Grinding of concrete floors is performed not only in larger industrial facilities, but also very often in smaller living spaces. To properly prepare a concrete floor, you need to use the right tools. Depending on the size of the treated surface, fully manual solutions or special concrete grinders can be used for grinding concrete.
In today's article, we would like to present professional Lavina equipment, which is used for grinding concrete floors by small and large construction companies. But first, let's check what are the differences between dry and wet grinding the floor.
CONCRETE FLOOR GRINDING: DRY OR WET?
There are two techniques for grinding concrete surfaces: dry and wet. Both of these methods have advantages and disadvantages.
First of all, dry grinding is not very effective, especially with extremely hard materials. In addition, grinding tools such as concrete floor preparation tools overheat much faster. On the other hand, dry grinding is cleaner in comparison to wet grinding and leaves little waste to clean up.
Wet grinding, however, is much more efficient and allows for the treatment of a larger surface area than in the case of dry grinding. Unfortunately, during wet grinding, a significantly greater amount of abrasive is produced, which makes grinding tools wear out faster. After finishing work, you also need to put more effort into cleaning the whole area.
PURCHASE OF A CONCRETE GRINDER: WHAT TO PAY ATTENTION TO?
Depending on the company's needs, business customers may purchase strictly adapted equipment, equipped with a number of additional functions or in the basic version. What technical and physical parameters should you pay attention to when buying a concrete grinder?
First of all, it is necessary to determine the working width of the grinder. A single disc grinder is sufficient for machining small areas. It is definitely lighter and more convenient. A single disc grinder will be better for grinding surfaces in hard-to-reach places and will not cause so many problems in transport to the building site.
If we plan more advanced grinding work, then larger and heavier multi-disc grinders are a must. They have a much greater power and working width. Thanks to this, their use will be useful in large industrial and warehouse facilities.
THE DRIVE OF THE CONCRETE GRINDER: ELECTRIC OR COMBUSTION?
Which type of floor grinder drive should you choose? Electric grinders dominate the market. However, when deciding to use more powerful solutions with three-phase motors, you should take account of the necessity to connect the machine to a socket with a voltage of 400 V. If the building site has not been equipped with it yet, it will be necessary to use a suitable power generator.
More demanding users can choose among many models of floor grinders powered by combustion engines. Thanks to the appropriate technology, they can also be used in closed rooms. In the case of Lavina machines, this is possible thanks to Blue Sky technology.
TYPES OF CONCRETE GRINDERS
We already know that before choosing the right grinder, you should look at its power, power source and working width. Finally, it is worth adding that manufacturers offer various types of grinders for concrete floors. Depending on the effect you want to achieve, you should choose the appropriate type of grinder.
Head and single disc grinders achieve high rotational speeds. Thanks to this, they are perfect for removing old varnish coatings, dried glue or paint. They can also be used to polish a concrete surface, but there is a risk of appearing visible scratches.
In order to obtain a smooth surface, the optimal solution is to choose planetary or multi-disc grinders with rotational speed control. The weight of the grinder is also important. The higher the ground pressure, the better the machine's performance.
HOW TO GRIND A CONCRETE FLOOR?
At the beginning, it is important to choose the method of grinding: dry or wet. The advantages and disadvantages of both solutions were discussed at the beginning of the article. The grinding process itself is not complicated. We start with a rough grinding and removal of old coatings. In the next step, we can move on to more precise surface treatment and grinding. For this purpose, grinding tools with finer grains should be used.
Most often, the greater the hardness of the treating surface, the softer the metal bond in the grinding tool.
LAVINA FLOOR GRINDERS - RECOMMENDED MODELS
Lavina floor grinders have recently appeared in our store's offer. We also have reliable equipment from other brands, such as Husqvarna, Scanmaskin, Tyrolit or Dr. Schulze. Reverting to Lavina grinders, we present two models recommended by us: L14EU and L16EU. What are the differences between them?
FLOOR GRINDING MACHINE LAVINA L14EU
This model is the perfect choice for stripping, grinding and polishing small concrete surfaces. The working diameter for the L14EU model is 335 mm, and the whole machine weighs 63 kg (pressure: 27 kg). The machine is equipped with a single-phase electric motor with a power of 2.2 kW. There is the possibility of disassembling the machine into two parts – the head and the body, what is a great convenience for transport.
FLOOR GRINDING MACHINE LAVINA L16EU
It is a planetary floor grinder, which is also perfect for grinding, polishing and stripping old paint coatings from concrete surfaces. The working diameter of this machine is 406 mm and the total weight is 98 kg. Like the L14EU model, this one is also equipped with a 2.2 kW electric motor. Additionally, it is possible to install two 8 kg weights.
