There is a lot of talk and speculation regarding Diamond Polishing Pads and what they can achieve.
Diamond Polishing Pads were developed primarily as maintenance pads so that a floor once it was laid or restored (Ground, honed and polished) could be maintained without the need of calling in professional restorers again. No diamond pad that we have ever tried or tested including but not limited to Twister, Rhino, KGS, Monkey, Cheetah, Klindex Supershine Soft or Hard, Starline or Highline. These pads vary from Bonded Diamonds to pads with resin and even metal discs adhered to them. We have tried all the aforementioned and not one of them was able to restore any marked and scratched floor with lippage that we tested them on. In addition despite recent claims any pad, even without diamonds will cause an orange peel finish on the surface if not used correctly.
This said, I genuinely believe maintenance pads do have a place in any cleaning professionals armoury as long as you don't expect them to perform miracles. They will certainly improve lightly scratched floors and may even eliminate some or all the scratches provided they are not too deep. They will also help tremendously to erase some acid etching again as long as it is not severe.
The only effective method of eliminating deep scratches and heavy lippage is to use a diamond grinding machine fitted with the appropriate planetario head for the stone rotating at between 500-3200 rpm depending on the stone fitted with the correct Metal Sintered diamonds to grind and the correct resin bonded diamonds to hone and close the surface tension back down.
So whats the difference? Well some diamond pads are better than others but like baked beans in tomato sauce or cornflakes 70% are made by two manufacturers and sold under different brand names. We have found through extensive testing, experience and value for money that Klindex Soft Supershine and KGS were the best in terms of performance. The Cheetah pads are good but horrendously expensive in fact more than 5 x times the cost of Klindex and KGS.
This said I am as always ready to be converted. So if anyone believes that they have the ultimate diamond pads that can completely restore a damaged floor please feel free to invite me to a demonstration or send me a set to try I will even pay for them.
Kev Martin
Marble Life Ltd
