Industry Terms Glossary

Abrasive pad

An abrasive pad, resembling a typical floor maintenance burnishing pad that has the capability of refining the concrete surface on a microscopic level that may or may not contain industrial-grade diamonds. These pads are typically used for the maintenance and/or restoration of previously installed polished concrete flooring.

Aggregate exposure

Grinding a concrete floor surface with bonded abrasives to achieve a specified class of exposed aggregate. These are classified as A, B, C, D, and RV with varying levels of exposed aggregate as detailed in the following chart.

* Substrate mix design, finish, and flatness will affect appearance

Bonded abrasive

An abrasive medium held within a bonding that erodes to expose a new abrasive medium over time.

Bonded abrasive polished concrete

The multi-step operation of mechanically grinding, honing, and polishing a concrete floor surface with bonded abrasives to cut a concrete floor surface and to refine each cut to the maximum potential to achieve a specified level of finished gloss as defined by the Concrete Polishing Council (CPC). This yields the most durable finish and requires the least maintenance.

Burnished polished concrete

The multi-step operation of mechanical friction-rubbing a concrete floor surface with or without waxes or resins to achieve a specified level of finished gloss as defined by the CPC. This operation yields a less durable finish and requires more maintenance than bonded abrasive polished concrete.

Burnisher

A variable speed, walk-behind or ride-on machine with a single or multiple rotating heads that spin an abrasive pad—with or without bonded abrasives—at 1200 RPM or higher.

Burnishing

The act of using a high-speed burnisher affixed with an abrasive pad to further enhance the microscopic abrasion of the concrete surface to increase the finished gloss.

Cross-hatch

A multi-directional pass/cut.

Diamond tooling

Abrasive tools that contain industrial-grade diamonds within a bonded matrix (such as metallic, resinous, or ceramic) that are attached to rotating heads to refine the concrete substrate.

Distinction of Image (DOI)

A measure of how clearly a reflective image appears on a reflective surface.

Dye

Non-film–forming soluble colorant dissolved in a carrier designed to penetrate and alter the coloration and appearance of a concrete floor surface without a chemical reaction. The definition of sealer from ASTM D16: “a liquid composition to prevent excessive absorption of finishing coats into porous surfaces; also a composition to prevent bleeding.”

1. Sealer-Semi Impregnating Stain Protection: A film-forming material that will penetrate into the polished and densified concrete, leaving a protective surface film of less than 0.5 mils, which meets the OSHA requirements for slip resistance as tested by ASTM D 20471 and stain resistance of ASTM D 13082.
2. Sealer-Impregnating Stain Protection: Non-film–forming stain and food-resistant penetrating sealer designed to be applied to densified and polished concrete. The material must meet the requirements of OSHA for slip resistance as tested by ASTM D 20471 and stain resistance of ASTM D 13082.

Notes:

• ASTM D2047 – Standard Test Method for Static Coefficient of Friction of Polish-Coated Flooring Surfaces as Measured by the James Machine.
• ASTM D1308 – Standard Test Method for Effect of Household Chemicals on Clear and Pigmented Organic Finishes.

Dynamic Coefficient of Friction (DCOF)

The ratio of the horizontal component of force applied to a body required to overcome resistance to movement when the body is already in motion divided by the vertical component of the weight of the body or force applied to the surface where movement occurs.

Edge detailing

The act of blending or installing a contrasting border along the perimeter of the room(s) using a liquid coating.

Edge polishing

The steps required by a polishing technician to process the concrete substrate along the perimeter of the room(s) to a finished gloss equal to that installed within the open areas of the room. These steps typically involve the same sequence of grits used by the polishing technician within the polishing process and typically are performed in sequence with the grinder.

Edge treatment

A liquid clear or pigmented coating that is applied to concrete where it meets a vertical surface in order to define the edges.

Film-forming coating

A film-forming material designed to be a surface coating on concrete with a minimal film thickness of greater than 0.05 mils that meets the OSHA requirements for slip resistance as tested by ASTM D2047 and stain resistance of ASTM D1308.

Typical film-formers include:

• Wax
• Acrylics
• Epoxy
• Urethane
• Polyaspartic
• Methyl methacrylates

Finished Gloss

The processing of a concrete floor surface to achieve a specified level of finished gloss prior to application of any protective treatment: flat (ground), satin (honed), semi-polished, and highly polished are measured in reflective clarity (DOI), and reflective sheen (specular gloss). Finished Gloss is classified as levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 with varying degrees of reflective clarity and sheen.

