Best Uses for Grinders and Scarifiers

the different types of equipment available for your customers' concrete resurfacing needs.When concrete has to be resurfaced, the first steps in the process are often the most critical. For long-lasting repairs, the underlying concrete must be prepared properly to enable overlays or coatings to bond securely.

There are several tools and pieces of equipment that can prepare a concrete floor for a new finish or surface. Some of these machines and accessories overlap in function and can even be used in combination with each other. Many times the machine called for will be determined by the new material to be put on the prepared concrete.

Two kind of the different types of concrete resurfacing equipment available.

Grinders. There are two types of grinders: planetary and rotary. Planetary grinders typically use diamond-, ceramic- or silica-based abrasives to abrade surfaces such as concrete, stone, terrazzo and wood. They are used for many different applications like profiling concrete in preparation for a coating such as an epoxy or urethane

Scarifiers. Scarifying machines apply a cutting wheel to the concrete surface, leaving a clean, textured or roughed finish. Scarifiers are also referred to as planers, milling machines, rotary cutters or simply surface preparation machines.These machines usually have various styles of interchangeable cutter assemblies that can be used for cleaning, grinding and light or heavy milling. Production rates range from 350 to 1,500 square feet per hour (depending on machine size and horsepower) for a 1/8-inch removal depth of 3,500-psi concrete.

What's the difference?
"The primary differences between these machines are the achieved profile and result,Scarifiers and grinders are surface preparation tools ,For customers, machine choice is based completely on the desired outcome of the floor, For example, if a floor has an existing epoxy coating and the outcome is polished concrete, we would choose a grinder with carbide scarifierattachments to remove the epoxy and minimize any damage to the concrete substrate. Conversely, using the same epoxy-coated floor as an example, and change the desired outcome to a decorative overlay. In this case, we would choose a scarifier to quickly remove the epoxy and leave an aggressive profile for the ¼-inch overlay to bond.

Consumable opportunities
There are many avenues for up-selling consumables with surface prep machines. Dust extractors or vacuum systems, which remove harmful concrete and masonry airborne dust particles from the environment as well as shorten cleanups, are a great add-on. These work with grinders, scarifiers, and even concrete saws.

Scarifiers need different cutter teeth, spacers, shafts and drums. These items can be rented separately or with the machine.There are also other consumables that can be included for safety reasons. These include safety glasses, dust masks, gloves, water hoses and ear protection.