Special Manually operated machines for roughening up old tiles and removing adhesive residue from old carpet

PREPARATION IS MORE THAN HALF THE JOB

POINTS TO NOTE FOR MACHINES WHERE THE OPERATOR WALKS BEHIND THE APPLIANCE

Imagine that you as a parquet floor fitter face an existing tile floor (ceramic or natural stone), an old carpet, or stubborn adhesive residue on a floor onto which you want to fit another floor. What is then your best choice of tool if you are looking for a machine which you can walk behind to operate it?

If you consider the essence of the work, you have two choices. You either remove the entire structure or use the existing floor as a subfloor to glue parquet on top of it, for instance. The latter is perfectly okay on tiles as long as you meet a number of conditions, including roughening up the tiles.

Removing existing flooring

You want to remove the floor and you realise in advance that you don’t want to make this chore any more labour-intensive than it already is. And so, you basically rely on two sorts of machines, namely floor strippers or rotary disc machines. It’s important here to remember that most appliances are designed to loosen items such as carpet or linoleum, but you can also use them to remove tiles or old wooden floors. Above all, with these machines there’s one thing you shouldn’t forget: Since they require so much commitment, it’s best not only to consider the capacity, but also to ask some critical questions about the ergonomics of your preferred appliance.

Strippers and rotary disc sanders

Strippers always work basically in the same way; they have a flat section at the front, which presses against the existing flooring. Then, they make small thrusting motions to remove whatever is in their way. The speed of this operation depends on the number of thrusts per minute which your machine makes. The average machine can do about 5,000 thrusts.

The various types of rotary disc sanders deploy a completely different removal method. These disc machines use various abrasives. Heavier abrasives are used if you need to remove things like adhesive residue. A tip: Look at how the drive discs are fastened. If the abrasive segments can be applied magnetically, that is undeniably a major asset.

The best choice

And so, how do you choose the best tool? With walk-along strippers, the appliances start at a low weight, but they can go up to 50kg or much heavier, depending on the work. In each case, you look first at the blade width. The principle is simple: If there is a lot of material to remove, use a wider blade with a cutting width of 20-35cm. You then choose the knife in turn depending on the type of floor which you want to remove. Another tip here: You definitely want to avoid ‘messing around’ when changing work pieces, so make sure that this change proceeds as easily and safely as possible. Diamond disc

Another choice which you have is to retain the existing floor and, for instance, fit floating laminate on top of it or even glue parquet onto a subfloor. In this case this is usually a tile floor, and that means you want a diamond-disc machine. Remember here that a diamond disc is necessary if you want to glue the floor, otherwise the parquet adhesive will not stick to the floor properly, if at all, since the surface has to be rough. Obviously, don’t forget to remove any grease before and after sanding!

Some specialists

Janser

In addition to an extensive assortment of sanding machines, Janser also offers an impressive range of strippers. The range includes hand machines, walk-behinds and ride-on giants to tackles large surfaces with no problem at all. The COSMO Stripper – a powerful stripper for small and medium-sized areas. Works on wooden or concrete surfaces and will remove virtually any substance adhering to the floor. The handle and wheel adjustments allow different settings of the blade to fit the floor, while keeping the handle in a proper operating position. Also foldable for easy transportation. The machine runs virtually silent with reduced vibrations. The COSMO Stripper has the ideal specifications for rental! The MASTER-MOBIL III is self-propelled (forward and reverse) with unparalleled performance due to its high torque German designed electric motor. The powerful motor combined with the revised HYDRAULIC-DIRECT-DRIVE system ensures high output with an extremely low noise level (105 kg and a maximum speed of 16m/min). Front weight and center weight can be easily removed for transportation. Wheel hubs with freewheel option for easy handling and easy

pushing of the machine without power connection. The STRATO MOBIL IV stands out at once in the upper range of walk-behinds, a heavyweight amongst the hydraulic pusher machines (190kg and a maximum speed of 23m/min). The powerful motor is equipped with the hydraulic-direct-drive system achieving high performance at a low noise level. The machine is self-propelled both forwards and reverse. Weights can be removed for transportation. 1. Easy operation and low maintenance due to hydraulic technology. 2. Low noise level without fumes. 3. Adjustable in height to operator size. 4. Machines are easy to transport, load, and unload, fit in lifts and go through standard doors. 5. There are various options for additional weights.

