Just how to Polish a Concrete Countertop

Whether you seek a just-buffed matte look or a high gloss luster, all poured concrete kitchen counters gain from a detailed polishing prior to they're used. With an electric wet concrete polisher as well as a collection of coarse- to fine-grit diamond polishing pads, coupled with a healthy and balanced dose of patience and elbow joint oil, you'll have the ability to accomplish a beautiful coating on your kitchen counter. Not just will brightening eliminate bumps as well as rough edges, but it can expose several of the eye-catching aggregates within the concrete mix, causing an one-of-a-kind piece. [1]


Component
1
Cleansing as well as Patching Openings
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Shield your work space with ground cloth and also plastic. Damp polishing concrete can be an incredibly untidy procedure. Cover your floorings with ground cloth to protect against splashes and spots. Think about covering your walls with plastic as well. [2]
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Fill up tiny openings in the concrete with a patching mix. If your concrete countertop has any kind of small openings or minor defects, you can fill in the openings with homemade or store-bought patching combination before starting the brightening process. [3] Picture labelled Gloss a Concrete Kitchen Counter Action 3
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Enable the concrete to completely treat for at the very least 10 days prior to polishing. Do not try to brighten your counter top up until the concrete as well as any succeeding spots are totally healed. For best results, the concrete needs to have been treated for no less than 10 days and also no even more than thirty days. [4] Image labelled Polish a Concrete Countertop Action 4
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Laundry off the concrete surface with water as well as a squeegee. Put water over the leading and also edges of the fully-cured concrete kitchen counter. After that run a squeegee over the entire piece to remove any kind of debris from the surface of the concrete. [5] Any type of remaining particles might dig right into the concrete and also leave deep scratches once you start polishing it, so make certain to get rid of all deposit throughout this process.

