Floor Preparation Sydney
Specialist concrete floor preparation across Sydney for epoxy, polyurethane, vinyl, hybrid, tile, timber, carpet and polished concrete systems. Diamond grinding, coating and adhesive removal, laitance removal and CSP profiling to manufacturer specification — with HEPA dust extraction on every job. Residential, commercial and industrial.
- 5-Star Google Rated
- Fully Insured
- Dust-Controlled Grinding
- Satisfaction Guaranteed
- Residential • Commercial • Industrial
About this service
Floor preparation is the mechanical process of stripping, cleaning and profiling a concrete slab so the flooring system that follows can bond properly and perform for its full design life. Every coating and covering manufacturer in Australia specifies a minimum surface condition — a clean, sound, dry substrate with an open pore structure and a defined concrete surface profile (CSP). Ausgrind delivers exactly that, measured and documented, before your next trade steps on site.
The vast majority of flooring failures in Sydney are not product failures — they are preparation failures. Epoxy that peels in sheets, vinyl that bubbles, tiles that drum and lift, and self-levellers that debond almost always trace back to a slab that was sealed, dusty, glue-contaminated or simply not profiled enough for the adhesive to key into. Preparation is the cheapest insurance in the entire flooring budget.
We prepare new-build slabs, renovation slabs and existing commercial floors. That includes removing curing compounds and laitance from fresh pours, grinding off carpet glue, vinyl adhesive, black mastic, tile beds, paint, line markings, failed epoxy, polyurethane and waterproof membranes, flattening high spots and trowel ridges, and opening up power-trowelled slabs that are far too closed for a coating to bite into.
Ausgrind runs HTC and Husqvarna planetary grinders with metal-bond, PCD and diamond tooling matched to the contaminant, paired with dedicated edge grinders so the profile runs tight to skirtings, columns, penetrations and door thresholds. Every machine is connected to HEPA-filtered vacuum extraction that captures dust at the source — which is why we can work in occupied homes, live retail tenancies, tenanted offices and staged construction sites without shutting anything down.
We work to builders' programs. Preparation is usually a narrow window in the middle of a busy schedule, so we confirm the handover date up front, mobilise with enough machines to hit it, and hand the slab over swept, vacuumed and ready. Where a coating warranty requires evidence, we provide photo documentation of the prepared substrate and the profile achieved.
Whether it's a single garage before an epoxy coat, a 200 m² retail tenancy before vinyl plank, or a 5,000 m² warehouse before an industrial polyurethane system, the principle is the same: sound slab, no contaminants, correct CSP, clean handover. Get that right and every finish that follows — from a budget sealer to a premium architectural floor — performs better and lasts longer.
Why choose this service
- Correct CSP 1–5 profile for any coating specification
- Removes glue, epoxy, paint, membrane, screed and laitance
- Dramatically improves coating bond and lifespan
- Prevents costly delamination, bubbling and drumming
- No harsh chemicals — mechanical removal only
- HEPA dust extraction, safe for occupied buildings
- Edges, corners and thresholds ground tight
- Programmed to your construction schedule
- Photo documentation for coating warranties
- Single trade for strip, grind, repair and handover
Where we use it
- Pre-epoxy and polyurethane coating preparation
- Pre-vinyl, hybrid and timber floor preparation
- Pre-tile and tile-bed removal
- Pre-polish slab remediation
- New-build slab grind-down and laitance removal
- Carpet, vinyl and tile adhesive removal
- Warehouse and factory floor re-coat preparation
- Balcony and wet-area membrane preparation
What we prepare floors for
Every flooring system has its own substrate requirements. We match the tooling, grit progression and final profile to the product going down next.
Epoxy & polyurethane coatings
Diamond grind to CSP 2–4 depending on film build, with all laitance, curing compound and old coatings removed. Edges and penetrations profiled so the coating doesn't lift at the perimeter.
Vinyl, LVT & hybrid flooring
Old adhesive removed, high spots ground out and the slab handed over flat, clean and dust-free so the installer's pressure-sensitive adhesive can grab properly.
Tiles & tile beds
Existing tiles, tile beds and glue removed, and the slab profiled so the new bed or direct-stick adhesive bonds without drumming or lifting.
Polished concrete & grind & seal
Pre-polish remediation — coatings, glue and screed stripped, cracks stitched and the slab assessed for achievable aggregate exposure before polishing begins.
Self-levelling compounds
Slab ground to an open profile and primed-ready so the leveller bonds mechanically instead of sitting as a floating skin that cracks and debonds.
Carpet & timber
Adhesive residue, tack strips and screed removed, and the substrate flattened to the tolerance direct-stick timber and carpet installers require.
CSP levels explained
Concrete Surface Profile (CSP) is the industry measure of how rough a prepared slab is, defined by ICRI guideline 310.2R. Coating manufacturers specify a minimum CSP — hit it and the system bonds, miss it and the warranty is void.
- CSP 1 – CSP 2
- Light profile from a fine diamond grind. Suited to thin-film sealers, penetrating sealers and some self-levelling underlayments.
- CSP 2 – CSP 3
- The most common profile in Sydney. Standard for two-pack epoxy, polyurethane and moisture-barrier systems up to around 1 mm build.
- CSP 3 – CSP 4
- Aggressive metal-bond grind for high-build epoxy, flake systems and heavy-duty coatings from 1–3 mm.
- CSP 4 – CSP 5
- Deep profile for self-levelling epoxy, industrial screeds and trowel-applied systems over 3 mm.
- Adhesive removal
- PCD tooling strips carpet glue, vinyl adhesive, mastic and tile beds back to sound concrete before final profiling.
