Polished concrete is one of the most popular decorative concrete treatments. In addition to being extremely durable, polished concrete surfaces are both beautiful and easy to maintain. Polished concrete floors are one of the most popular surfaces for commercial locations such as warehouses, mechanic shops, stores, and more. Even in residential spaces, it’s become more and more requested because of its gorgeous, affordable finish.

Polisher & Grinder Rentals

Here, we share some information to consider before buying a polisher and/or other equipment needed for polishing jobs.

Tips for Buying a Concrete Polisher

The concrete polishing machine you need depends on the type of work you’re doing and the specifications about your project site. Here, we break down what you’ll need based on your project.

Project Size Determines Polisher Size

The size of your project will help determine that size polisher you need.

• For large projects such as warehouses, you’ll want a power trowel that comes in either walk-behind or ride-on models. The heads on these range anywhere from 2 to 4 feet in diameter.
• For small to medium projects such as residential floors, you’ll want a stand-up or walk-behind polisher. The heads on these range anywhere from 1.5 feet to 3 feet in diameter.

Of course you can use small or medium polisher on a massive project, but it won’t be as efficient as using a larger polisher. If you’ll mostly be working on residential projects and only doing large projects every once in a while, you might want to consider

purchasing a small to medium polisher and then renting out a large ride-on polisher for those infrequent larger jobs.

TIP: When choosing the right floor polishing machine, make sure it can fit through the door of the building and/or room at your project site.

Power Availability: Electric versus Propane

There are times when you won’t have access to electricity on some sites, especially if you’re working on a location with a brand-new build. Other times, you will have access to electricity, but the sight might not have enough power to run a polisher for a long period of time.

Many contractors opt for propane-powered polishers because you can power them anywhere, even if electricity isn’t available. At Superior Decorative Concrete Supply, we offer polishers powered by electric and propane.

Abrasives for a Variety of Needs

Abrasives come in a range of grit levels. The abrasive you use depends on the type of surface you’re working with. You’ll also need a range of grits for different stages of the polishing process. For example, when you’re doing your initial grind on the surface, you’ll need a coarser abrasive. When completing the honing and final polishing steps, you’ll need a finer grit abrasive.

If you’re just getting started, you might want to consider getting a starter kit, which has several abrasives in a variety of grit levels.

Importance of a Planetary Drive System

The most effective polishers come with a planetary drive system. This means the polisher has a large primary head and three or four smaller heads (called “satellite heads”), which hold the diamond abrasives. During the polishing process, the primary head rotates one way while the satellite heads rotate the other way. This prevents grinding marks on your concrete surface.

Vacuum Needs

Whether you’re completing your polishing job using the wet method, dry method, or a combination of both methods, you’ll definitely need a vacuum on hand.

• For wet polishing, you’ll need a slurry vacuum to clean up the large amount of slurry that will accumulate during the job.
• For dry polishing, you’ll need to hook up a vacuum to your polisher to contain the grinding dust.

Some polishers come with built-in vacuums, but you may need to purchase an external vacuum to use with your polisher.

Grinder versus Polisher

We’re often asked if a concrete grinding machine, which is often used for surface preparation and other purposes, can be used as a polisher. With the right add-ons, yes, you can use a concrete floor grinder as a polisher. To avoid getting unwanted grind marks on the ground, you’ll want to make sure that you’re using a planetary grinder.

Handheld Polishers & Walk-Behind Edging Tools for Detail Work

A handheld polisher or walk-behind edging tool are necessary tool to have on hand to access edges and other spots that are hard to get to with a stand-behind or riding polisher. These are typically less than 10 inches in diameter, allowing you to get into tight spots.

Other Products Needed For Polishing

Aside from the equipment and tools, you’ll also need several other products to complete your polishing work.

Concrete Hardeners & Densifiers

To enhance the density and abrasion resistance of the concrete surface, you’ll need chemical hardeners and densifiers. There are lots brands available on the market, and at Superior Decorative, we supply some of the best. We’re happy to talk with you about which would be best for your project.

Enhancements

Depending on what the client requests, you’ll need treatments such as stains or dyes, aggregates, and/or other embellishments.

Filler for Crack Repairs

Part of surface preparation requires addressing any spots that need to be repaired. You’ll need crack filler on hand to resolve any surface imperfections before polishing.

Stain-Guard Treatments

After completing the work that goes into polishing a concrete floor, it’s crucial to treat the floor with a high-quality stain guard. This protective coat will enhance and protect the appearance of your newly polished concrete floor.

Maintaining Your Polishing Equipment

To do your work well and efficiently, it’s necessary to care for your equipment properly, which includes keeping all your polisher parts clean and serviced. At Superior Decorative Concrete Supply, we service machines and fix them in-house.

Learning More About Polishing

At Superior Decorative Concrete Supply, we offer trainings for our customers once a quarter. To find out more about our trainings and when they’re offered, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Where to Purchase & Rent Polishing Equipment

For a one-stop-shop for polishing equipment and tools, visit Superior Decorative Concrete Supply at one of our two locations (call ahead for information about what we have in stock):

Dallas Location
10865 Denton Drive
Dallas, Texas 75220
(214) 227-9898
(888) 600-1460 Toll Free

McKinney Location
2001 Central Circle, STE 101
McKinney, Texas 75069
(214) 299-7909
(855) 453-0005 Toll Free