You can remove flooring efficiently when you have the right tool for the job. Thin set is used to bond ceramic tiles to the subfloor and is best removed by grinding or scraping the floor. Consider the following when removing this extremely abrasive material.
Removal with a 110V grinder
Using the 2-up half round PCDs or super seg full bar diamonds on the Helix planetary floor grinder is ideal for thin set removal. In both cases the tooling is attached to the direct drive plate on the outside ring of the grinder tooling plate. The PCD tooling is great for epoxy reinforced thin set that requires a more aggressive tool. If you find the thin set is already crumbling or failing, single or double full bar diamonds work better.
National’s 110V floor grinder does the job done with the proper tooling and machine setup. To remove thin set with the Helix, attach the appropriate tooling to the bottom of the machine. Next, take the removable weights off the top of the machine. Then, make sure you set this dual-speed grinder to low speed.
Use full bar metal bond diamonds for thin set removal on soft concrete. An aggressive PCD removal tool is be more likely to leave marks in the concrete. The metal bond diamonds leave fewer marks and a more consistent profile. This is critical depending on the next coating being laid down. Test your concrete hardness with several different methods.
Removal with a scraper
Another method for thin set removal on a concrete floor is to use a scraper. A walk-behind or ride-on floor scraper are both be an effective choice for removing thin set. With either size of scraper, use a standard flat blade, and begin by spraying down the thin set with water. Let it soak in for about 20 minutes, then begin your removal.
With multiple options for thin set removal, you can count on National for the know-how and tools to help you get the job done.