Husqvarna

Husqvarna launches a new series of floor grinding machines In November 2020, the Swedish company Husqvarna is launching a brand new range of floor grinders. Specifically, this involves no fewer than eight new floor grinders. Producer Husqvarna Construction Products is aiming to reinforce its position on the global market in this segment. End users have taken centre stage in the development of this new range because the company is aiming to offer them a more ingenious way of working. The key concepts are the redefining of performances, reliability, and user-friendliness. The machines come in three different sizes and are fitted with several options. The new planetary range of floor grinders starts with the compact PG 540. This machine is really easy to transport, load, and unload because it is fitted with a dismountable motor unit so that the machine can be loaded in two parts. This is the perfect solution for smaller jobs and it offers exceptional mobility. Then there is the versatile PG 690, which is also available with remote control (PG 690RC). The star of the show is the PG 830/PG830RC, the biggest and most powerful model. The PG 830 RC has a remote control and motorised control for maximum performance. Finally, the range is complemented with PG 830 S with a single drive mechanism, which makes it a simple and straightforward and affordable ‘work horse’. The new range is equipped with the renowned Dual Drive Technology™. This is a licensed design with two separate motors whereby the planetary head and grinding heads work independently of each other.

Professional Flooring Technology

Floor Scrapers in suitable weight classes!

German Quality

Ride-on ADB HS 1180 kg Ride-on ADB 950 kg Ride-on Electro 565 kg

Power-Stripper 14 kg COSMO IV 39 kg MASTER MOBIL III 105 kg STRATO MOBIL IV 190 kg JUNIOR Ride-on 420 kg

This unique function ensures an almost unlimited number of settings and combinations and excellent process management. The new series stands out for its more powerful motor options, which pave the way for even greater productivity. The top machines PG 830 and PG 830 RC have a 15 kW/20pk motor, to give up to 36% more power than with previous models. Other interesting features include the fully sealed grinding head, the electric receptacles, and Dual Drive transmission. This means that the most critical components are protected from dust and dirt. Furthermore, the new and compact design means a better field of vision during work. Moreover, the adjustable handles ensure optimal user ergonomics. Other interesting details include optional LED lights, good suspension, big wheels for easy transport, and a newly designed control panel. Husqvarna Fleet Services Maintain complete control over your machinery. For each machine you can see the length of use and the maintenance planning via our very latest Husqvarna Fleet services app. This is now available on all floor grinding machines.

Overmat Industries

Various machines from Overmat Industries offer a solution for preparing and stripping an old floor! National Flooring Equipment 5280 This hydraulically driven, forward self-propelled scraper reduce operator fatigue while optimizing time and labor savings. The compact design makes it ideal for use in tight spaces. National Flooring Equipment 6280 (HD) The Commander 6280 is a self-propelled walking scraper. The compact design makes this machine ideal for use in confined spaces. Wolff Turbo Stripper This machine is used for the professional removal of all refined floor coverings, but also for rubber floors and sports floors. Wolff Durostripper The Durostripper is used for the professional removal of textile floor coverings, PVC and Linoleum. HTC Start & Grind With this new line of floor sanders from HTC, the emphasis is on user-friendliness and ergonomics. Repex 4D This multifunctional sander is suitable for the preparation of the subfloor and the removal of old glue to sanding wooden floors.

TRIO with LED Work Light

With the robust LED work light, the entire working area in front of the TRIO can be illuminated. This makes it possible to inspect the condition of the floor or the quality of a previous sanding step before each subsequent step. The assembly and disassembly of the LED work light is extremely quick and easy. For running the LED work light there ist no external power supply needed! Power is supplied via an easy to disconnect plug connection on the machine. Any TRIO can be retrofitted with the work light. For safety reasons, retrofitting of the LED work light may only be carried out by us at the factory or alternatively by a qualified electrician!

Technical data:

• Power: 30 Watt • Luminous flux: 3.480 lm • Number of LEDs: 32 pieces • Pivot range of the lighting unit: 70° Repex

As manufacturer of sanding machines for woodfloors since 1946, Repex Floor launched a multi-disc sander in 2017: the Repex 4D. It is a powerful machine, with a 2200W engine and particularly versatile. Equipped with a tray of 4 motorized discs, it is particularly effective. The first set rotates at 150 t/mn and the 4 discs driven by gears rotate at 350 t/mn. Thus, it can sand wood as well as concrete and plane damaged soils. It has tools to remove glue, polish or clean all kinds of floors. With diamond segments, it can easily plane tiles such as irregular concrete, glue and wood or plastic residues. The Repex 4D weighs 52 kg and can be equipped with two additional weights of 10 kg each. It has two plugs: one can receive a suction kit with a 1100W vacuum cleaner and the other allows the use of a magnetic LED lamp. In addition, with its suction skirt, connected to an industrial vacuum cleaner, it performs a work of exceptional cleanliness, without dust. With this new machine, Repex enters the market for the renovation of concrete and mineral floors. (www.repex.fr)