A power floated slab provides a dense, level base — but by itself, it’s not a polished floor. To transform that smooth but cloudy finish into a reflective, high-performance surface, it needs to be ground, honed, and polished properly. Polishing power floated concrete takes skill, patience, and the right technique — especially because floated surfaces are harder and more variable than standard slabs. This guide covers everything you need to know to polish a power floated floor the right way.
Before polishing, check if the slab has laitance (dusty or weak surface), burn marks (over-floated dark patches), or soft edges. Use a Mohs test kit or scratch test to gauge hardness — floated slabs are often 6–7 hardness but vary locally. Knowing the floor's condition informs your tooling choice.
Decide with the client: do they want to preserve the cream surface (minimal grinding), expose fine sands (salt and pepper), or show full coarse aggregate? Power floated slabs usually have a dense cream that needs heavy grinding to fully expose aggregate — know the goal before starting.
Use 30 or 40 grit metal bond diamonds to cut through the dense surface layer. Wet or dry grind depending on your equipment. Go slow, use heavy downward pressure, and expect slower removal than on hand-troweled slabs. Watch for soft patches — don’t overgrind in one spot or you’ll dig unevenly.
After exposing the surface or aggregate to the desired level, transition to 80 grit metal bond diamonds. This step smooths the deep scratches left by the initial cut and starts to refine the surface. Maintain a consistent pace and overlap passes to avoid uneven finishes across the slab.
Once medium metal grinding is complete, apply a lithium or potassium silicate densifier to harden and seal the surface. Power floated slabs can absorb less densifier than rougher slabs — apply evenly and allow time to penetrate before polishing. Burnish lightly if needed after curing.
Switch to resin bond diamond pads and begin honing at 100 grit, followed by 200 grit. This removes any remaining metal scratches and starts to close the surface. Use light water for wet polishing if dust is an issue — but dry polishing improves clarity and saves drying time between stages.
After honing, polish the slab to the required sheen: - 400 grit for matte/satin, - 800 grit for medium gloss, - 1500–3000 grit for high-gloss finish. Each stage tightens the surface and boosts clarity. Skip grits carefully — don't jump too aggressively or gloss will suffer.
To protect high-gloss power floated floors in commercial or industrial environments, apply a guard product after final polishing. Mist lightly, spread thinly with a microfiber pad, and burnish after curing. This enhances stain resistance, adds a bit more pop, and reduces maintenance needs.
Don’t skip the edges! Hand grind and polish perimeter zones (100–300mm from walls or columns) with the same sequence — metals, resins, densifier, and polish. Consistency is key. Edges that are left dull or scratched ruin the overall appearance of an otherwise perfect slab.
Inspect the finished floor from multiple angles under raking light. Look for missed scratches, haze, or dull patches. If needed, dry buff lightly with a high-speed burnisher and thermal or white pad. Clean the surface with neutral cleaner to remove any fine dust before handover.
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