Preparation
The most important part of every flooring project is ensuring your new flooring system has the proper foundation.
The basis of any quality floor is the preparation that went into installing it.
Ground Floor can help you get the floor ready for installation. Whether you're installing the floor yourself or working with a contractor, let us help you prepare the surface for a smooth installation. If you are a demolition contractor and flooring removal is part of your scope, call us to help. We can quickly remove flooring, thin set, mortar, adhesive, and coatings with our fleet of ride on scrapers and grinders. It is critical to get the flooring prep right for the new install. Failure to properly prepare the floor can and will void the manufacturer’s warranty. Some floors require leveling or joint shaving which we can accomplish in a number of ways. Our team of flooring preparation specialists ensures your subfloor meets the manufacturer's specifications, preventing installation issues and future problems.
Floor Scraping And Demolition - Flooring Removal From Your Concrete Slab
Concrete Preparation For Installation:
When installing new flooring where there is existing flooring, complete removal of the previous flooring is highly recommended. Failure to remove the flooring can lead to warranty issues and life cycle problems. Our fleet of ride on floor removal scrapers can make quick work of the old flooring and remove carpet, vinyl, VCT. ceramic or natural stone tile. Depending on thickness, it has even been used for removing epoxy coatings and excessive paint build up.
Industrial Concrete Scraping Equipment:
Our industrial fleet includes several ride on floor scrapers and walk behind grinders. The floor scrapers do most of the heavy lifting. The grinders can remove coatings, adhesives and thin sets left over from the scraping process. Our flooring specialists will handle all proper waste disposal. Even if you decide you don’t want to put new flooring in we can remove the old flooring, and cleanup the concrete.
Asbestos Product Removal:
We can remove and dispose of all flooring related products as long as they are not asbestos made. Asbestos fibers can be in the tile as well as the adhesive. If you believe you may have asbestos based products on your floor, we can help recommend an environmental remediation company. Adhesives, thin sets, and mortars left behind are removed with industrial grade concrete floor grinders.
Why Floor Failures Almost Always Start with Poor Preparation
Many commercial flooring failures, such as peeling coatings, debonded tile, or blistering epoxy, can be traced back to improper concrete surface preparation. Concrete slabs often contain contaminants, moisture vapor, or smooth surfaces that prevent flooring systems from bonding correctly. Professional preparation removes these issues while creating the correct concrete surface profile required for coatings, adhesives, and toppings.
This guide explains why inadequate preparation leads to costly flooring failures and how professional surface preparation ensures long-term durability in commercial and industrial environments.
Read the full guide: Why Floor Failures Almost Always Start with Poor Preparation.
Shot Blasting vs Grinding vs Scarifying: Choosing the Correct Prep Method
Different concrete surface preparation methods are used depending on the condition of the slab and the flooring system being installed. Techniques such as shot blasting, diamond grinding, and scarifying each create different surface profiles and levels of material removal. Choosing the correct method is critical for proper adhesion, moisture mitigation, and long-term flooring performance.
This guide breaks down when each preparation method should be used and how contractors select the best approach for epoxy coatings, polished concrete, toppings, and tile installations.
Read the full guide: Shot Blasting vs Grinding vs Scarifying.