How to Use a Floor Grinder
10/08/2025
Whether preparing concrete for additional coatings or flooring, or you’re looking to preserve natural hardwood boards, a floor grinder is an essential tool for the job. With a range of abrasive discs to achieve the look you want, you can bring your flooring up to scratch without costly replacements.
Although floor grinders can be used on a range of surfaces, including concrete, stone and hardwood, this guide will focus on how to use a floor grinder on concrete floors, and how to achieve a professional polish.
What is a Floor Grinder?
Also referred to as a surface or concrete grinder, a floor grinder helps prepare concrete surfaces for coatings or flooring. They use a variety of discs or wheel attachments that rapidly rotate when in contact with your floor’s surface.
Floor grinders can also clean, smooth, level, and brighten floor surfaces, if you wish to restore materials to their natural condition. It is a piece of electrical machinery that uses rotating discs to deliver different results, including buffered, sanded, or polished surfaces.
Our range of high-powered floor grinders includes:
Product | Image | Features |
 | Used on metal, ceramics, stone & concrete Ideal for larger format tiles Size: 125mm | |
 | Voltage 230V/50Hz Blade included Disc size: 180mm Adjustable angles | |
 | Voltage: 230V/50Hz Blade included Disc size: 180mm Removable protective cover Suitable for tiles, concrete, etching, tile adhesive, stone, plaster, & paint | |
 | Grinding machine Use for sanding, grinding, scarifying, milling or cleaning Variable speeds Foldable for easy transport Available in 115V or 230V | |
 | Ideal for small to medium areas Adjustable height Foldable for easy transport Available in 115V or 230V | |
 | Used for grinding, cleaning & polishing Features sanding, brushing screeds & polishing 1700W motor Voltage: 155V |
Choosing The Right Grinding Discs
Grinding wheels or diamond discs are circular tools which attach to your floor grinder. They have an abrasive surface which, when rapidly rotating, smooths, cleans and prepares the surface of your floor. There are various types of discs with different levels of grit and thickness to achieve a particular finish, such as levelling, buffering, polishing or cleaning.
Our range of grinding discs and wheels includes:
Product | Image | Features |
 | Use with Roberts Concrete Grinder R12550 Size: 125mm | |
 | Diamond disc Used on concrete & floor surfaces Fast & effective grinding Smooth finish Size: 180mm | |
 | Ideal for beveling, smoothing & sharpening Diamond disc Size: 125mm Grit: #45/60 Bore size: 22.2mm | |
 | Diamond grinding wheel Course grit Size: 125mm Bore size: 22.2mm Grit: #35/40 | |
 | Performance: Fast cuts & refined finishes Size: 125mm Bore size: 22.2mm Grit: 35/40 | |
 | Stable & durable Performance: Fast removal Suited to rough surfaces & fine finishes Size: 125mm Bore Size: 22.2mm Grit: 45/60 | |
 | Flexible & lightweight Removes thin paint, coatings & rust Performance: Fast removal Digs in and tears off Size: 180mm Bore size: 22.2 Grit: 35/40 | |
 | Flexible & lightweight Removes thin paints, coatings & rust Digs in and tears off Size: 125mm Bore size: 22.2 Grit: 35/40 | |
 | Performance: High removal Size: 375mm Grit: 16 |
How To Use a Floor Grinder
The Equipment You’ll Need:
A selection of grinding discs
An Industrial vacuum cleaner, such as the Wolff Vacuclean 2.
Broom or dustpan and brush
Plastic sheet for dust catching
Silica sand
Safety clothing, including goggles, mask, gloves, and ear defenders
Steel-toed boots
Knee pads if using a handheld floor grinder
Our Step-by-Step Guide for Floor Grinding
Prepare the Area
Remove all furniture that could obstruct or prevent parts of the floor from being treated. Floor grinding can generate a lot of dust, so remove or cover wall hangings and furnishings to protect them. Sweep and vacuum your floor to clean any loose debris.
Connect Your Floor Grinder
Before plugging in your floor grinder, ensure the correct discs are attached – you want the right disc for the task and finish you’re aiming for. Make sure you have enough slack in the lead to cover the whole floor; if not, connect an extension lead.
Top Tip: To reduce dust, you can lightly dampen your floor before grinding.
Start Grinding
Starting in the farthest corner of the room, slowly lower the grinding discs onto the floor. Move the floor grinder side-to-side in a sweeping action to ensure thorough coverage. Apply a moderate and consistent pressure for an even finish. If you press too lightly, you won’t get the results you desire; too hard, and you may risk an uneven finish.
Top Tip: Take your time and ensure the discs have 100% floor contact for an even finish.
Keep An Eye on Progress
Regularly pause grinding and assess your work. If rough or uneven spots remain, regrind those areas until they match the rest of the floor. As a rule of thumb, grinding removes about 12-13mm of surface material. If you notice the diamonds on your discs start to glaze and become ineffective, apply silica sand to the floor; this works as a secondary abrasive to keep your discs sharp and effective.
Top Tip: Apply sand to sticky adhesives to help the grinder remove them successfully.
Clear and Clean Up
Once you're happy with the final look of your flooring, unplug and pack up your grinder. Use an industrial vacuum to thoroughly clear up dust and dirt gathered from grinding. You can pick up any small debris with a dustpan and brush before giving your floor a final clean with a mop and warm, soapy water.
What Is Floor Grinding Best Used For?
Preparing concrete floors for coatings
Levelling surfaces
Removing paint and other coatings
Smoothing rough surfaces
Cleaning, buffering, and polishing surfaces
Leaving a polished finish
Which Surfaces Can a Floor Grinder Be Used On?
Concrete
Stone
Hardwood
The Different Types of Floor Grinders
There are three main types of floor grinders:
Rotary Walk-Behind Grinder
This industrial grinder, like our Wolff Samba Monodisc Grinder, has one or two large rotating discs that work on the surface of your floor to grind it. Due to their size and power, they’re ideal for intensive tasks such as removing layers of paint, removing rubber coatings, or smoothing particularly abrasive and uneven surfaces.
Planetary Walk-Behind Grinders
Planetary grinders hold multiple discs that spin at different speeds as you move the grinder across the floor. This enables users to remove surface coatings and prepare a floor simultaneously. Making them ideal for smaller tasks such as smoothing or polishing.
Handheld Grinders
A handheld grinder, like the Roberts Concrete Grinder 240v, operates like a floor grinder, but on a smaller scale. Designed to fit comfortably in your hand, fit the appropriate disc, and focus on small or hard-to-reach areas for full coverage.
If you’re unsure which floor grinder or grinding discs are best for your type of flooring and desired outcome, please get in touch with the knowledgeable team at Flooring Materials.