could include creating more storage space, installing new machinery, and even creating new commercial spaces. However, this can be a very costly and time-consuming process and one which can disrupt the day-to-day running of your business. This is why it’s important to take advantage of the versatility offered by grinder polishers. They do the job of multiple machines and there’s a whole range of options for you to choose from so that there’ll always be the right model for your needs.

Continue reading to find out how your plans to renovate your commercial premises can be made a lot easier and more time-efficient by using a grinder polisher!

What is a Grinder Polisher?

A grinder polisher is a machine that does exactly what it says on the tin – it grinds and it polishes! They have a number of rotating heads on the bottom of them and when they pass over a surface, these rotating heads remove the top layers of that material. Usually, pads are applied to the rotating heads to let them grind more consistently over time as more crystals are exposed as the pad is used.

For larger commercial spaces, a walk-behind grinder polisher is usually the right choice and for smaller areas, a hand-held or single-headed model is usually chosen. Only for very large areas, like transport hubs, are sit-on machines used. As will be discussed, that they come in a range of sizes which is a core reason why they’re so beneficial for commercial renovations.

How Many Rotating Heads Will You Need?

The main thing you’ll need to decide upon when you’re looking to hire a grinder polisher is how many rotating heads you think you’ll need. This is important because it dictates to what extent you’ll get a uniform, shiny, and refined finish.

Single-headed machines might lack in area coverage but they make up for this by their more concentrated weight distribution. Because there’s only one head, the weight of the machine is channelled through a smaller surface area which makes this type of grinder polisher great for levelling floors and other tasks that require aggressive levels of grinding. If you’d like a similar effect but with a larger coverage area then dual-headed machines are your best option.

Then there are ‘planetary’ grinder polishers. Because these have over two rotating heads, the weight of the machine is displaced over a larger surface area. Because of this even distribution, the surface is much more uniform which allows light to reflect more smoothly from the material, which is what made your school sports hall so shiny!

You Won’t Need a Heavy Duty Floor Stripper or a Buffer Machine!

Another key benefit of grinder polishers is that you won’t need separate stripping machines. The same grinding process that wears down concrete can be used on other materials that are difficult to remove. Rather than making a mess and using anti-materials, why not just grind down the wax or glue that attached your floorboards together or the wallpaper to the wall? The important thing to keep in mind is to choose the correct grinding pad for the material you’re grinding, from tile stripping to removing glue.

Lots of people wrongly think that they’ll also require a separate buffer machine to achieve that shiny finish. As explained, in reality, your grinder polisher can accomplish this job, provided it has the appropriate number of rotating heads. Choosing a machine with at least four heads will accomplish the shiniest and most uniform finish because it’ll allow for greater weight distribution across those pads.

Saving Time and Money

That hiring a grinder polisher will reduce the number of other tools and equipment you’ll need isn’t a factor to overlook. As all businesspeople know, time is money. Not only do you save money in the short term as you won’t need to hire out multiple pieces of equipment from different hire companies, but you also won’t have to keep your business running at such a limited capacity for as long.

The other benefit is that all of our machines are very usable. They come with all their instructions and our team are more than happy to set the equipment up and to show you how to use them before you get going. This saves total labour costs. The fact that all of our machines come with dust extraction units only reinforces the above points. In essence, the versatility of grinder polishers comes into full force during commercial renovations where you’ll likely have many more steps, which will be more complex, than you might for a residential renovation.

Versatility: From Drive-on Vehicles to Hand-held Sanding Machine Hire

For people who require a smaller grinder polisher, we have a number of options available with a lower 110v power. To avoid needing to separately hire a generator, we can supply you with a transformer so that these grinder polishers can run off your mains sockets. If that’s not small enough and you have particularly awkward places to grind and polish, such as nooks, crannies, and very awkwardly angled corners, then we also have some hand-held models.

