Should a grout be installed on every polished concrete floor? The short answer is… no. Grout is used to fill in small pits and porosity of the concrete slab’s surface. Holes and crazing less than 2mm are perfect to be filled by the grouting material, but any holes or cracks larger than this should be […]

Is the size of the machine related to the quality of the polish? In the most general terms, no. The size of the machine only has a bearing on how quickly the work can be done. For the quality of the polish, this has everything to do with the tools being of a given quality […]

Is it better to use water for polishing? YES! It is better to use water to polish concrete ”“ for a number of reasons: 1. Using water lubricates the cutting surface and reduces friction & heat of the diamond pads. Less heat allows a more thorough and consistent scratch. It also means that previous scratches can be […]

I have scratches everywhere in my polished concrete! Why? There are many possible reasons for this to happen. Here are a few possible causes: 1: Poor Execution of the Work In many cases the operators of the machines have either gone too fast for the tools to properly process the surface of the concrete; or, […]

Filling Pinholes? – No Problem with Substrate Technology Inc. Grout Pans Pinholes in terrazzo, as well as concrete floors, can be a real problem when it comes to polishing. Contactors know this well. You just finish polishing a really great floor and realize the shine is not what you expected or worse. And then some […]

Should I densify a floor before I dye it? If the floor scratches below a 6, then yes, always! Dyed concrete exhibits color by having the dye near the surface of the concrete floor. If the dye is above the surface of the concrete then the dye will wash/wear away from cleaning and regular use. […]

What is a densifier and how does it work? A concrete densifier is a liquid chemical spread evenly across the floor that penetrates the top surface layer of concrete. Its purpose is to fill the porous holes formed from water evaporation during the curing process, similar to how water fills the pores of a sponge. […]

What is a shot blaster and when is it a good choice for surface preparation? A shot blaster is a machine that controls the flow or stream of fine metal beads as they are forcibly projected against a surface by mechanical acceleration. Shot blasting is the process of removing thin surface deposits by broadcasting fine […]

Why does a rotary machine need to be swung from side-to-side? A rotary machine has two, four, or eight heads rotating from a fixed position. In order for the machine to consistently profile the floor without leaving “rows” or lines in the surface, the rotary movement across the floor has to be constant and swung […]

What is a scarifier and when is it a good choice for surface prep? Scarifiers, also known as surface planers or milling machines, cut or scar the surface of concrete with the use of cutting tools that rotate around a drum. Scarifiers remove concrete faster and more aggressively than grinders due to the pummeling action […]