RS Concrete Solutions is your concrete polishing leader. Visit us at http://www.rsconcretesolutions.com today to learn more about our concrete polishing services.

1. How Does A
Concrete Polishing
Machine Work?

2. Understanding How Concrete Polishing
Machines Operate
• Polished concrete is becoming
a very popular flooring option in
homes, industrial facilities and
commercial locations. The
smooth texture of the concrete
can be treated to look like stone
or to have a glossy reflective
finish. The floors are not only
attractive when finished properly
but are also highly resistant to
staining, moisture and damage
from normal wear.

3. Understanding How Concrete Polishing
Machines Operate
• They are easy to maintain and last
for a very long time. The process
of polishing concrete relies on skill,
equipment and some chemical
treatments. One of the most
essential pieces of equipment is a
concrete polishing machine. These
pieces of heavy machinery are
made from a few different
components.

4. Polishing Heads
• Most machines that are used for
polishing or grinding concrete
have a motor attached to a large
covered disc that is pressed
against the floor. This disc
contains a number of polishing
heads. The heads are circular
pieces that can hold the abrasive
pads that are used like
sandpaper to work the concrete
down slowly to a very fine and
smooth finish. Larger machines
have a planetary drive for the
heads.

5. Polishing Heads
• A planetary drive means that there is
one large head in the center that is
orbited by three or more smaller
heads. The satellite heads rotate in
the opposite direction of the large
central head. This is a very efficient
arrangement that helps to prevent
lines in the concrete after a pass.
Some smaller machines for use in
the home have just a single large
rotating head.

6. Abrasives
• The heads on the machine
accept different pads known as
abrasives. These incredibly
strong circular pads of material
are rotated by the polishing
heads to remove the top layers of
concrete. Two primary types are
used during the concrete
polishing process. The first are
40-grit to 150-grit coarse
diamond segments ingrained in a
metal base.

7. Abrasives
• These abrasives are strong enough
to shear away layers of concrete
without any problem. The second
type of abrasive that is needed is
made from diamond segments
incorporated into resin. The resin
abrasives are used to polish the
concrete until it starts to take on the
fine finish that is desired.

8. Wet And Dry
• There are two main types of
concrete polishing machines.
The first is a dry model. This unit
simply polishes the concrete and
produces a large amount of dust
that can enter the air and cause
problems without proper
ventilation. Many dry machines
have vacuums built into the base
that remove the dust. The
second type is a wet polisher.

9. Wet And Dry
• This machine constantly drops
water onto the spinning heads to
keep them cool and to trap the dust.
Wet machines tend to work faster
and more efficiently than dry
machines and prevent most
particulates from rising into the air.
Wet machines also leave behind a
thick mixture of water and concrete
dust that must be removed before
the floor is finished.

10. Advanced Features
• Many modern industrial
machines for polishing concrete
have advanced features that
make performing large jobs
easier. A popular feature is an
automatic control option that
allows a machine to move
without assistance across a
defined space.

11. Advanced Features
• Another advanced feature is
balancing that ensure the heads are
always flat against the floor to
prevent grooves and pitting from an
edge. Radio controls and power-
saving traction systems are also
popular on larger industrial units.

12. Further Reading…
• RS Concrete Solutions is your concrete
polishing leader. Visit us at
http://www.rsconcretesolutions.com today
to learn more about our concrete polishing
services.