Floor grinding and polishing can turn a dull, abrasive surface into something more akin to marble or highly polished granite. Husqvarna’s floor grinders are designed to work with their diamond grinding blocks and polishing pads to create a high quality finish.
Whilst we think of concrete as a 20th century invention, it has been around in various forms since before the common era; in Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. The basic formula of mixing stone, sand, lime and water has been used universally as a structural and surfacing material because of its inherent strength and robustness.
Until recently concrete surfaces have traditionally been covered with a secondary flooring product such as tiles, vinyl or carpet; because of its perceived lack of aesthetic appeal. Surface preparation such as Husqvarna’s HiPERFLOOR method brings out the beauty of concrete, using the inherent properties of the material.
Polishing Concrete
The alternative to covering concrete with vinyl or tiles used to be synthetic coatings and varnishes, in order to change the colour and appearance of the surface. However, this method is subject to wear and tear itself, eventually exposing some of the core material consistent with the footfall or vehicle traffic. A concrete surface without a covering can’t peel or discolour because there is no second layer to wear down.
Whilst the 20th century saw concrete surfacing as something purely functional that needs to be covered for decoration, the 21st century has redefined concrete as an aesthetically pleasing material. Treating the existing concrete surface rather than adding a surface on top allows the concrete to breathe.
How to Polish a Concrete Floor
A combination of a floor grinder, diamond grinding blocks and polishing pads can transform a dull concrete surface into a functional and aesthetic flooring solution.
Husqvarna recommends that you follow the different stages of their HiPERFLOOR system, which involves grinding and polishing as well as chemical treatments which react with the properties in the concrete.
Husqvarna have engineered and developed their products to create an incredibly durable effect. Such a finish can be seen at airports, warehouses, shop floors and exhibition centres, with minimal down time and requirement for resurfacing. A vinyl or tiled covering would need replacing or repair much more frequently than polished concrete!
