Floor Preparation

Dust-Free Shot Blasting

Shot blasting is one of the most effective professional methods for cleaning and preparing surfaces before applying coatings, paint, tiles, or resin flooring. It is a completely dust-free process, offering a high removal rate, excellent cost efficiency, and minimal downtime.

Captive shot blasting is ideal for removing concrete laitance, latex, old coatings, and surface contaminants, while also creating a strong, textured finish suitable for non-slip flooring systems.

The depth of the surface profile can be adjusted, allowing anything from light abrasion to fully exposed aggregate, depending on your flooring specification and requirements.

At KOBALT, we offer a wide range of shot blasting equipment, from handheld machines to larger remote-controlled and truck-mounted systems. This allows us to handle projects of any size and deliver the right solution for every site.

Specialist Surface Preparation for Industrial Floors

What Is Shot Blasting Typically Used For?

  • Cleaning and preparing surfaces such as steel, concrete, and asphalt

  • Removing top layers including paint and epoxy coatings

  • Removing line markings and rubber deposits from highways, runways, industrial floors, and more

Diamond Grinding

Diamond grinding provides a smoother, non-textured surface finish, making it a great alternative to shot blasting depending on the client’s requirements.

A high-quality diamond grinder must give the operator complete control, while also having enough weight to apply consistent pressure to the grinding heads. This ensures accurate, efficient, and even grinding across the surface.

Diamond grinding is generally slower than shot blasting, but it offers the advantage of improving the overall finish of uneven, worn, damaged, or poorly laid floors. Depending on the size of the project and the type of contamination being removed, we use either single-headed or multi-headed grinding machines.

To ensure a clean working environment, diamond grinding is supported by industrial vacuum systems, creating a dust-free process.

  • We use the latest HTC Grinder face with remote controls

What Is Diamond Grinding Typically Used For?

  • Levelling uneven floors without removing excessive material

  • Removing old paints, coatings, and adhesives

  • Creating a smoother, non-textured surface finish

Scabbling/Planing

Scabbling and planing quickly remove laitance, coatings, rust, and surface build-up, while preparing the floor for the next stage of treatment. 

Scabbling and planing are two different types of industrial floor preparation, each with its own purpose and effect on a surface. Both methods are highly aggressive, meaning they are not typically used for standard coating preparation, but are ideal for heavy-duty surface removal and floor reduction work.

These techniques are commonly used for texturing concrete and asphalt, as well as removing surface contaminants such as paint, rust, grease, ice deposits, line markings, and concrete laitance. They are also effective for removing deeply encrusted coatings, latex, adhesives, old floor finishes, and high spots.

Scabbling is a more destructive process and is particularly useful for preparing large areas prior the installation of screeds. It is also an effective method for removing waterproof membranes in areas such as car parks and other external hardstanding surfaces.

To reduce dust emissions, scabbling and planing are often carried out alongside industrial vacuum systems.

Where these machines really excel is in the rapid removal of concrete to reduce floor levels. TCT cutters can also be used to cut grooves into the substrate, creating a heavy-duty non-slip surface and an excellent key for the application of epoxy and cementitious screed systems.

Floor Sanding/Light Preparation

Industrial floor sanding is commonly used when existing floor coatings require an overcoat. Using a range of grit sizes, sanding lightly scores the surface to create a strong key, ensuring the new coating bonds effectively.

Sanding is also ideal for preparing weaker substrates such as sand and cement screeds, latex, and similar surfaces.

At KOBALT, we use a rotary floor preparation sanding machine that is safe, simple, and highly effective. With low noise levels (around 64dB) and no fumes, vibration, or dust, it is the perfect solution for refurbishment and renovation projects.