What Grinding Does
Diamond grinding mechanically profiles the concrete surface, removing contaminants, laitance, existing coatings, and the weak top layer of the slab. What's left is a clean, open surface the coating can mechanically bond to. Without it, the coating sits on top of contaminants and fails.
Why Acid Etching Isn't Enough
Acid etching (the prep in most DIY kits) opens the surface chemically but doesn't remove contaminants, curing compounds, or the weak top layer the way grinding does. It's a shortcut that often leads to delamination. Mechanical grinding is the reliable way to create the profile a coating needs.
Moisture and Contaminants
Grinding also reveals what's in and on the slab — moisture, oil, curing compounds, and existing coatings — so we can address them before the coating goes down. A coating applied over a moisture issue or an old coating will bubble or lift. Grinding surfaces those problems so we fix them first.
Prep Is the Warranty
A 15-year limited warranty is only as good as the preparation beneath it. Our process prioritizes thorough grinding and surface prep because that's what makes a durable coating. We don't skip prep to rush a project into a single day — the prep is what makes the floor last.