Professional methods for preparing concrete floors are much more thorough and intended to open the top surface of the concrete flooring by grinding and shot blasting to make the concrete very porous. Obviously this calls for heavy duty mechanical equipment and the skill and knowledge to use the equipment for the best results. The process of preparing the concrete floors is what makes it possible for the new high quality, commercial grade coating to adhere to the concrete.  The machinery is also used to level concrete floors or change the grade.

The following are basic questions and answers.  Please feel free to call me if you have questions that are not answered here.  Rick Vosburgh (509) 994-0288

Commercial and industrial concrete floor prep questions

HOW DO SHOTBLASTERS WORK TO PREP CONCRETE FLOORS?

Shotblasters are used to perform surface preparation jobs ranging from a light etching to more aggressive removal of surface mortar all the way down to coarse aggregate. A shot blaster works to prepare concrete for new surfaces by firing scores of tiny BB’s at the ground over and over again. Shotblasters are also an effective method for the removal of dirt, grime and chemical contaminants from large areas or for preparing substrates for the application of self-leveling or polymer overlays, epoxy toppings and other coatings. An advantage of shotblasting is that it produces very little airborne dust, making the method a good choice for floors in sensitive areas.   Ph: (509) 994-0288

DOES CONCRETE ALWAYS NEED TO BE PREPPED BEFORE NEW COATINGS ARE APPLIED?

Before a new floor coating can be applied, the old concrete surface must be prepped otherwise, the coating will not bind to the floor evenly, and bubbles, cracks, or other problems could result... so proper concrete surface preparation before the application of any new coating is priority number one. Shotblasting is a one-step method for stripping, cleaning and profiling surfaces in preparation for coatings and overlays. Not only do shotblasting systems produce a roughened texture that improves adhesion of decorative toppings, they also leave surfaces dry and immediately ready for recoating or resurfacing.   Ph: (509) 994-0288

HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH CONCRETE PREP IS NECESSARY PRIOR TO NEW COATINGS?

To prepare a concrete floor for proper bonding of concrete overlays and coatings, it's important to give surface the correct concrete surface profile, or CSP. The International Concrete Repair Institute has developed benchmark guidelines for CSP-a measure of the distances from the peaks of the surface to the valleys. As a general rule, the thicker the overlay or topping, the more aggressive the profile needs to be. Achieving concrete surface profiles in the higher ranges often requires roughening by shotblasting or scarifying.   Ph: (509) 994-0288

WHAT TYPES OF CONCRETE PREP REQUIRES THE USE OF A SCARIFER?

Scarifiers are able to do a variety of concrete surface preparation tasks, including cleaning warehouse floors, texturing surfaces for adhesion of coatings, leveling sidewalks and uneven joints, grooving parking decks and removing traffic lines, paint and coatings.   Ph: (509) 994-0288

WHAT STEPS ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO PREP CONCRETE FLOORS FOR NEW SURFACES?

There are four major requirements to prep concrete. The concrete must be clean, level, dry and structurally sound and the concrete surface can’t be slick, heavily troweled or burnished so often requires some type of concrete grinder to remove any coating and to roughen the concrete surface so the new surface additon will stick.   Ph: (509) 994-0288 

HOW IS THE COST OF THE PROJECT TO PROFESSIONALLY PREP CONCRETE FLOORING ESTIMATED?

For an abrasive preparation process on concrete flooring, the specifications to consider include what level of cleanliness is required, the nature, hardness and thickness of the coating being removed, the best equipment to use, and the time it will take. PIFI has a variety of high-quality abrasion equipment to make the job go efficiently.   Ph: (509) 994-0288

HOW DOES AN INDUSTRIAL GRADE GRINDER WORK ON PREPPING CONCRETE FLOORING?

Grinders use horizontally rotating discs and provide versatility in the grinding attachments, and the depth of material removal is limited to about 1/8 inch. They generally leave behind a smoother profile than scarifying or shotblasting, and when working on hard, dense concrete they may polish rather than abrade the surface.   Ph: (509) 994-0288