Gloss Measurement

A determination of specular gloss that incorporates distinction of image, haze, and RSpec.

Gloss Meter

A device that measures specular gloss at 20, 60, or 80 degrees.

Grinder

A multi-head, counter-rotating, walk-behind or ride-on machine of various sizes and weights with diamond tooling affixed to the heads for the purpose of grinding concrete. Excludes janitorial maintenance equipment.

Grinding stage

The steps of the polishing process that refines the concrete in preparation for the honing stage. This stage is typically the beginning for class C and D specified floors and may meet the requirements for a level 1 specified gloss. This stage consists of any bonded abrasive that is 100 grit or lower.

Grout

A thin mortar used for filling spaces; also: any of various other materials (as a mixture of cement and water or chemicals that solidify) used for a similar purpose.

Grouting

The act of forcing grout into the pore structure of the concrete substrate to fill surface imperfections.

Haze

An optical effect caused by microscopic textures or residue on a surface.

Honing stage

The steps of the polishing process that refines the concrete in preparation for the polishing stage. This stage can sometimes be the beginning steps for class B specified floors and may meet the requirements for a level 2 specified gloss. This stage consists of diamond tooling within the 100 to 400 grit range.

Hybrid polished concrete

A multi-step operation, using standard grinding or polishing equipment, lightweight equipment, high-speed burnishing equipment, or a combination of these to combine the mechanical grinding, honing, and polishing process with the friction rubbing process by using bonded abrasives, abrasive pads, or a combination of these to achieve the specified level of finished gloss as defined by the CPC.

Hybrid tooling

Diamond tooling that combines metal and resinous bonding with the characteristics of both types of tooling. These tools are typically used as either transitional tooling from metal bond tools to resin bond tools or as a first-cut tool on smooth concrete surfaces.

Joint filler

Compressible material used to fill a joint to prevent the infiltration of debris and provide support for sealants applied to the exposed surface.

Liquid densifiers

An aqueous solution of SiO2 dissolved in the respective hydroxide (see below) that penetrates into the concrete surface and reacts with the calcium hydroxide to provide a permanent chemical reaction that hardens and densifies the wear surface of the cementitious portion of the concrete.

• Sodium silicate
• Potassium silicate
• Lithium silicate
• Alkali solution of colloidal silicates or silica

All the above is the same chemistry varying only by the alkali used for solubility of the SiO2. 

Note that the following products do not harden or densify concrete:

• Siliconate is a synonym for sodium silicate, which is a solid without any water and therefore is non-reactive in the reactions described above.
• Colloidal silica SiO2 suspended only in H2O is non-reactive as a densifier.
• Siliconates are sometimes a truncated description for an alkyl (organic) alkali metal silicate, which are water repellents and react in the acid form of CO2 (carbon dioxide) and H2O (carbonic acid). These might be used as an additive in silicate solutions for early water repelling of the densifiers.

Maximum refinement

The point in time when the diamond tool has refined the surface to the degree to which it no longer cuts or cuts very little under its current weight and variables as defined by the CPC.

Metal bond tooling

Diamond tooling that contains industrial-grade diamonds within a metallic bonded matrix that is attached to rotating heads to refine the concrete substrate. These tools are available in levels of soft, medium, and hard metallic matrices that are matched with contrasting concrete substrates (e.g., hard matrix/soft concrete, medium matrix/medium concrete, soft matrix/hard concrete) and are typically used in the grinding and early honing stages of the polishing process.

Mockup

A sample of products and procedures performed at the job site to establish a standard for visual appearance, skill, and knowledge level of the craftsman along with the overall processes required to overcome imposed variables and install a polished concrete floor for a particular project.

Pass/Cut

The forward and backward motion with a grinder or burnisher along a grid pattern of the concrete floor required to process the concrete into a specified finished gloss. One pass is typically forward and backward within the same pathway. However, this may be adjusted by the polishing technician due to the many variables as defined by the CPC.

Pigmented microstains

Fine pigment particles (<3.9 × 104 inches) suspended in water-based silicate solution that penetrates concrete and reacts with calcium hydroxide to lock in color particles.

