Concrete Grinding & Surface Preparation in DeSoto TX - a floor your coating can grip
Peeling paint, old glue or a slick, uneven slab under your next coating? We grind it clean and rough so the new floor holds.
Does my concrete need grinding before a new floor coating?
Concrete grinding and surface preparation in DeSoto is the first stage of a coated or polished floor. We use diamond-pad grinders to take off high spots, old coatings, glue and paint, and to leave the slab rough enough for a new coating, sealer or topping to bond to it.
Most people who call us are getting a garage, basement or shop ready for epoxy, polyaspartic or a polished finish, and the slab has old paint, mastic, sealer or uneven spots on it. The price moves with the size of the floor, how much has to come off and how rough your coating needs the concrete to be, and the schedule mostly turns on clearing the space and whether the slab is dry enough for the coating to follow. If the concrete is too worn for grinding alone, concrete resurfacing and overlays may be the better plan, and I'll tell you so at the estimate, because I'd rather turn down a job than put a coating where it won't hold.
How can you tell your slab needs grinding first?
A slab rarely announces that it needs grinding, but a few things on the surface tell me a new coating won't hold without it. Here's what to look for in your garage, basement or shop.
Old paint or epoxy peeling up in patches, which usually means the coating never had a good grip.
Black mastic left from old tile or carpet, which has to come off before anything new will stick.
Ridges, lips or high spots you can feel underfoot, which a new coating will copy rather than hide.
A smooth, shiny slab where water beads up, which usually means a sealer or hard finish is in the way.
Dark oil or fluid stains in the garage, which need more than a wash before a coating goes on.
White powder or damp patches on the slab, which can mean moisture is coming up through it.
If you see any of these and have a coating in mind, please call before you buy it, because the slab decides the prep.
What happens when you call us about grinding in DeSoto?
From your first call to the final walk-through, here's how a grinding job runs with us and who you'll deal with at each step. I come out myself, and our own small crew does the work.
Call us or send the form
Please call (972) 450-9481 or send the form, and tell us the floor's size in square feet, what's on it now and the coating you plan. We're based in DeSoto and work across the cities around it, so if yours isn't listed, please ask.
I see and measure the floor
I come out myself to see the floor, measure it and ask how the space gets used and what coating is going on, so the grinding suits it. You then get a written estimate that names each step, so you can see what you're paying for before you decide.
We set a date that fits
Once you've read the estimate, we settle on a time that works for you. The city limits work on buildings in or next to homes to 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays, 8 am to 6 pm on Saturdays and 9 am to 5 pm on Sundays without heavy equipment, so we book the grinding inside those hours.
We prep, coat and walk it
Our crew prepares the concrete, puts the coating system down and cleans up, with me on site running the work. When it's finished, I walk the floor with you.
Get a written grinding and prep plan for your floor
We reply within one business day. I'll come out to see and measure the floor at no charge, and you'll get a written estimate with no obligation to go ahead.
- Call
- (972) 450-9481
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Grinding methods and how they suit your floor
Our grinders use diamond pads that cut down high spots and strip old epoxy, urethane, paint and tile mastic, then leave the concrete with a texture the trade calls a profile, a bit like the grit on sandpaper. The roughness should match how thick the coating is, from a thin concrete sealer up to a thicker overlay, so we ask what's going on before we grind.
On a garage, basement or other smaller floor, grinding is usually the right tool for the job. On a large industrial floor, shot blasting throws small steel beads at the slab and is faster there, gives a more even profile and keeps dust down better. For a shop or warehouse, I'll tell you plainly which one suits your floor and why.
Grinding with diamond tools throws off a lot of fine dust, so a capable dust collector has to run with the grinder. Ours run with dust collection, and we'll gladly show you how it's set up before we start. When you compare quotes, it's a fair question to ask every contractor you talk to.
Concrete grinding questions from DeSoto homeowners
How much does concrete grinding cost in Texas?
Medium concrete grinding in Texas usually costs about $2.10 to $3.20 per square foot, which is the going rate across the state and not a quote from us. Where your floor lands depends mostly on how much has to come off before the grinding is done. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
What is the best way to prepare concrete for epoxy, grinding or acid etching?
Grinding is usually the better choice, and one materials maker's guide calls mechanical prep the first choice and the safest way to roughen concrete. Acid etching suits some coatings, but it won't remove oil or other petroleum products, it can be hard to rinse out and neutralize completely, and it needs good ventilation. That's why a garage floor with oil on it is better suited to grinding.
How do I know if grinding is enough to prep my floor before a coating?
Grinding is enough when you're putting down a thin coating or flattening high spots on sound concrete. It takes off very little material, so it won't open up a heavily contaminated or weak surface, and the coating you choose and the slab's condition decide whether you need more. I'd rather tell you that at the estimate than put a coating where it won't hold.
What causes epoxy or paint to peel off a concrete floor?
Usually it's either a poor bond or moisture coming up through the slab, and moisture failures are about as common as bond failures. That's why the slab's moisture should be checked and confirmed within the coating maker's limit before anything goes down, along with the grinding.
Do I need a permit for concrete grinding in DeSoto, TX?
The City of DeSoto requires a permit to construct, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, or to change its occupancy, so whether your job needs one depends on the full scope of the work. We're licensed and insured, and when a job needs a permit we pull it ourselves and plan around the city's inspections, or check with the city's building office before we quote if we aren't sure. The city also has every contractor register each year and approves that registration before a permit can be applied for, and its Building Inspections Department answers registration questions.
What should I do about cracks in my concrete floor before grinding?
If cracks are growing fast, doors have suddenly started to jam or walls are pulling apart, please have a structural engineer look before anyone starts repairs. Those signs point past the floor surface, and grinding won't address them. For ordinary cracks, I'll look at them when I come out and explain how they affect the prep.
Related services that often follow grinding
Concrete Sealing
If you'd rather keep the look of bare concrete, a sealer is the lighter choice, and it still needs a clean surface to soak into.
Concrete Resurfacing & Overlays
When the slab is worn, pitted or uneven beyond what grinding can fix, an overlay puts a fresh layer over the concrete you have.
Plan your floor prep before the coating
Call (972) 450-9481 or use the form while you're still choosing a coating, so the grinding plan and the product are settled together rather than one after the other.
Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM