Quick GMC Posted October 8, 2014 Posted October 8, 2014 This is way off topic, but since it involves a lot of sanding and polishing, I thought you guys might like it. A contractor hired me to polish his 20 year old concrete BBQ. He kept telling me his wife "wants it as smooth as possible" done (not wet)
Lunajammer Posted October 8, 2014 Posted October 8, 2014 Wow, you really did it. I've never seen that before. Looks like a lot of work but worth it if you want shiny cement.
chunkypeanutbutter Posted October 8, 2014 Posted October 8, 2014 How to turn any set of clothes into a white suit.
Quick GMC Posted October 8, 2014 Author Posted October 8, 2014 Did you wear your safety glasses, or no? first half was done wet at 600 RPMs. Second half was done dry, but from 800-3000 grit. JUST enough dust to coat the safety glasses and have no visibility, and it would take a catastrophic failure for any chunks to fly off. Dust masks and respirators are used around concrete and granite. How to turn any set of clothes into a white suit. I used an apron, stayed fairly clean. If it was done all dry, yes, you look like a ghost when you're done
Foxer Posted October 8, 2014 Posted October 8, 2014 wow .. nice job! I'm a structural engineer and know concrete, so again Nice Job!
Mike Kucaba Posted October 8, 2014 Posted October 8, 2014 My carport and patio would look nice like that. How much do you charge per sq. ft. and do you take plastic (models)
1930fordpickup Posted October 8, 2014 Posted October 8, 2014 My carport and patio would look nice like that. How much do you charge per sq. ft. and do you take plastic (models) This made just made my day!
Quick GMC Posted October 8, 2014 Author Posted October 8, 2014 My carport and patio would look nice like that. How much do you charge per sq. ft. and do you take plastic (models) I actually would. I like trading.
mnwildpunk Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 I do not know concrete I know cars but if you polished a concrete floor wouldn't it be very very slippery? That aside the bar does look awesome
Quick GMC Posted October 9, 2014 Author Posted October 9, 2014 Concrete floors use a polish guard. Kind of like a clear coat. It adds slip resistance and protects against staining. However these don't really hold up outside, so polishing concrete patios is not common. Properly polished concrete holds up incredibly well
BirdWatcher Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 Wow! That's awesome! Concrete is totally cheaper than resin right?
mnwildpunk Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 So is it like an acid wash? Sorry if these are dumb questions
Quick GMC Posted October 9, 2014 Author Posted October 9, 2014 So is it like an acid wash? Sorry if these are dumb questions not dumb. An acid etches the concrete, just like marble. This was done mechanically. It's basically sanding, but they are diamond-impregnated resin pads. They are industrial diamonds separated into different grits. they pour them into a mold with resin. As you sand, the resin wears down and exposes new diamonds to keep it cutting sharp. I started with 100 grit copper bond (copper instead of resin, they cut very well), and went all the way to 3000. When I got to 800 grit, we started using them dry. I used a flexible backer and flexed the pad so that only 30% or so was making contact. This transfers all the friction and RPM to a small concentrated area of the pad and burnishes it in. It's basically wet sanding for the first half, and dry sanding for the second, but with a lot of concentrated pressure and friction until it pretty much burns a shine in. The more friction you use and the harder it is to polish, the longer it will hold up against abrasion. If I were to do an acid wash over this, it would ruin it and kill the polish. i'd have to start all over. Concrete, limestone, marble, travertine all contain calcite. This reacts with anything acidic, which included cocktails, foods, citric acids, juices, etc. When these are spilled, they leave dull marks that are often mistaken for stains. They need to be sanded out. This is my showroom floor that I ground and polished. This is a garage I did for a customer. They park an Aston Martin DB7 in there This is a travertine floor I ground and polished. This is tile. I filled the joints and holes with resin, then ground it perfectly flat. this is my dad's office
mnwildpunk Posted October 10, 2014 Posted October 10, 2014 One word WOW andd thank you for the low down on the process I found it quite interesting. How long have you been doing this?
Quick GMC Posted October 11, 2014 Author Posted October 11, 2014 One word WOW andd thank you for the low down on the process I found it quite interesting. How long have you been doing this? full time, 8 years. I am transitioning out of the business to focus on my new company, which supplies equipment and supplies for this industry.
High octane Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 You sure know your "stuff." Great photos also.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now