Whether it is about roughening concrete, removing old tiles, sanding terazzo, removing carpet or glue residues or other top layers, and so on, this is the place to be. For further explanations, we turn to two men who have spoken to us before and who both have many years of experience in the world of machinery. Kris De Rudder, sales manager surfaces and floors Benelux, and account manager Ad Groenen take us on a fascinating exploration of the product range.

The conversation leads us through various parts of the range that are used for topcoat removal. Successively, we look at blasting machines, followed by (diamond) grinding machines, milling machines and strippers or scrapers. In each category, a number of things stand out: a commitment to maximum dust extraction, increasingly advanced battery-powered drives and maximum attention to ergonomics.

Shot-blasting machines
We start with the ball-beam machines, which are used for removing thin layers. Here we see a range from very small to very large, with all machines, without exception, equipped with a vacuum cleaner so that the process is completely dust-free.
"These blasting machines are ideal as a warm-up," says Kris De Rudder. "Here it is especially important to remember how they are used to blast away thin layers of coating from a concrete surface that is hard and dry. We go from very small on mains power to very powerful large self-propelled machines 1.20 metres wide. The biggest and most widely used ball blaster is the Husqvarna Blastrac 2-20DT, a Walk Behind."

Diamond sanders
At the sanders, our interlocutors look at how the process is done with diamond tools under the machine. We notice a huge commitment to dust extraction and dust-free working and note that they can also remove thin coating layers. We are reminded that there are two types: single-head sanders and planetary machines. We find the Ride On and remote-controlled models in the second category.

"The single-head floor sanders are ideal for removing glue, paint, epoxy and putty, among other things, on small to medium-sized concrete surfaces," explains Ad Groenen. "For very large surfaces, we have the planetary floor sanders with three or four heads that rotate in opposite directions. The larger models are also available in self-propelled, remote-controlled versions. Interestingly, they also allow you to remove even somewhat thicker layers and possibly glue residues, and are suitable for all types of substrates, from asphalt to concrete, tiles,..."

"A very nice example of a Ride On is the Husqvarna Blastrac BMG 2200 with three heads, on which you can not only sit, but also walk behind or steer remotely," Kris De Rudder knows. "This heavy-duty Ride-On floor grinder is optimal for large horizontal surfaces and is equipped with two drive wheels at the front and a castor wheel at the back that allows easy manoeuvring on and off work sites. The operator sits in a comfortable seat with armrests on both sides. Each of the three powerful planetary grinding heads can be controlled individually, delivering maximum coverage with effective distribution of grinding pressure on each head. Variable grinding speed, control over the direction of rotation and an independent suspension system are fitted as standard. The BMG 2200 also has a powerful, integrated dust collection system with HEPA 14 filters and features a grinding width of 2.150 metres. It will soon get a little brother, by the way, the BMG 1500, which will not make its appearance on the market until later."

Milling machines
Further down the range, we come to the milling machines. Here, when milling floors, the blades are loosely mounted on side shafts, which are then placed in a drum housing. The drum is inserted into the concrete cutter and after the machine is switched on, the rotating drum generates a centripetal force that 'strikes' the blade on the surface, creating a mechanical cutting action. All Husqvarna routers feature a precise height adjustment system. Dust and contaminants are removed by a matching dust collector, making the milling process virtually dust-free.
"Again, we go from very small to very large, with the electric BMP 335 being the most commonly used. Distance-controlled is the heavy-duty BMP 4000RC milling and sawing machine, which is ideal for large milling and sawing applications, for example road construction and industrial flooring," states Ad Groenen. "The latter machine makes the bridge to explain how there are two possibilities. Either you just smash a surface, such as concrete, or you start sawing away the floor. When it comes to planing away, we're talking about the BMC models. They look just the same, but under the BMC types you can put discs, where you can work with a large or small distance. The advantage of this is that you not only get a 'finer' result, but also generate less noise and vibration. You suck up dust immediately in a vacuum cleaner and you can remove up to 3 cm of material."

Scrapers
Over to the last category, strippers (scrapers). Here, too, the range is particularly complete, going from fairly small to large. It starts with the fully demountable BS 75 with 2 motors (1 driving motor and 1 vibrating motor), which is often used in the rental market. Speaking of Ride On, we come to the BMS 150, which runs on mains power and is equipped with a reel that rolls itself up and down.

"Our floor strippers are equipped with different types of stripping knives to remove old or worn floor coverings, such as hardwood parquet, ceramic, linoleum, vinyl, carpet, woven floor, adhesive and roofing. Here, the BMS 150 is our particularly powerful heavy-duty ride-on unit," Kris De Rudder clarifies. "This BMS 150 is a highly manoeuvrable machine with zero rotation angle and non-marking tyres, suitable for medium and large applications. This floor scraper comes standard with a 76 mm diameter dust hose connection and you can connect it to a small or medium-sized dust collection system. Depending on the flooring material to be removed, you can choose from a wide range of blades or chisels."

"I would also like to add that you can reduce the weight of this machine to 400 kg, so it can fit in a lift. Furthermore, you can add weights up to 600 kg," concludes Ad Groenen. "For completeness, I would like to add that you cannot demolish parquet with a model like the BS 75. You can with the BMS 150, but it's still not ideal. In that case, it is better to go for the BMS 220, a 'full battery' machine that can last 6 to 8 hours and weighs a hefty 1,100 kg. A real workhorse of a demolition machine, then..."