Unless you are a professional in construction, masonry or concrete removal, you may have never heard of the power tool known as a scabbler, also called a floor planer. Even people who have heard of scabblers before may not be aware of the wide variety of problems they can be used to solve. In this post, we’ll discuss what a scabbler or floor planer does, how it works, and how it can be used to resurface concrete, remove concrete and level concrete pours just about anywhere.
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What does a scabbler do?
Scabbler is by far the more common term for this tool, but its other name, “floor planer” really does a better job of describing what it does. Basically, scabblers wear away at the surface layers of hard materials like concrete, stone and asphalt. There are many reasons why it might be desirable or necessary to remove thin layers of cured concrete in this manner. For example, it might be necessary to resurface a concrete walkway or stairs to make them non-slip. Or in order to apply a sealant or overlay, it might first be necessary to roughen the concrete surface to expose the aggregate material. Scabblers may also be used to level out uneven concrete slabs or create incline planes.
How does a scabbler work?
There are two main types of scabblers. The first are petrol or electric powered scabblers which house several cylinders known as drums, which are loosely fitted with many small cutting tips that rotate to grind down the concrete. These are the types of scabblers manufactured and carried by SIMA. The second type of scabbler uses compressed air and wears away at concrete with a hammering action, much like several tiny jackhammers all pounding away simultaneously.
Concrete resurfacing using a scabbler
A scabbler is one of the best tools to efficiently resurface concrete to prepare it for sealants and overlays, adding a rough texture or removing surface imperfections. Many people choose to roughen the surface of concrete slabs, sidewalks and roadways to improve skid resistance, especially in wet conditions. Scabblers are also a great way to remove surface imperfections like splashed concrete that has already cured.
Concrete removal with scabblers
Hammer action scabblers are better suited for concrete removal than cutting scabblers, although cutting scabblers can certainly get the job done. However, it may take longer to completely remove concrete using a cutting action scabbler, it may produce more dust and the cutting tips will wear down considerably with the use.
Concrete leveling with scabblers
Scabblers are routinely used to adjust the level of poured concrete. If a pour was not level and needs to be, simply apply the scabbler to the concrete that needs to be leveled away. You can also use a scabbler to add a grade to a level pour; a slight grading is desirable on concrete slab patios and any concrete near houses to drain rainwater away from the house, while more extreme grading can be used to create wheelchair accessible ramps.
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