Commercial & Industrial Coating Removal
When an existing floor coating needs to come off, we need to consider what’s on the surface, the condition of the substrate beneath it, and what the floor needs to be ready for afterward.
We remove thick coatings including epoxies and urethanes, along with adhesives and other flooring materials, for commercial and industrial projects. Depending on the floor, the work can involve mechanical floor removal, diamond grinding, shot blasting, or a combination of methods.
Our floor removal services give us several ways to expose the substrate before refinishing, recoating, or new flooring work begins. We’ll assess the existing system and select the removal method for the material and working conditions.
What Is Commercial and Industrial Coating Removal?
Commercial and industrial coating removal is the mechanical removal of an existing floor coating so the substrate underneath can be exposed, cleaned, and prepared for the next stage of the project.
We remove thick epoxies and urethanes, adhesives, roofing material, thin set mortar, ceramic tile, carpet, vinyl, wood flooring, and rubber. These materials don’t all call for the same removal equipment, so we review the existing floor before deciding how to proceed.
Once the material included in the removal scope is up, we can clean the exposed substrate and continue with any agreed preparation work.
Our Reviews
Review the Existing Floor Before Choosing a Method
The first step is understanding what we’re removing and what condition the floor is in.
We’ll review:
- The existing coating or flooring material
- The condition of the substrate
- Adhesive or coating residue
- High spots and uneven areas
- Repair edges and transitions
- Access to the work area
- Dust-control requirements
- The surface requirements for the next stage of work
This gives us a clear basis for selecting the tooling. We don’t need to force the same removal process across the entire floor when another method is better suited to a particular area.
Match the Removal Method to the Floor
Our coating removal work can involve several mechanical methods.
| Existing Condition | What We Need to Do | PDB Method |
| Thick epoxy or urethane | Remove the existing coating | Mechanical floor removal |
| Coating or adhesive residue | Remove remaining material | Diamond grinding |
| High spots or uneven material | Correct the surface | Diamond grinding |
| Open concrete requiring stripping and profiling | Strip, clean, and profile | Shot blasting |
| Existing flooring over concrete | Remove flooring and expose the substrate | Mechanical floor removal |
One project can involve more than one of these conditions. We’ll select the equipment according to the material and the work required in each area.
Mechanical Removal for Thick Coatings and Flooring
Our battery-powered floor scrapers are used to remove thick coatings, adhesives, and flooring materials.
These machines are quiet and emission-free, which allows us to use them in enclosed or occupied spaces where propane-powered equipment isn’t appropriate. They’re part of the equipment we use for commercial, industrial, and institutional floor removal.
Mechanical removal can expose the substrate beneath epoxies, urethanes, ceramic tile, carpet, vinyl, wood flooring, rubber, and other materials included in our floor removal services.
Once the existing system is removed, we clean the exposed area and review what further preparation is included in the project.
Diamond Grinding for Residual Material and Correction
Some areas need controlled material removal after the existing coating or flooring system has been taken up.
We use precision diamond grinding to remove coatings, adhesives, and high spots while improving surface consistency. Grinding can also be used around repair edges, transitions, and areas where more detailed correction is required.
This gives us another removal option without treating the whole floor as though it has the same condition.
Where grinding forms part of the work, we use dust-controlled equipment as we remove and correct material.
Shot Blasting for Open Concrete
Shot blasting can strip, clean, and mechanically profile open concrete in a dry process.
Our shot blasting equipment includes eight-inch electric blasters, sixteen-inch diesel ride-on units, and thirty-inch electric blasters. Vacuum recovery collects steel shot and debris while the equipment is operating.
The range lets us match the equipment to the floor area and production requirement instead of relying on one machine for every project.
Shot blasting isn’t required for every coating removal job. We use it when the floor condition and preparation requirement suit the process.
Coating Removal and Surface Preparation Work Together
Removing an existing coating exposes the substrate. The concrete can still need additional work before a new coating, sealer, repair product, or flooring system is installed.
Residue, high spots, uneven material, and the required surface profile can all affect what happens next. Our surface preparation services include grinding, shot blasting, floor removal, and other preparation work for concrete floors.
A project can involve mechanical removal first, detailed grinding in specific areas, and another preparation method across the open slab.
We’ll build the agreed scope around what the existing floor requires and what the surface is being prepared for.
Plan Dust Control With the Work
Dust control is considered when we select the equipment and removal method.
Our grinding work uses dust-controlled equipment, while shot blasting uses vacuum recovery to collect steel shot and debris as work progresses. Our battery-powered floor scrapers are also used for controlled indoor removal work.
We’ve continued investing in specialized equipment since our BC operations began in 2014. That equipment range gives us several options when a floor needs more than one removal or preparation technique.
How Does Commercial Coating Removal Work?
1. Assess the Existing Floor
We review the flooring or coating system and the condition of the substrate beneath it.
2. Select the Removal Method
We match the equipment and tooling to the material, substrate, and working environment.
3. Complete the Removal
We mechanically remove the coating or flooring material included in the agreed scope.
4. Clean and Prepare the Exposed Surface
We clean the exposed substrate and complete any additional surface preparation included in the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
We remove thick coatings including epoxies and urethanes. Our floor removal work also includes adhesives, roofing material, thin set mortar, ceramic tile, carpet, vinyl, wood flooring, and rubber.
Yes. Epoxy is one of the thick coatings we remove. The removal method is selected according to the material, substrate, and working conditions.
No. Our removal capabilities include mechanical floor scraping, diamond grinding, and shot blasting. We select the method according to the work.
Yes. Adhesive removal is included in our floor removal and grinding capabilities.
Yes. Shot blasting can strip, clean, and mechanically profile concrete. We use it where the floor condition and preparation requirement suit the process.
We clean the exposed substrate and complete any additional surface preparation included in the project. That can include grinding or shot blasting where those methods form part of the agreed scope.
Yes. Our floor removal applications include commercial, industrial, and institutional floors, warehouses, production facilities, retail environments, renovations, and retrofit projects.
Remove the Existing System Before the Next Stage Begins
When a coating or flooring system has to come up, we’ll review the existing material, select the equipment for the work, and expose the substrate for the next stage of the project.
You can contact our team with the project details so we can review your commercial or industrial coating removal scope.