Floor Preparation Tools Explained: What Do You Actually Need? 

Good floor preparation starts with using the right equipment. Before installing LVT, vinyl, carpet or another floor covering, the subfloor may need to be tested, cleaned, repaired, mechanically prepared and levelled. 

Not every project requires every tool, but here's a practical guide to the main floor preparation equipment and when you might need it. 

1. Moisture Testing Equipment

Before applying preparation products, the moisture condition of the subfloor should be assessed using an appropriate method. 

Tramex moisture testing equipment provides options for assessing concrete and other substrates. Floormart's Tramex Flooring Master Kit, for example, includes the CMEX5 for non-destructive concrete moisture assessment alongside equipment for in-situ RH testing.  

Useful for: Assessing moisture conditions before floor preparation begins. 

2. Floor Scrapers

Old flooring, residues and other unwanted material may need to be removed before the substrate can be prepared. 

A professional scraper such as the Wolff Floor Scraper or Wolff Professional Hand Scraper provides a manual option for floor preparation and removal work.  

For larger projects, a powered floor stripper may be more appropriate. 

Useful for: Removing existing coverings and residues during preparation. 

3. Floor Grinders

Some substrates require mechanical preparation before primers, smoothing compounds or other flooring products can be applied. 

Professional floor grinding equipment can be used to prepare concrete and remove certain coatings or adhesive residues. The grinding disc or segment needs to be selected according to the substrate and material being removed. For example, Wolff offers different diamond segments for hard concrete, screeds, coatings and adhesive layers.  

Useful for: Mechanical preparation of concrete and removal of difficult surface materials. 

4. Mixers and Paddles

If you're applying a levelling or smoothing compound, correct mixing is essential. 

A professional Collomix mixer and appropriate mixing paddle can help achieve the consistent mix required by the compound manufacturer. Floormart stocks dedicated paddles for levelling compounds alongside professional Collomix mixers.  

Always follow the compound manufacturer's specified mixing quantities and times. 

Useful for: Mixing levelling compounds, smoothing compounds and other preparation materials. 

5. Screed Rakes

Once mixed, a levelling compound needs to be distributed across the prepared floor. 

A CAM Gauge Screed Rake allows the application depth to be set and helps distribute smoothing compounds across the floor. Floormart stocks the Midwest Rakes CAM Gauge Screed Rake as part of its floor preparation range.  

Useful for: Spreading levelling and smoothing compounds at a controlled depth. 

6. Spiked Rollers and Spiked Shoes

A spiked roller can be used with suitable freshly applied levelling compounds to help release trapped air and improve the surface finish where specified by the product manufacturer. 

Spiked shoes can allow installers to move across freshly applied material during application. Floormart stocks both within its preparation range, including Roberts Spiked Rollers and Genesis Spiked Shoes.  

Useful for: Working with freshly applied levelling compounds. 

Floor Preparation Tools Checklist 

Stage	Tool	Example from Floormart
Check moisture	Moisture testing equipment	Tramex Flooring Master Kit
Remove residues	Floor scraper	Wolff Floor Scraper
Mechanical preparation	Grinder & suitable disc	Wolff grinding equipment
Mix compound	Mixer & paddle	Collomix Mixer + Levelling Paddle
Spread compound	Gauge rake	CAM Gauge Screed Rake
Finish application	Spiked roller	Roberts Spiked Roller
Move over wet compound	Spiked shoes	Genesis Spiked Shoes

Floormart also sells a Floor Preparation Bundle containing a mixing trolley, CAM Gauge Screed Rake, compound spacers, Genesis Spiked Shoes, Roberts Spiked Roller, electric mixer and Collomix levelling paddle.  

What Floor Preparation Tools Do You Actually Need? 

The answer depends on the condition of the subfloor. 

A relatively clean and even floor may only require moisture assessment and minor preparation, while a refurbishment project could require stripping, scraping or grinding before any levelling compound is applied. 

The key is to assess the floor first and choose the equipment around the work it actually requires, rather than using the same preparation process for every installation. 

At Floormart, we stock professional floor preparation equipment, moisture meters, grinders, scrapers, mixers, paddles, rakes and rollers for everything from small preparation jobs to larger commercial projects.