Milling
Milling
Careful substrate preparation is of great importance when working with concrete and screed surfaces. Uneven or contaminated surfaces in particular require thorough preparation before they are covered with a floor covering or otherwise processed further. A typical work step here is milling, which is used for both renovations and new builds. Find out here how milling works, what purpose it serves and what advantages it offers.
How does the milling of concrete and screed work?
Milling means nothing other than the removal of material and this can affect both an entire surface and individual areas in the floor. The prerequisite for milling is that the concrete has completely hardened. Either carbide-coated tool rollers or devices with rotating diamond segment disks are used for milling. These remove several millimeters of concrete from the surface when they are pushed over the ground. The removal rate or depth can be individually adjusted. Milled concrete can be recognized by the grooves on the surface.
What is the purpose of milling screed and concrete floors?
Milling is an important part of substrate preparation, as it serves important purposes: First and foremost, unevenness on the floor can be removed, such as minor bumps in the concrete or a crumbling surface. Milling removes the uneven layer, leaving behind a stable, smooth floor on which any floor covering can be applied. Caution: The massive processing of floors by milling can affect the statics of a building, so it is important to have such work carried out by a company specializing in this field.
Large areas of dirt (e.g. old tile adhesive, oil residue or paint residue) can also be removed with a milling machine.
In addition to the large-scale removal of material to smooth and clean the floor, it is also possible to use the milling machine in specific areas. Hand-held devices are generally used here, for example to remove protruding corners or cut slots in the concrete. These slots can be used to lay pipes or cables through the floor or wall. Expansion joints can also be milled into the floor.
What are the advantages of concrete and screed milling compared to other methods?
Milling allows large quantities of material to be removed, making it suitable for heavily damaged, very uneven or contaminated ground. Up to 3 centimetres of concrete can be removed during milling. This method is therefore also suitable for removing thick coatings such as polyurethane.
As the milling machine can work on larger areas at once, this method is often faster and more effective than other methods. It also allows a finer cut than, for example, a pneumatic hammer and is associated with less vibration.
In addition, only milling allows precise cuts to be made in the concrete or screed into which cables or pipes can be laid.
Thanks to modern milling machines, which are combined with powerful industrial vacuum cleaners, the dust generated during milling is sucked up immediately, so that hardly any dirt can penetrate into the occupied area.
Your specialist company for concrete and screed work
As a specialist company for concrete and screed work, we naturally also take on the milling of concrete and screed floors. With our expertise and many years of experience, we ensure the ideal substrate preparation for your project - reliably and professionally, of course. Do you have any questions about our services or would you like to receive a specific quote? Then don't hesitate to contact us and make an appointment for a personal consultation. We look forward to supporting you with your project in word and deed!
Questions and answers about milling
No, in some cases it is also sufficient to sand down the surface, for example before plastering. Sanding is gentler on the material and does not require a new application of concrete. However, whether milling is necessary depends on many factors and must therefore be decided individually for each project.
The concrete or screed must be fully cured before milling work can be carried out. Depending on the type of screed, this can take up to 28 days.
Using a milling cutter, precise grooves can be made in the screed at a later date, into which the underfloor heating pipes can be laid. It is important that the correct distances are maintained when milling.
The costs depend primarily on the amount of work involved, which depends on the size and surface quality of the area. We would be happy to provide you with an individual quote for your project, simply contact us, we look forward to hearing from you.
No, even if the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are actually two different types of work. A concrete milling machine penetrates deeper into the stone and removes more material than a grinder. It is also possible to cut slots in the concrete in order to lay pipes or underfloor heating, for example.
Grinding, on the other hand, is gentler on the material and a good preparation for plastering. Grinding produces an aesthetically pleasing result, especially with exposed screed. In many cases, milling and sanding complement each other so that the two jobs are carried out one after the other.