Part
2
Developing the Surface Area with a Coarse Grit Pad
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Place on an apron, security goggles, and earplugs before working. Shield your clothes from the mess of concrete slurry with an apron or one-piece suit. Your eyes need to be covered with security goggles, and you can utilize earplugs or building earmuffs to shield your ears from the extreme noises of the grinding tool. [6] Make sure any kind of loosened apron connections are concealed. Similarly, tie back long hair away from your face as well as make certain it won't hang before your shoulders.
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Link a handheld wet concrete brush to a water source. You'll be using a handheld damp concrete brush with variable speed setups as well as ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) shut off capabilities. The polisher you're using could have an integrated water hose pipe, or it might have a receiving tube that you can turn a garden hose pipe onto. In either case, hook up the tube from your water resource to the device safely.
The tool needs to launch water continually as you grind the surface of the concrete. This will take treatment of all the concrete dirt that would normally create without a stream of water stopping it. It likewise cools off the grinding pads which will warm up quickly from the friction.
Variable rate settings aren't entirely essential to accomplish a smooth finish however will offer you much more control over your progression. [7] Picture labelled Polish a Concrete Kitchen Counter Step 7
3
Attach the coarsest grit ruby grinding pad to the polisher. You'll be using a compatible set of diamond grinding pads varying from coarse (concerning 50 grit) to really great (approximately 3,000 grit). Lots of tools and also grinding pads come with suitable hook-and-loop attachments, making it simple to switch from one pad to an additional. Place the coarsest pad (50 grit) on the brush and affix it securely. [8] Make sure the tool as well as grinding pads you've selected are specifically created for use on concrete. Rock polishers as well as pads meant for usage on products like granite won't stand up to this task.
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Hold the device degree as well as apply also pressure to the concrete surface area. Starting with the largest straight surface of the counter top, position the grinding pad touching the concrete and launch the device. Function your way around the surface area in fanned or straight strokes at a moderate speed.
The polishing device shouldn't be hung on an angle, and you will not require to press down on it very hard. If you do, you'll cause it to explore the surface and also the concrete will be left with undesirable divots, swirl marks, and an irregular surface. [9] Picture titled Gloss a Concrete Countertop Step 9
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Rubbed out bumps to attain an also surface area texture with the very first pass. With your 50-grit grinding pad, you'll be able to get the entire concrete surface area to the exact same texture. It will absolutely be harsh to the touch, however the important point is that it's also. Discuss the surface as lots of times as you need to erode any type of continuing to be swellings in the concrete. [10] You ought to end up with a totally level surface area.
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Connect a protective skirt to the tool as well as brighten the upright surfaces. Clip on a protective skirt around the 50 grit brightening pad so that when you hold the device vertically, the water that's streaming out and catching all the concrete dust doesn't spray around the floor as well as ceiling of your work space. Once the skirt is affixed, brighten the edges as well as edges the same method you polished the counter top's straight surface area. [11] Whichever grit you're utilizing, complete a full overlook the horizontal surface as well as upright surfaces before switching over out to the next finer grit pad. This will save you time in the long run and will make certain that the appearance is regular throughout all sides of the counter top.
Part
3
Using Finer Grits to Develop a Sheen
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Switch to the following level grit and also discuss the whole surface area once more. If you began with a 50-grit pad, step down to a 100-grit pad, which is made to buff out the texture created by the 50-grit pad. Follow the exact same procedure of applying also pressure and functioning at a moderate speed until the horizontal and also upright surfaces possess a consistent texture.
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Wash and squeegee the kitchen counter periodically between passes. As you polish the concrete, some particles and slurry may be leftover. Rinse every surface area and also press off any type of littles debris. Utilize these recurring pauses as an opportunity to analyze your workmanship as well as see how close you're getting to the wanted finish. [12] Image labelled Gloss a Concrete Counter Top Tip 13
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Use handheld ruby grinding blocks to brighten hard-to-reach locations. As with the electric concrete brush, you'll start with the coarsest block (around 120 grit) and function your means as much as the finest grit (around 1,500 grit). Make certain you obtain any type of hard corners and smooth out the sides running around the border of the kitchen counter. [13] You need to make use of handheld blocks in the very same series of grit degrees as those you used with the electric sprucing up tool. If you skip any type of grit degrees you will not achieve the exact same finish. [14] Picture labelled Polish a Concrete Counter Top Action 14
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Progress from the coarse-grit pads to the medium-grit pads. If you have actually currently used a 50-grit and also 100-grit pad, you'll use a 200-grit pad for the next pass, complied with by a 400-grit pad. Whatever you do, do not miss any grit degrees! You'll require to slowly advance from rugged to tool to fine since polishing pads are created to ravel the surface produced by the previous grit.
For 10 concrete grinding wheel , a fine 3,000 grit pad will not give you a nice looking coating if you most just recently utilized a 200 grit pad. Stick to the development as well as you'll see beautiful outcomes! [15] Photo labelled Polish a Concrete Countertop Step 15
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Use medium-fine grits to produce a smooth surface. When you're finished with the 400-grit pad, switch to an 800-grit pad. Repeat the procedure of brightening all surface areas of the counter top. You'll start to see a smooth finish create as you work your method via these medium-fine grit pads. [16] Photo labelled Gloss a Concrete Counter Top Step 16
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Utilize the finest grits to accomplish a glossy surface. After the 800-grit pad, you can quit with a 1,500-grit pad which will certainly supply a smooth-to-the-touch surface and a subtle luster. For concrete grinding wheel for drill , finish the last pass with a 3,000 grit pad. [17] Component
4
Treating and also Sealing the Concrete
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Give the countertop a final rinse with water. When you've attained the wanted finish, rinse as well as squeegee off the kitchen counter one last time. Make certain you have not missed any areas which all surfaces have a smooth and also even end up. Enable the concrete to air dry entirely.
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Treat the concrete with any kind of paint or acid discolorations if wanted. You ought to apply any paint or acid tarnish treatments at this phase-- after you've polished the concrete as well as given it a last rinse as well as completely dry, yet before you secure it.
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Apply 1 coat of concrete sealant to the surface area with a dustcloth. Purchase a penetrative concrete sealant that's developed for counter tops rather than floorings. It ought to be water resistant, low-odor, and food-safe. Saturate a tidy cloth with the product and wipe on 1 complete layer of sealer to the concrete. Ensure to coat all nooks, crannies, as well as edges of the countertop. [18] You can choose from the selection of gloss levels offered, from high gloss to a matte coating. [19] Image labelled Polish a Concrete Kitchen Counter Step 20
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Allow the sealant totally cure before appreciating your new kitchen counter. Enable the surface area to dry entirely. Relying on the sealing product you've made use of, it may take a few days or a couple of weeks to heal. After that you'll have the ability to make use of and keeping your brand-new concrete counter top!
Although sealing won't stop all scrapes, places, discolorations, as well as other flaws from accompanying routine usage, it is a crucial action in avoiding the growth of germs within your concrete. [20]