Grinding vs. Shot Blasting: Which Floor Prep Method Is Best for Epoxy Floors in Kansas? Epoxy Floor concrete prep

If you want long-lasting epoxy floors in Kansas, the most important step is proper concrete surface preparation. At Top Flake Coatings, the leading epoxy contractor in Topeka, Manhattan, Junction City, Olathe, and Salina, we use professional-grade prep methods to ensure your epoxy or polyaspartic floor bonds correctly and performs for years.

The two most common prep methods in the concrete coating industry are diamond grinding and shot blasting. Here’s how each method works and which is the best choice for your garage floor coating, shop floor epoxy, or commercial epoxy system.

What Is Diamond Grinding?

Diamond grinding uses a high-speed grinder with industrial diamond tooling to smooth and open the pores of your concrete.

Benefits of Diamond Grinding

• Creates a smooth profile perfect for polyaspartic flake floors and garage epoxy floors in Topeka

• Great for residential epoxy installation in Manhattan, Junction City, Olathe & Salina

• Effective for removing glue, old epoxy, paint, and thin coatings

• Low-dust prep ideal for basements and indoor home projects

• Provides cleaner edges and detail work than shot blasting

Limitations of Grinding

• Less aggressive than shot blasting for thick industrial coatings

• Possible swirl marks if performed by inexperienced epoxy installers

• Slower on large commercial floors

What Is Shot Blasting?

Shot blasting is an industrial prep method that shoots steel media into the concrete to create a deep mechanical profile.

Benefits of Shot Blasting

• Ideal for industrial epoxy floors and commercial epoxy installations in Kansas

• Creates a strong anchor pattern for epoxy mortar systems

• Fast production, perfect for warehouses and large square footage areas in Olathe and Salina

• Removes heavy, failed coatings efficiently

• Great for pitting clean out

Limitations of Shot Blasting

• Too aggressive for decorative systems like garage flake epoxy ( sometimes)

• Creates stripes if not applied correctly

• Requires grinding the edges afterward

• More cleanup compared to grinding

Which Floor Prep Method Is Better?

Choose Diamond Grinding If You Want:

• Garage epoxy floors in Topeka or Manhattan

• Decorative flake flooring systems

• Polyaspartic floors in Kansas

• Removal of paint, thin coatings, or sealers

• A smoother finish for basements, patios, and shops

Choose Shot Blasting If You Need:

• Commercial epoxy flooring in Junction City, Salina, or Olathe

• Thick epoxy, mortar, or industrial systems

• Deep concrete profiling for maximum adhesion

• Removal of heavy coatings or failing epoxy

• have heavy pitting

Top Flake Coatings: Kansas’ Trusted Epoxy Flooring & Concrete Prep Experts

Whether you need garage floor epoxy in Topeka, commercial epoxy in Junction City, or shop floor coatings in Olathe, Top Flake Coatings delivers the highest level of prep and installation in the region.

Why Homeowners & Businesses Choose Us:

Professional concrete grinding in Kansas

Industrial-grade shot blasting floors

Premium epoxy & polyaspartic systems that outperform big-box DIY kits

Serving Topeka, Manhattan, Olathe, Salina & Junction City

Honest pricing, fast scheduling & lifetime-quality craftsmanship

We don’t cut corners—proper prep is our priority, and it shows in every floor we install.

Final Thoughts

Both diamond grinding and shot blasting are proven concrete prep methods, but choosing the right one ensures your epoxy or polyaspartic system lasts for 10–20+ years. Whether you’re coating a garage in Topeka, a basement in Manhattan, a shop in Junction City, a warehouse in Olathe, or a patio in Salina, proper prep is what makes the difference.