Whether you’re polishing a floor in a commercial kitchen, bathroom, plant room, or a busy retail space, you’ll rarely have the luxury of a wide-open slab. Pipes, ductwork, bollards, benches, and sanitary fixtures all get in the way — and polishing around them properly takes experience and the right gear. If you skip it, the final floor will look patchy, inconsistent, and unfinished. In this guide, we’ll explain exactly how to polish around obstacles for a seamless, pro-grade result.
Before any machine work begins, walk the site and mark every fixed obstacle you’ll need to work around. Pipes, toilets, supports, electrical floor boxes — all of these will restrict access. Note which ones are removable and which are not. It's far easier to polish a slab properly before heavy items like toilets or plinths are installed. If they can’t be removed, flag them for special handling. Planning around obstacles early avoids missed patches and expensive rework later.
Wrap or mask any fixtures that could be scratched by grinder edges or stained by slurry. Use plastic, foam, or cloth wraps for metal pipes or painted steel, and tape over any exposed drains or fittings. If using wet polishing methods, build temporary berms or use absorbent cloths to catch excess water around obstacles. Keeping the site clean around these areas not only protects your work — it also gives the client confidence in your process.
Where large planetary machines can’t reach, edge grinders or 5-inch handheld polishers are essential. Use the same grit sequence as the main slab — metal pads for roughing, resins for honing and polishing. Hand polishers are ideal for tight areas around toilets, pipe bases, and angles between floors and walls. Don’t skimp on time here — mismatched gloss or texture stands out badly in reflective light. Feather polishing zones into the main floor for a uniform finish.
When polishing in corners or around fixtures, it’s easy to overwork one spot — especially with handheld machines. This can cause surface burning, discoloration, or even pad delamination. Always keep pads moving, reduce downward pressure, and use water (if wet polishing) to control heat. If working dry, allow cool-down breaks between passes. Consistency and patience in confined spaces help preserve surface quality and tool lifespan.
You won't always get flush to every edge — but you must get as close as physically possible. Clients notice unpolished rings around fixtures. Where machinery legs or pipe flanges sit over the slab, leave no more than a 10–15mm margin. Use flexible pads, angle grinders with polishing pads, or even small rotary tools for tight areas. In premium spaces, polishing within a few millimetres of every object separates pros from amateurs.
When applying densifiers and sealers, go back and hand-apply around fixtures that machines couldn’t reach. Mist and pad with microfiber cloths or applicators. Ensure these areas get the same chemical protection as the rest of the floor. If you're burnishing a guard product, use a hand buffer or polisher around obstacles to blend the finish — never leave unsealed or unburnished patches near fixed items, as they'll dull faster and absorb stains.
Once polishing is complete, inspect around every fixture using raking light or a low-angle torch. This reveals missed scratches, dull zones, or leftover slurry marks that the client will definitely notice once fittings are cleaned and the site is handed over. Touch up any missed polishing or sealer spots by hand. This step might take an extra 30 minutes — but it’s the difference between “decent” and “top-tier” finishing around fixed items.
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