Not only this but we also have some edger polisher grinders that are specifically designed to grind and polish right up to the wall. This is because the rotating head sits on a pivot, giving the user greater handling and accuracy, rather than trying to steer larger, heavier models into awkward positions.

The last thing to consider is that we also have the appropriate dust extraction machines for each of our grinder polishers. It’s important to be safe whilst using grinder polishers and the large quantity of dust created by using them contains sulfur particles which are particularly dangerous. Attaching a dust extraction unit, and using dust skirtings to seal off the connection point will drastically reduce your exposure to these harmful sulfur particles. That we also offer dust extraction units means you don’t have the added hassle and expenses of sourcing one separately, which will help your commercial renovation go a lot smoother.

Commercial renovation can be a very costly, time-consuming, and stressful process. From sourcing all the materials and equipment to operating your business on a limited capacity to all the large and small costs involved. What a lot of business owners and runners don’t realise is that grinder polishers can solve a lot of these problems in one go. They can do the work that multiple machines would otherwise do, such as buffering floors to a shine and clearing materials from surfaces, and there’s a huge range of options available so that there’ll always be a model to suit your needs.

At Concept Flooring Technology, we offer a range of services in addition to grinder polisher machine hire. We sell the consumables that go with these machines, as well as dedicated planers, cleaning machines, preparation grinders, stripping machines, and operated plant machinery. Unlike other hire companies, we’ve specifically chosen to specialise in floor machinery so that we can deliver the best quality service possible. If you have any further questions about grinder polishers or any of our other services, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 01494 484054 today!

/by

Which Commercial Floor Polisher is Best for You?

With concrete floors becoming increasingly popular, you’ll want them to be as shiny as mirrors. By hand, this would probably take months, if not years, to achieve such a uniform and shiny surface. Alternatively, you could hire some equipment from a floor cleaner hire like Concept Flooring Technology, who will deliver their tools and machines to your doorstep.

This guide outlines the main factors that you need to consider when looking to hire a floor polisher. Whether you need a floor polisher for a multi-story car showroom or for small warehouse spaces, the ideal floor polisher is out there waiting for you!

What Are Floor Polishers Used For?

Floor polishers use rotating heads with particular attachments to scrub, polish, and buff floors. In this sense, they can be viewed as big sanding tools for concrete flooring. These are especially useful in large commercial spaces where a lot of surface area needs to be covered quickly.

However, floor polish machines have a broad range of applications aside from polishing. They can also be used to strip surfaces. Whether it be that your floorboards need to be stripped of their old wax, or that you need to remove paint or wallpaper glue from walls, floor polishers will do the job. They’re also used to burnish a floor, which allows light to reflect from the floor with greater ease by levelling the surface to an increasingly finer degree.

Saving Money With Floor Cleaner Hire

Hiring a floor polisher is a great idea for many reasons, one of which being that it reduces long-term costs. This is because the actual use of the machine doesn’t use a lot of harmful chemicals and doesn’t need too much labour.

More significantly, the polishing process makes surfaces more durable which reduces their likelihood of cracking, chipping and scratching over time. This reduces the amount of maintenance, and potentially the amount of replacements, that will be required in the future. This is especially true for particularly large commercial spaces where repairing or replacing large sections of flooring can be disruptive to your business.

How Many Rotating Heads Do You Need?

Depending on your aims, you’ll need to think about how many rotating blades you’d like your floor polisher to have. For smaller grinding jobs and for places that are hard to reach, a single-headed grinder is a good option, although it’s not ideal for polishing because it offers less even weight distribution. If you need a bit more coverage but you’re still in an enclosed or awkward area, a dual-headed grinder polisher is what you need.

Then there are ‘planetary’ floor polishers, made up of either three or four heads. 3-headed floor polishers grind the floor quicker and they’re much better for polishing as they distribute weight more evenly. If you’re looking to grind and polish a particularly large area, a 4-headed option is great as it has very large floor coverage.

