A concrete planer is a tool used to flatten or thin concrete surfaces. It can vary in size and function, using abrasive wheels or carbide cutting bits. A dust collection system and mask are required due to harmful concrete dust. Renting is recommended for casual users.
A concrete planer is a tool used to flatten or thin the surface of a concrete slab. The size and function of the concrete planer can vary according to the size of the slab or plane to be planed; some planers are quite large and the operator will walk behind the machine while planing the surface, while others are small enough to be hand held and look a lot like a large angle grinder. Concrete can be dry or wet cut planed; if the cut is dry, the plane must be equipped with a dust collection filter.
Regardless of the size of the concrete planer, an abrasive wheel or utility knife is used to plane the concrete surface. Larger planers often use carbide cutting bits, which are exceptionally hard and durable. Even the smallest concrete planer models may use carbide tips, or they may use carbide abrasive wheels or other abrasive wheels designed for cutting. The cut surface is likely to last longer if cutting is done wet, as moisture reduces the friction between the cutter and the concrete surface, but wet cutting is also likely to take significantly longer than dry cut. Many users prefer dry cutting for ease and time savings.
Concrete contains silica, which can be extremely harmful if inhaled, so a dust collection system is required when using a concrete planer. This collection system draws the dust created by the cutting process directly from the point of contact, preventing it from circulating throughout a room or space. However, the effectiveness of the filter alone cannot be relied upon to prevent a person from inhaling harmful concrete dust, so a mask should be worn whenever a person uses a concrete planer or any other tool that will circulate the dust of concrete across a gap.
Concrete planes are fairly specialized tools, so if a user intends to use the plane only once or twice, it’s a good idea to rent the tool rather than buy. The larger planes can also be quite expensive to buy, further increasing the rental benefits. The walk-behind models are motorized, therefore maintenance of the machine must be carried out over time; if the person plans to do a fair amount of planing, buying the machine is a good option, but a casual user can avoid maintenance costs by renting.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
