This is the step most contractors skip. We use diamond-cup grinders and shot blasters to open the concrete profile before any coating goes down. It's loud, dusty, and time-consuming — and it's why our coatings don't peel. Skip this step and the floor will fail.
Concrete prep is the foundation of every coating we install. A properly prepared surface has a CSP (Concrete Surface Profile) of 2-4, meaning the concrete is open, clean, and ready to accept a coating system at the chemical level. You can feel it — properly ground concrete feels slightly rough, like 80-grit sandpaper.
We use two methods depending on the job size. Diamond-cup grinders are used for residential work and tight spaces. For commercial floors over 2,000 square feet, we deploy ride-on shot blasters — machines that fire steel shot at the surface and collect it in a vacuum system. Both methods achieve the same goal: a clean, profiled surface with no laitance, contamination, or previous coating.
Dust is managed with vacuum-equipped grinders and HEPA filtration. Most residential jobs don't require the homeowner to leave — though it is loud. We use surface shields to protect walls and transition areas.
What You Get
- Diamond-cup grinding on every residential job
- Shot blasting available for large commercial floors
- HEPA dust collection — cleaner than you'd expect
- Contamination removal: oil, paint, adhesive
- CSP 2-4 profile on every finished surface
Common Questions
Everything we get asked before a concrete grinding & prep job.
Can I skip the grinding and just coat my floor?
Not with us. We won't install a coating on an unground surface. It will fail, the warranty won't cover it, and you'll be calling someone to fix it in six months. The grinding is why our floors last.
What is shot blasting?
Shot blasting is a surface preparation method that fires small steel pellets at the concrete at high velocity, removing surface contaminants and creating the profile needed for coatings to bond. It's faster than grinding per square foot and preferred for large commercial floors.
Do I need to be home during grinding?
Not required, but we do need access to the space. The grinding is the loudest part of the day — most jobs take 1-3 hours depending on size.
What if my concrete has oil stains?
Oil contamination needs to be addressed before grinding. We use a degreaser and heat to draw the oil out before grinding. On heavily contaminated slabs, we may need to make multiple passes. We'll evaluate during the site visit.