Diamond Polishing has evolved dramatically in the past few years. Diamond Polishing is diamond grinding to the next power. Picking up where grinding has left off, polishing is a series of cuts on concrete where the new set of diamonds or resins removes the scratches from the previous diamond and resin.
Normally we cut the concrete twice, harden the concrete with chemicals, Bomanite Stabilizer Pro, cut the floor with diamonds one more time, switch to 4 passes with resins, and mist the floor with Bomanite Stain Guard. This will give you a beautiful, durable, inexpensive, easy to maintain floor.
You want more? We can cut the floor until all the aggregate is more uniform. We can polish with more resins up to 3000 grit. We can stain it with bright colors. So we can cut the concrete deeper, decorate it many colors, and polish to higher shine. It is up to your imagination and our expertise to create a unique floor for you.
The bulk of polishing is done by our huge Diamatic diamond grinder. It weighs 1180 pounds, is 30 inches wide. Runs on 208 volts, 40 amps, 3 phase power.
For smaller jobs we have two more diamond grinders: Our Prep Master diamond a grinder are 18 inches wide, only 400 pounds and uses 208 amps, 3 phase power. This work well when aggregate is not exposed, and the fat or surface of the concrete is polished.
A few things to know about concrete polishing.
1. Normally, the concrete has been place prior to entertaining polishing it. Therefore, the aggregate can be varied and at any depth. Thus, in the grinding stages the amount of expose of aggregate can not be determined. Varying amounts of expose is considered normal.
2. Caulking the floor is recommended but priced as a line item. This is done since there are many choices of caulking for the joints. We like a polyurea caulk but cost more. It is fast, effective, and leaves a smooth top that can be polished with the concrete.
3. Edges are done by smaller machines so the skill is blending the results of two completely different tools. The big grinder weighs 1180 pounds. The hand held grinders weigh less than 10 pounds. The craftsmanship is about the blending of the two. A sharp eye can see it, most will not even notice it.
4. The hardness of the concrete will determine how long it takes to polish it, especially if aggregate expose is desired. AWSP can not know the psi of the concrete, so it is important that the psi is gotten from the cement contractor or general contractor.
5. Home Depot has been the major promoter of polished concrete. The have been flooring challenged. They have tried many sealers, VCT, and other flooring products. Polished concrete has solved many other there problems. First it is less expensive to install, second it is easier to maintain, and third, it is more durable than coatings. Now in the market place we see Wal-mart, Lowes, Best Buy and many other national retailers choosing concrete polishing as their hard surface of choice.
PRICING the pricing for diamond polishing is based up square footage, the amount of aggregate exposure desired, and the level of shine on the top. The deeper we cut or the higher we polish, the higher the price. Stain is extra. Caulk is extra. Polishing edges is its own line item. |