- Laitance removal
- The weak cement-rich surface layer and curing compound removed so bonding is to the structural slab, not the skin.
Preparation methods compared
Mechanical diamond grinding is the only preparation method that reliably delivers a controlled, repeatable profile across the full range of modern coatings and coverings.
Diamond grinding (our method)
Controlled, repeatable CSP, no chemical residue, dust captured at the source and the slab trafficable immediately. Suits every substrate from residential garages to industrial warehouses.
vs Acid etching
Inconsistent profile, introduces moisture into the slab, risks flash-rusting reinforcement and rarely meets manufacturer specification. Most coating suppliers no longer accept it.
vs Chemical stripping
Slow, messy, leaves residues that interfere with bond, and still needs a mechanical grind afterwards. Rarely removes modern industrial coatings fully.
vs Shot blasting
Fast on large open industrial slabs but leaves a coarse, tracked profile, struggles on adhesives and can't work edges or tight areas. We use grinding for control and finish quality.
vs Scarifying
Tungsten cutters remove material aggressively but leave deep gouges that must be filled before most coatings can go down. Reserved for extreme build removal only.
vs Doing nothing
Coating a sealed, dusty or glue-contaminated slab is the single most common cause of flooring failure — and the remedial cost is always far higher than preparing it correctly first.
Residential, commercial & industrial
Residential
- Garages and basements
- Homes and renovations
- Driveways and pathways
- Patios and alfresco areas
Commercial
- Retail tenancies and fit-outs
- Offices and workspaces
- Restaurants, cafés and hospitality
- Shopping centres and showrooms
Industrial
- Warehouses and distribution centres
- Factories and manufacturing
- Workshops and mechanical bays
- Cold rooms and food production
How we deliver
- 01
Site inspection & slab assessment
We attend site, measure the area, check slab hardness, existing contaminants, flatness and access, and confirm what the next flooring system requires.
- 02
Specification review
We read the coating or adhesive manufacturer's data sheet and confirm the CSP, cleanliness and moisture conditions your system calls for.
- 03
Site protection & setup
Adjacent areas are taped and sheeted, extraction is set up and machines are staged so the works stay contained.
- 04
Coating & adhesive removal
Epoxy, paint, membranes, glue, mastic and screeds are stripped mechanically with metal-bond and PCD tooling — no solvents.
- 05
Laitance & cream removal
The weak surface layer and any curing compound are ground off to expose sound, structurally solid concrete.
- 06
High-spot grinding & flattening
Trowel ridges, joint lips and high spots are ground down to bring the slab within the tolerance your finish requires.
- 07
Crack & defect repair
Cracks are stitched with polyurea, and voids, spalls and pop-outs are filled so the substrate is continuous.
- 08
CSP profiling
Final diamond pass sets the specified concrete surface profile — from a light CSP 1 for thin films to an aggressive CSP 4–5 for heavy-build systems.
- 09
Vacuum & clean down
The slab is vacuumed with HEPA extraction so no dust remains to compromise the bond.
- 010
Inspection & handover
We walk the floor with you or the builder, confirm the profile, supply photos where required and hand over a substrate that's ready to coat.
At a glance
- Surface profile
- CSP 1 – CSP 5 (ICRI guideline 310.2R)
- Removal capability
- Epoxy, PU, paint, membrane, glue, mastic, screed, laitance
- Equipment
- HTC & Husqvarna planetary grinders, edge grinders, PCD tooling
- Dust control
- HEPA-filtered vacuum extraction — 99.97% at 0.3 microns
- Typical output
- Approx. 100–300 m² per day depending on contaminant
- Documentation
- Photo record of prepared substrate on request
- Programming
- Day, night and weekend works available
- Insurance
- Fully insured for residential, commercial and industrial sites
What it costs
Floor preparation in Sydney is priced per square metre and depends far more on what's on the slab than on the slab itself. A straightforward grind-down of a clean new slab to CSP 2 typically starts from around $18–$30 per m², while heavily glued, thickly epoxy-coated, membraned or screeded floors requiring multiple passes and PCD tooling run higher. Small areas, tight access, stair and edge work and out-of-hours programming also affect the rate. We attend site free of charge, identify exactly what has to come off, confirm the CSP your coating manufacturer specifies and issue a fixed written quote — so builders can lock the cost into the program with no variations.
Final pricing depends on:
- Total square metres
- What's currently on the slab (glue, epoxy, paint, membrane, screed)
- Coating thickness and number of passes required
- CSP specified by the coating manufacturer
- Concrete hardness and slab age
- Flatness correction and high-spot grinding
- Crack stitching and patch repairs required
- Number of rooms, corners, edges and stairs
- Site access, parking and lift availability
- Out-of-hours or staged programming
- Waste removal and disposal
Why customers pick us
- Spec-compliant CSP for any coating manufacturer
- Owner-operated by Nico & Craig — the tradesmen prepping your slab
- HTC & Husqvarna planetary grinders with PCD and diamond tooling
- HEPA dust extraction — safe for occupied and live sites
- Punctual programming — we hit your handover date
- Edges, corners and thresholds ground tight, not left for the coater
- Photo documentation supplied for coating warranties
- Fully insured across residential, commercial and industrial work
Recent projects
Sydney-wide coverage
We service all of Sydney for floor preparation — including:
Common questions
Ready to transform your concrete?
Whether it's a single garage or a 5,000m² warehouse, Ausgrind delivers reliable communication and a high-quality finish. Speak to Nico & Craig directly.
Request a Free On-Site Assessment
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