Polished concrete

The act of changing a concrete floor surface, with or without aggregate exposure, to achieve a specified level of gloss using one of the listed classifications:

• Bonded abrasive polished concrete
• Burnished polished concrete
• Hybrid polished concrete

Polished Concrete Auditor

A technician with the training and technical expertise to test and evaluate a polished concrete surface to ensure that it is within the specified ranges of reflective clarity, reflective sheen, slip coefficient, and overall quality.

Polishing process

The steps required by a polishing technician to transform the concrete substrate into a specified finished gloss. These steps may include a sequence of grits of bonded abrasives spanning the grinding, honing and polishing stages (i.e., 70 grit metal bond, 120 grit metal bond, 50 grit hybrid bond, 100 grit hybrid bond, 200 grit resin bond, 400 grit resin bond, 800 grit resin bond, 1500 grit resin bond, 3000 grit resin bond).

Polishing stage

The final stages of the polishing process that refines the concrete to the specified finished gloss levels 3 or 4. This stage consists of diamond tooling that is 800 grit or higher.

Processing

The act of changing a concrete floor surface by means of a multi-step mechanical operation that involves cutting and/or refining the surface to the maximum potential with a bonded abrasive where each step cuts progressively finer microscopic peaks and valleys. Each step must be refined to the maximum potential so that the abrasive no longer cuts or cuts very little under its current weight and set variables.

Reflective clarity

The DOI (distinction of image) value of the degree of sharpness and crispness of the reflection of overhead objects when measured by a device in accordance with ASTM D5767.

Reflective sheen

The specular gloss value of the degree of gloss reflected from a surface, at specified angles of illumination, when measured by a device in accordance with ASTM D523-08.

Repair material

A product that is designed to repair cracks and surface imperfections. The specified material must have sufficient bonding capabilities to adhere after the polishing to the concrete surface and provide abrasion resistance equal to or greater than the surrounding concrete substrate.

Resin bond tooling

Diamond tooling that contains industrial-grade diamonds within a resinous bonded matrix (polyphenolic, ester-phenolic, thermoplastic-phenolic) that is attached to rotating heads to refine the concrete substrate. Resin bond tooling does not have the soft/medium/hard characteristics of metal bond tooling and is typically used for the later honing and polishing stages of the polishing process.

Rspec

The peak gloss value over a very narrow angle.

Specular Gloss

A single measurement of gloss by shining a known amount of light at a surface within a specified angle of illumination and quantifying the reflectance. Specified angles of illumination are 20 degrees for gloss ranges higher than 70 GU, 60 degrees for gloss ranges between 10-70 GU, and 85 Degrees for gloss ranges below 10 GU.

Stain

A pronounced colored spot in the concrete caused by a material that is a soilant, discolorant, or a reactant and changes the concrete surface resulting in an undesired appearance.

Stain—Decorative Application Treatment

The deliberate action of applying a material to the concrete to change the color resulting in a transparent appearance by a chemical reaction, penetrating dye, or pigment.

Stain Resistant

As defined in ASTM D 1308 – Standard Test Method for Effect of Household Chemicals on Clear and Pigmented Organic Finishes.

Static Coefficient of Friction (SCOF)

The ratio of the horizontal component of force applied to a body that just overcomes the resistance to slipping when the vertical component of the weight of the object or force is applied.

Surface coated concrete

Surface coated concrete does not have a specified level of finished gloss. Durability depends on the quality of the chemical coating used, the amount of traffic across the floor, and conforms to the definition of polished concrete per the CPC. It is the operation of applying a film-forming coating to a concrete floor surface to achieve floor maintenance.

Surface profile

The advanced measurement of a concrete floor surface topography on a microscopic level with metrology devices.

Transition tooling

Diamond tooling used to refine the scratch pattern of metal bond tooling prior to the application of resin bond tooling, thereby extending the life of resin bond tooling by creating a better foundation for the polishing process.

Tribometer

An instrument or device specifically designed to measure the available level of traction on a floor or walkway surface.

Variables

An unlimited number of significant changes, factors, or pressures imposed on the polishing technician during the polishing process (e.g., the weight of the machine, the linear speed of the grinder, diamond tooling head pressure, hardness of the concrete substrate).