Grinders use horizontally rotating cutting discs to clean and smooth concrete surfaces. You also can use grinders on stone, tile and other masonry surfaces depending upon the type of cutting discs you attach to them. Concrete finishing and repair contractors, flooring contractors, general contractors and homeowners rent grinders to perform a number of surface-preparation functions on concrete. These tasks include:

Smoothing. A rented grinder can smooth out rough concrete or trowel patterns in concrete surfaces.

Leveling. Rent a grinder to level an uneven area if high spots or differences in concrete height on either side of the joint measure no more than 1/16-inch.

Cleaning. Rented grinders also can clean concrete surfaces of rust, grease and mildew.

Removing coatings. You can use a rented grinder to scrape old paint, epoxy, adhesives, urethane or other coatings from concrete surfaces. Grinders typically can remove materials up to 1/16-inch-thick.

Polishing. By attaching a polishing pad to a rented grinder, you can use it to polish marble, granite, stone or decorative concrete surfaces.

Contact your local, ARA-affiliated, rental store for information on available rental products and services to meet your grinder needs. To locate the rental store nearest you, use the Rental Store Quick Locator above.