Free checklist
Polished concretePolished concrete final inspection checklist
Polished concrete final inspection is where the punch list is either short or expensive. This checklist walks the finished work the way an owner or AHJ will see it: devices on, systems running, everything labeled. Each item gets the photo that closes it instead of reopening it. Work is commonly verified against ASTM concrete floor test methods, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 3
- Photos required
- 5
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The polishing crew lead with the GC's superintendent, walking the finished floor before protection goes down and before turnover.
When in the schedule
After the full grind, densify and polish sequence is finished, before the floor is covered for protection and before the owner's walk.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Aggregate exposure and cut
- 2 photos
Aggregate exposure consistent and to the approved look
Exposure matches the approved mock-up across the whole floor, no bays cut deeper than others, edges worked to the same exposure as the field.
Densify and polish sequence
- 1 photo
Densifier applied and full grit sequence completed
Densifier applied per the product and allowed to react, every grit step run in order with no skipped passes, swirl and haze polished out.
Sheen and clarity
- 2 photos
Sheen and clarity uniform across the floor
Specified gloss level reached and even under raking light, reflection clear and consistent field to edge, no dull or blotchy areas.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Sheen and clarity that vary between passes or between crews, so the floor reads blotchy under raking light even though every area was polished.
- A grit step skipped to save time, leaving swirl marks and haze that no amount of the final burnish removes.
- Aggregate exposure inconsistent across the floor, cream finish in one bay and salt-and-pepper in the next, because the first cut depth wandered.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 5 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Common questions
- What does this polished concrete final checklist cover?
- 3 items across 3 sections, covering aggregate exposure and cut, densify and polish sequence, sheen and clarity. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The polishing crew lead with the GC's superintendent, walking the finished floor before protection goes down and before turnover.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After the full grind, densify and polish sequence is finished, before the floor is covered for protection and before the owner's walk.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 5 of the 3 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a polished concrete final inspection?
- Sheen and clarity that vary between passes or between crews, so the floor reads blotchy under raking light even though every area was polished. A grit step skipped to save time, leaving swirl marks and haze that no amount of the final burnish removes. Aggregate exposure inconsistent across the floor, cream finish in one bay and salt-and-pepper in the next, because the first cut depth wandered.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
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