Cutting and polishing are two separate skills. Cutting is about making a clean line in hardened concrete: to remove one section and keep the rest, to add control joints, to open a trench for a drain or a pipe, or to widen a doorway in a concrete wall. A diamond blade and water keep the cut straight and the dust down.
In Oakland we cut a lot of sidewalk and driveway panels for root and utility repairs, and trenches across patios for new drains on hillside lots. Before any trench is dug we contact USA North 811 to have utility lines marked. Cutting into a structural wall, a foundation or a floor with steel tendons in it is different. That needs an engineer's approval first.
Polishing is done with grinding machines and finer and finer diamond pads until the floor reaches the sheen you want, from a soft matte to a clear shine. It suits lofts, shops, offices and garages. A polished floor is easy to clean and has no coating to peel.
Concrete cutting and polishing in Oakland: common questions
Can any concrete floor be polished?
Most sound floors can. Very soft, badly cracked or heavily patched slabs give a patchy result, so we test an area first.
Is cutting concrete dusty?
We cut wet, which turns dust into slurry that we collect. Indoors we add vacuum equipment and seal off the work area.
Is a polished floor slippery?
A clean, dry polished floor has good grip. Like any hard floor it is slick when wet or oily, so we do not recommend a high polish for outdoor or wet areas.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We visit and measure.
- Written quote: Clear pricing with finish options.
- Prep & forms: We excavate, grade, compact the base and set forms and reinforcement.
- Pour, finish & cure: We pour, finish, cut control joints and tell you when you can use it.