What Kind of Area Are You Using the Floor Polisher For?

Another important factor to consider is what type of area you’ll be using the floor polisher for. If the concrete you wish to treat isn’t a level surface then you may first require a dry machine with fewer heads to aggressively grind down risen areas. You may secondly wish to use a wet machine with more heads as they’re better at levelling surfaces to a very fine margin.

If the area has a lot of awkward places that are more difficult to reach, then an edger machine is also a good idea. This is more lightweight and typically uses one smaller head. It may also have a straight edge to allow you to run the polisher closer against the wall.

This factor also depends on the type of finish you’re after. If you want a rougher finish where you can see the aggregate then you may want a polisher with fewer heads. If you’re after a well-refined, smoother finish then you’ll want a polisher with more heads.

Dust Extraction

An important consideration when choosing a floor polisher is that grinding concrete floors produces large quantities of dust. Some ‘dry’ models store this dust in a specific compartment whereas ‘wet’ versions have dust extractors and use water as a lubricant. Extracting dust properly when using a floor polishing tool is important because dust particles contain silica particles which are bad for the lungs.

Which Consumable Attachments Will I Need?

Resin Bond Diamond Tooling: Otherwise known simply as ‘polish pads,’ these can be used as a good starting point when smoothing flat floors. The bond is important as it keeps the diamond in place whilst it grinds surfaces. It also wears at a slow rate, allowing unused crystals to surface, making the machine last longer. Pairing the correct bond with the appropriate working material is crucial here.

Dust Skirts: Dust skirts create a seal between the floor polishing machine and the dust collection machine. This means that no dust escapes from between the two, allowing for a more efficient and cleaner grinding experience.

Metal Bond Diamond Tooling: These pads are more suitable for medium to hard levels of surface grinding. Because they grind and polish more aggressively, they’re ideal for removing thick coatings. Like with resin options, the bond wears down to expose new crystals but this type of polishing pad also uses multiple types of diamond crystals for the most effective surface grind.

You Might Also Want a Grout Cleaning Machine

Generally, grout cleaning tools come with either an oscillating or a reciprocating saw. This movement allows the tool to get further into nooks and crannies and to work at particularly hardened or built-up areas of grout. This is important if your floor uses tiles as the grout between these tiles will need to be replaced before the whole surface is polished.

Health and Safety

It’s also important that users understand the health and safety risks involved with using these types of heavy machinery. As mentioned, the dust produced by grinding concrete, which potentially contains silica particles, is bad for your lungs so it’s a good idea to wear a mask. Another health problem to keep in mind is hand arm vibrations. Using heavy machinery that vibrates quickly over a long period of time can lead to long-term physical disabilities. Wearing some form of buffer like a thick pair of gloves reduces this risk.

To ensure that everybody can use our machines safely, they’re delivered with the accompanying P.A.T. certification and sticker, electrical and fuel safety sheets, and hand arm vibration information. We can also set the equipment up for you and show you how it all works if you’re not yet confident using floor polishers.

Choosing the correct floor polisher is an important first step to getting your commercial flooring to look top-tier. To do this, you need to understand your requirements so this guide has outlined the main factors that need to be considered. The key is getting the right balance between the type of floor you’re looking to grind and polish and the physical dimensions of the polisher, such as its overall size and the amount of rotating heads it has.

At Concept Flooring Technology, we’ll have the most appropriate floor polisher for you. If you have any questions, or if you’d like to hear about any of our other services, then don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 01494 485952 today!

/by

Four Reasons to Hire a Scrubber Dryer

A scrubber dryer is one of the many flooring machines you can hire to keep your floor looking clean and shiny. They work by rotating brushes on the floor’s surface in a scrubbing motion to remove dirt and residue from the floor, which is then collected by a vacuum to leave the floor clean and dry. Rather than buying a scrubber dryer which can be a pricey investment, some companies will be able to rent them out for a cheaper price.

