Testing Prep Tool Between Epoxy Coats

Video Transcription:

So as part of determining what's the right method of preparation for different scenarios, we have a bit of an interesting case here today.

So this is a mezzanine, a timber mezzanine, and there's been an epoxy coating put down on it. It's had some broadcast non-slip also put into it. So, the traditional way of prepping would be to put your grinder up on the floor and remove, clean the top and so forth.

But there are other tools available on the market, and that's what I wanted to look at today.

I've got myself this Diamabrush tool, and this is actually called a Concrete Prep Tool, and I've put the hundred grit blades onto it. So I'm not looking to remove it, I'm looking to clean it. And one of the interesting points during my discussion with the technicians, the sales people of the product was that it would be able to prep over a slightly broadcast non-slip floor.

And that's what we're going to put to the test now. So you can see behind me, we've got some clean sections, and then we've got some pretty grouting sections. So I'm really looking forward to seeing how this tool goes on a standard swing machine. And I'll update you a bit later to show you how it's all gone.

So I've been doing this preparation with a Diamabrush tool of the mezzanine floor here, and I just wanted to record a few points while they're fresh in my head. I've just finished a section of it there.

So the first thing that became really obvious to me when I'm using the tool is I don't really know how I would've prepped this particular floor any other way because I couldn't have put sandpaper on there.

There were non-slip particles, aluminium oxide in there already, so it would've torn the sandpaper to shreds. There was also different gummy sections of products built there. I'm guessing it was some kind of resin or something. So, that in itself would've clogged the sandpaper very quickly.

And then, the other noticeable thing is that the floor isn't flat when I'm going across it. So if I'm using a grinder, then I'm likely to cut through into different sections. So, the idea of the Diamabrush is really well-suited to an undulating floor that has a coating on it already.

And because we're using the hundred grit, we're only really preparing the surface. I could have used a 25 grit, done it faster and ripped it off, but really, I'm working at the speed of sanding anyway. It's going as fast as I can run the swing machine across the floor.

Now what I'll do, I'll just zoom in on the blade so that you can have a bit of a look. Okay, so we're looking at the blades. Well, I haven't incurred anywhere yet, but not that I can noticeably tell, but they haven't gummed up either.

And considering I've been running across gummy sections of resins and I've done epoxies the whole time, I haven't had to change sandpaper or grit screens. My diamonds haven't clogged up. They've kept that edge fresh. So I'm impressed with this particular tool for what I'm trying to do here. I look forward to trying it on other areas.

So, keep in mind it's always about, I don't think this replaces a grinder. I don't think it replaces sandpaper, but if we're going to make resin flooring mainstream, we have to be knowledgeable about what prep gear is best suited for what we're trying to do.

And just scanning across the floor, I think you can get a fair idea of how it's behaved. Again, I'm working at the speed of the swing machine, so it's not any slower than sanding. And yet the finish itself, now I think that's really nice. That's good. And that's on top of a non-slip. You can see all the non-slip particles in there. So it's prepped in amongst all of that. And I like the look of it.

All right, more on it later.

Keep smiling!

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