The Helix 110V floor grinder makes quick work of removing coatings.
One of the biggest challenges contractors have in surface preparation, is the removal of an existing coating. Without having laid the coating yourself, you can’t know what was put down, how well its bonded, and how long it’s been down. As with any surface prep job, removing coatings with a concrete grinder is best approached with several tooling options.
Half moon PCDs
There are several options we suggest for tough coating removals with the Helix concrete grinder. If the coating is thin and hard, like paint, we recommend using a set of 2-up half round PCDs. When using this tooling, remove the weights from the top of the Helix concrete grinder. Install the 2-up half-round PCDs on the direct drive plate. With your tooling and weight set, one or two passes are all you will need to remove a tough coating.
2 & 4-up PCDs
If the coating requires a more aggressive removal tool, choose the 2-up micro PCDs. This type of concrete grinder tooling is available in 2-up or 4-up configurations. This indicates the number of points of contact with the floor. Removing coatings with the Helix 110V grinder and a set of Micro PCDs is most effective if the tooling is attached to the direct drive plate on the bottom ring of the grinder head. Because the Helix is a passive planetary grinder, removing the satellites and using the outer ring brings more consistency to your scratch pattern.
Scarifier Tooling
Another proven method for removing tough coatings with your Helix grinder is by using a set of Scarifier tooling. To install this special tooling, remove the satellites on the bottom of your Helix grinder and pop the scarifier tooling satellites in. A cotter pin on the back side of each satellite keeps the tooling secure. Operate your dual-speed Helix concrete grinder on low speed and let the tungsten carbide teeth go to work.
Take the guesswork out of your coating removal jobs by having plenty of tooling options on hand. Several types of PCDs as well as a set of scarifier tooling will give you the flexibility to approach any job with confidence. As always, if you get stuck, call your friendly NFE sales rep.