But why might you need to hire a scrubber dryer? Here are a few reasons it would be beneficial for your business to rent a scrubber dryer.

Rental company handles repairs

Choosing to rent a scrubber dryer means you don’t have to worry if something goes wrong with the machine as the rental company will take care of repairs. They’ll collect the scrubber dryer and give you another one to help you get the job done, meaning you aren’t left with costly repairs or prolonged interruptions to your work. As well as this, the rental company will have plenty of expertise to impart so they can teach you how to use the machine and set it up for you.

Saves you money

By renting a scrubber dryer you’ll save money, not only on costly repairs but also on the overall price, as scrubber dryers are a big investment. Rather than dishing out a large sum of money, you can rent a machine as and when you need it which is much more cost-effective. You’ll also be able to get your hands on a much better model for a lower price and only pay for the times it’s being used, rather than it sitting in a cupboard depreciating over time.

More time efficient

Instead of cleaning large areas with a mop and bucket, a scrubber dryer is much faster and easier to use so saves you time. It’s much safer than standard cleaning practices because it leaves the floor dry, rather than wet and slippery, which can lead to accidents. You’ll also be left with a much cleaner floor than a mop and bucket because it cleans deeper and doesn’t spread germs around like a bucket of dirty water does. 

Highly effective

Traditional cleaning methods can’t compete with a scrubber dryer, they are able to clean surfaces better than mops, cloths and standard vacuums. You’ll be able to achieve a much higher standard of cleanliness, particularly ideal for premises such as food factories. A scrubber dryer will sweep, scrub and dry all in a single operation, saving you time while getting a more powerful clean. There are great scrubber dryers available for rent so you can get a higher quality machine for less money. 

Concept Flooring Technology offers scrubber dryer rental to help maintain your floors available in walk-behind & ride-on, ideal for keeping your floors clean and adding the finishing touches to any commercial or domestic space. Get in touch with our team to find out more.

/by

What Are the Benefits of Concrete Grinder Hire?

Concrete flooring is one of the most common types of flooring used in both residential and commercial buildings. It’s non-absorbent nature, durability and aesthetic appearance make it a popular choice for use in warehouses, schools, industrial buildings, commercial properties and more. 

Concrete is very hard wearing and relatively easy to maintain but it does require some upkeep to ensure it looks its best. You might need to level the flooring, repair some cracks or damage, or prepare the floor for a new coating. It’s likely that you’ll require a concrete grinder in any of these circumstances and this piece of equipment has many useful applications. Hiring (instead of purchasing) the machine brings even more benefits, so if you’re looking for ‘concrete grinder hire near me’, see below to find out more about the benefits and uses of this machinery. 

What is a concrete grinder? 

As you might expect, a concrete grinder is a machine that’s used to grind concrete! This equipment is available in a range of sizes and models, including handheld concrete grinders and walk-behind concrete grinders for larger areas. Grinders can be electric or petrol-powered and there are many different options to suit your requirements. 

Concrete grinders use an abrasive material to grind the flooring down to the desired finish. Common abrasives include diamond-coated pads and diamond blades, which are available in a range of grits from coarse to fine. Many machines are compatible with a variety of different pads or blades, so you can choose the right ones depending on the material you’re grinding and how abrasive it is. 

There are two common options when choosing a concrete grinder; preparation grinders or polishing finishing grinders. Preparation grinders are used to level and prepare a concrete floor for polishing or the application of new paint or coatings. Polishing finishing grinders are used once the concrete has been prepared and they give a final glossy sheen to the flooring. 

What can a concrete grinder be used for?

Concrete grinders are highly versatile and they can do a lot more than simply ‘grinding down’ the floor. If you think you might need concrete grinder hire, see below to find out more about floor grinding and their other applications. 

