Do you see that some people have concrete floors, but instead of the usual rough look, they have that shiny look characteristic of natural stone? Here’s the secret to their stylish floors: concrete grinding and polishing. Concrete grinding and polishing are processes that require careful planning and specialized equipment. Here’s how you can find the best equipment to grind and polish concrete.
Power Requirements
Whether you want equipment powered by an electric cord, propane, or battery,the decision goes back to you; after, of course, you’ve made sure you understand the properties of each. The ones driven by propane are handy because they do not require any cord or battery. As for the electrical cord type, it uses 110-volt single-phase, 220 volts single or double phase, and 460-volt three-phase. Amperage requirements also vary between 20 amps to 60 amps.
Weight
Ride-on equipment weighs more than 13,000 pounds, walk-behind equipment ranges from 110 to 2000 lbs. The equipment weight determines the ease of transport, but it also considers the head pressure over the abrasives.
Motor Size
Motor size depends on the power required. Furthermore, the power required is determined by the contact area between abrasives and the concrete surface, the overall weight of the machine, and the grit designation. Considering the motor size, the professionals at https://www.niagaramachine.com/ advise using these variables in your selection. This is because they play a part in the friction between abrasive and concrete. You will require more power if the friction is higher. It may be 1hp on the single head rotary to 40hp on walk-behind equipment.
Overall Dimensional Size
If you need to travel a lot with it, you can find machines that can disassemble into smaller parts. If you consider overall dimension size, you can find ones that will fit a tractor-trailer and those that are so small that they fit in a small hatchback.
Push, Propel or Ride-on
Some machines are constructed in a way that they can be pushed and pulled from side to side, some are ride-on units, and others are propelled with wheels that may be driven by the motor.
Belt/Chain, Gear, or Direct Drive
A centralized motor utilizes belts or chains combined with a pulley to rotate the heads of the machines. Some use a gear system instead of a centralized motor. On the other hand, there are some that are driven directly from the motor, usually the single rotating ones.
Abrasive Drive
There are concrete grinding and polishing machines with large fixed single rotating heads that may be 15 to 20 inches. You may also find fixed dual-rotating heads or some with 2 to 8 rotating heads intertwining in a gear-like fashion that may have a width of 56 inches.
Time To Find The Best One
Now that you know all the aspects you need to consider while deciding to buy a concrete grinding or polishing machine, let’s look into how you’ll find it. First, you need to know if your requirement is residential, commercial, or both. You should look into three-phase power, which runs on 110 to 220-volt single phase, with a spare generator.
If you are a service provider for the commercial market, you may find that sometimes three-phase power is not available. Motors that work on 220 volts of three-phase power have a high amperage requirement, hence a four-gauge cable that costs a lot.
If you’re working on surface penetration, you need sufficient horsepower and weight. If you’re only working on light to medium preparatory work then lighter equipment with abrasives will be better.
In the case, you’re working on 2000 sq. ft. and under, you can find a 22- to 25- inch machine. However, if you’re working on a larger area then you will need multiple pieces of equipment or a larger machine. You also need to consider if you can handle various machines at the same time. If you don’t have that kind of manpower, consider buying a larger machine.
Rent or Buy
Look into options at your local store, according to your requirement. If you can’t buy a large machine but you have a huge project to work on, then you can consider renting a machine. Renting allows you to select the right equipment for the right job, as you will find lots of types of machines.
You also need to consider the accessories or attachments the machine requires, while buying or renting. Check to see the availability of all the accessories with a machine.
Whether you provide a service to a huge commercial or you’re considering an individual home-based project, selecting the best concrete grinding and polishing equipment is very important. Look into all the options at the local shop or online stores to buy or rent your machine. You can consider the above factors as well while choosing one to ensure that you have the best equipment for your project.