Things to Know About Sanding on Concrete Floors

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Concrete does not appear to be sandable given its hardness and incredible endurance. However, despite these qualities, sanding concrete floors isn’t as difficult as you may anticipate.

Concrete is not only very resilient, but also adaptable. Concrete is utilized more frequently than ever for anything from worktops to sidewalks, and it is also becoming more widely recognized for its beautiful natural appearance.

Benefits of Sanding on Concrete Floors

There are many good reasons why you want to take on such a difficult endeavor of sanding concrete floors.

Improving appearance. Concrete is used to build driveways, worktops, and patios, all of which are spaces where aesthetics are crucial.

Sanding concrete can significantly improve the appearance of any concrete surface by removing imperfections, getting rid of stains, or even changing the texture of the concrete floor by applying a different finish.

Sanding concrete floors give it a glossy, elegant appearance. An industrially inspired environment can have a very contemporary, high-end aesthetic with sanded concrete.

Eliminate sharp edges. Corners can result in edges or uneven surfaces that protrude dangerously from the concrete after it has been poured. All of these pose risks that might hurt people who are walking on concrete or, in the case of a driveway, even harm tires. A driveway, patio, sidewalk can be made safer and more aesthetically pleasing by sanding these rough patches.
Take off paint. Even while there are chemical ways to remove paint, such as paint strippers and cleaners, occasionally they are insufficient. Sanding on concrete floors is necessary to remove one or more complete layers of concrete to complete the task.

Sanding is a useful method for getting rid of paint, but it should be noted that depending on how much material is removed during the sanding procedure, it may alter the texture of the concrete.

Make fixes. Sanding is frequently required to provide a smooth and consistent appearance when repairs are performed to cracked, holed, or chipped concrete. You may need to paint or stain after sanding because it’s quite tough to match the filler with the original concrete.

Best Ways of Sanding on Concrete Floors

There are many ways of sanding on concrete floors. All of these techniques can give the concrete finish a refined, polished appearance. If you run your fingers over the surface, you’ll notice extra roughness, even if they are perhaps not even noticeable to the human eye.

Depending on the desired appearance, you may be able to manually sand it down, grind it, hire a professional, or use a concrete polisher. Read on to learn the best ways of sanding on concrete floors and achieve the precise finish you desire.

Sanding on concrete floors by hand. Concrete can be hand-sanded to create smaller, oddly shaped items. You can access narrow crevices and curved surfaces that mechanical sanders are unable to.

Naturally, hand sanding is far more time-consuming because your arm has to perform all of the work. Large surfaces like a driveway or patio cannot be sanded because of this. Additionally, when sanding big surfaces by hand, it might be challenging.

Sanding belt . A belt sander has a motor with two drums that rapidly rotate a loop of sandpaper. There are handheld belt sanders and stationary belt sanders.

For flat surfaces, a handheld belt sander is a fantastic tool. When used with fine-grit sandpaper, it has the power to remove substantial amounts of material to smooth out irregularities and polish to create a bright, flawless surface. A belt sander makes it rather simple to get a consistent finish.

Handheld sanders shouldn’t be used on bigger areas like a patio or garage floor because they are still quite small.

Angle Grinder. An angle grinder consists of a motor with a handle on the side, a circular grinding blade, and a grip on the body. Angle grinders can also be used to grind cement, despite their initial purpose of grinding down metal. They come in sizes ranging from 4-1/2 inches to 9 inches.

Grinders may remove more material at once than standard sanders because they use hard discs rather than softer sandpaper. They are therefore perfect for sanding on concrete floors with severe irregularities.

When outfitted with fine-grit discs, they can polish concrete to a smooth finish due to the tremendous amount of power they create. Additionally, they are appropriate for bigger projects because they can cover more ground more quickly.

Orbital sander. This type of portable sander moves in a random circular pattern, making it easier to move in all directions than a belt sander, which can only be pushed forward and backward. Because of this, the orbital sander is perfect for sanding some surfaces, such as concrete floor of a bathroom. The orbital sander is simpler to use than other sanders since it allows for a wider range of motion.

Just remember that not every orbital sander is made equal. Stronger orbital sanders might not have enough force to make a significant dent in concrete. Select an orbital sander with more power and amps capable of tearing through concrete.

Floor concrete grinders. Floor concrete grinders are huge, mobile devices having a sizable grinding wheel that is roughly 10 inches in diameter. When the motor spins the grinding or polishing pad, you operate a floor grinder by pushing it while standing.

Due to its size, floor grinders are ideal for sanding large surfaces, such as an entire driveway or a sizable patio. Although these gadgets are expensive to purchase, renting them is affordable.

How to Keep from Sanding on Concrete Floors: Maintaining Sanded Floors

Your freshly sanded concrete floor needs to be maintained carefully or it could need to be sanded again soon. As the first and most important step, you must ensure that your floor is properly sealed.

After sealing the floor, you can add another layer of protection by staining or finishing the surface.

The best course of action after that is to simply keep potentially damaging objects away from your floor. This includes grease/oil, water/moisture, spilt paint, drywall compound, and tape adhesives.