Floor grinding and levelling

Concrete flooring must be properly prepared before it can be polished or painted. A preparation grinder can be used to grind and level the concrete if it’s cracked, damaged or uneven. Rapidly rotating diamond discs are used to smooth and level out the surface of the concrete. You may need a range of different diamond discs or blades, depending on the size of the area and the level of abrasiveness required. 

Polishing concrete

Once the concrete has been prepped, you can use a polishing finishing machine to buff the flooring to a high shine. This will involve using a finer grain diamond disc to achieve the desired sheen. In most cases, the process will start using a coarser disc, with a move towards finer abrasives as each level is ground down. 

Bitumen removal

Bitumen is an adhesive material that’s commonly used in paving and roof applications. It was also widely used in the flooring process up until the 1980s but some of this bitumen contained asbestos. Asbestos poses a serious health risk so any remaining bitumen must be removed from old flooring. 

Concrete floor grinders are highly effective at removing bitumen quickly and effectively. It’s recommended that an asbestos survey is performed on the property first to ensure safety and full compliance with any legislation. 

Paint, latex or adhesive removal 

Most concrete floors have a thin layer of paint, latex or adhesive on their surface. Any old coatings must be thoroughly removed before the floor is polished, or a new coating is added. This can be done using chemicals or power washing tools, but concrete grinding is often the most effective method. 

Concrete grinding offers a chemical free solution and it’s less labour intensive than scrubbing the floor with chemicals. Grinding also removes any old coating and prepares the flooring for a new coating at the same time. 

The benefits of hiring a concrete grinder

There are many benefits to be gained from hiring, instead of purchasing, a concrete grinder. If you require a concrete grinder for your next job, read on for some of the benefits of hiring this equipment. 

Cost-effective

As you might expect, hiring the equipment is much more affordable compared to buying a brand new model. You might need the grinder for a one-off job, or you’ll only need to use it every few years, so it makes sense to hire the equipment as and when you need. 

Concrete grinding and polishing can also give the concrete a finish that mimics far more expensive materials, like marble. This is another great cost-effective benefit and you can enjoy the look of a shiny, polished surface without the price tag. 

A range of models to choose from

A professional hire company will have a range of high quality makes and models to choose from. This will include handheld grinders, preparation grinders and polishing finishing grinders for hire. You may also require more than one grinder depending on the job (e.g a preparation grinder and a handheld grinder for the floor edges). Concrete grinder hire ensures that you can access all the equipment you need quickly and easily. 

Professional help and advice

Floor grinding can be tricky if you don’t have much experience. It’s vital to select the right machine for your requirements, as well as diamonds with the right level of abrasiveness. Staff at a grinder hire company will be experts in their field and they’ll be able to offer you professional help and advice. If you’re not sure which machine would be most suitable or need advice about diamonds, don’t leave things to chance, use a hire company to get the expert advice you need. 

Quality and efficiency

Hire machines may not be brand new but you can be confident that the equipment will be maintained to a high standard. Hire services are also very efficient and many companies offer next day delivery where possible.  

Aesthetic appeal 

If you want to increase the aesthetic appeal of your concrete floors, concrete grinder hire is the way to go. Concrete grinding and polishing machines can be used to give an even finish and fantastic shine. As mentioned above, this polished finish can mimic the look of materials like marble for increased aesthetic appeal. 

Reliable, high quality floor grinder rental from Concept Flooring Technology 

If you’re in need of high quality concrete grinder hire for your next project, get in touch with the experts at Concept Flooring Technology. We’re proud to offer a range of machinery, including handheld grinders, preparation grinders and polishing and finishing grinders for hire. Our machines are suitable for a wide range of applications, including adhesive removal, coarse grinding and preparation, finishing edges and concrete polishing. 

Unsure about which machine is right for you? Don’t hesitate to get in touch to speak to our experts. We’re on hand to offer professional help and advice so you can select the right concrete grinder for your requirements. Whether you need a heavy duty grinder or a buffer machine, we can help, so give us a call today or contact us online.

/by