QNS The Straight and Narrow: Grinding and Polishing in Tight Spaces
This article is based on an episode of the WORX+ TechTalk series. You can watch the full episode here.
THE PROBLEM WITH LESS SPACE
If you try to run your machine down both sides of a corridor when there isn’t enough room to do it without heaps of overlap, the machine will tilt. This is because on the second run, the part that has already been ground and is overlapping, is lower that what you're now grinding. The machine will tilt to the lower point and create a ridge down the floor. Titling loads up the tool with more weight and may gouge out the other side of the floor.
WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?
One approach is to pick one side of the hallway to run the machine on and do the other side by hand. The side with the most door openings should be done with the machine because it will be easier to get a nice flat, linear look. On your second pass, machine grind the side you’ve done by hand, so you’ll correct anything that you've done by hand. This will mean you aren’t putting as much work into the other side as well.
Another approach is to run the machine down the middle of the hallway and do both sides by hand, but this will require twice as much handwork and that’s not what you want to be doing.
Josh has one good thing to say about this approach: “you’ll feel a lot more accomplished if you spend the whole day doing edges.”
He’s just joking (as always).
USING WEIGHTS
The WORX+ team advise against using weights. There are grinders coming out with built in weights with the belief that having a weight down on the wall side of the machine and weight in the middle of the corridor can help to bias the machine to one side.
However, weights can cause the machine to wobble and put an inconsistent load on the motor. Not only is this bad for the motor, but rising and dropping RPM and torque won’t let you get that nice smooth deep cut we’re all looking for and you’ll probably see gouging or half mooning.
HAND-GRINDING AND EDGEWORK
Once you’ve run your machine down the side with the most doorways, it’s important to blend the other side’s edges in with the floor to get a consistent look. When you get to the polishing stage, you’re going to be sick of being on your hands and knees. We suggest you get on our SPEC 5 ENDUROS to increase your efficiency and performance. If you're not confident in your edgework, WORX+ has seminars specifically designed for you to learn the proper techniques. Developing your skills is always worth the investment.
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Tight Corners
A common concern is also the difference in weight distribution when you've got a Dual Drive machine with the motor on the back. When you’re coming up to the end of a corridor, the difference in weight distribution means the back of the machine grinds out more than the front. There’s not a lot you can do in this situation.
Ensure your speed is consistent as you approach the wall and once you reach the end point, get on the hand-grinder to get a straight edge. Unfortunately, there's no get out of jail free card in this situation. You’ll need to keep checking everything as you go along.
GROUTING IN TIGHT SPACES
Grouting is not as critical as the first grinding stage because we’re not trying to make the floor flat. Go through and grout all the edges first by hand.
“You could go down one side if you wanted to and then repeat hugging the other wall if you wanted to, or you can go sway the machine the whole way forward and all the way back. It's really not quite as critical.”
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Grinding and polishing narrow corridors presents unique challenges, but by implementing techniques like strategic hand grinding and maintaining consistent machine operation, contractors can achieve a polished and professional result.
Part of our mission here at WORX+ is to help you feel totally confident in your concrete grinding and polishing results. Our team are the best in the business, so let us help you find a method that totally WORX - give us a call on 1300 897 873.
Hang on, we’ve got more for you!
Check out our other TechTalk articles below, where we address common issues contractors face and the nitty gritty of the concrete grinding and polishing industry.