What does this polished concrete punch checklist cover?

9 items across 3 sections, covering protection removal walk, scratch and damage repair, haze and cleanup. 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 on a callback, or the GC's superintendent clearing floor punch items before turnover.

When in the schedule should this walk happen?

During closeout, after protection comes up and after other trades and carts have marked the finished floor.

Why do these items ask for a photo?

6 of the 9 items call for photo evidence, 6 photos in all. 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 punch inspection?

Scratches and cart tracks buffed only at the surface so they flash back under light once the guard wears, instead of being re-polished out. Efflorescence or a hazy film left from cleaning that reads as a dull patch, closed off as done without restoring the sheen to match.

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.

Free checklist

Polished concrete

Polished concrete punch checklist

Polished concrete punch is where small misses become callbacks after the crew has demobilized. This checklist walks the finished work the way the owner and the next trade will see it, with the photo that closes each item instead of a note that reopens it. Work is commonly verified against ASTM concrete floor test methods, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.

Start free with this checklist Download as PDF

The checklist

Every item, and the photo evidence it needs

The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.

Protection removal walk

Floor walked under raking light as protection comes up
Protection lifted area by area and the floor viewed low with a light for scratches, cart tracks and scuffs, each logged by location and trade.
Tape marks, rust spots and stains checked across the floor
Tape adhesive, rust, hydraulic and food stains located and cleaned with a method the guard manufacturer allows, or ground and re-polished, not buried under more guard.
Door swings, column bases and storage spots checked for dull areas
Spots behind door swings, at column bases and where material or equipment sat compared to the field for sheen and exposure, re-polished where they differ.

Scratch and damage repair

Scratches and traffic marks re-polished to match
Damaged areas located and photographed, re-polished back through the grit steps so sheen and clarity match the surrounding floor.
No photo
Re-polished spots re-densified and re-guarded to match
Where a repair cut through the guard, densifier and guard re-applied per the product, burnished, and the sheen compared to the floor beside it.
No photo
Every joint walked, filled ones flush and open ones clean
Shrunk, split or cart-gouged filler cut out, refilled per the spec and shaved flush; joints the spec leaves open cleared of slurry and debris.
Each re-polish area logged with its grits and guard lot
Location, grit steps run and guard lot for every re-polished area recorded on the floor plan for the turnover package.
No photo

Haze and cleanup

Haze and film removed and floor left clean
Any hazy film or residue burnished or cleaned off, floor left with even sheen, no dull patches at the transitions.
No remaining floor items before signoff
Punch items per area closed with photos, sheen and exposure re-confirmed before the floor is released to the owner.

What usually sends this back

The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work

Scratches and cart tracks buffed only at the surface so they flash back under light once the guard wears, instead of being re-polished out.
Efflorescence or a hazy film left from cleaning that reads as a dull patch, closed off as done without restoring the sheen to match.

Common questions

6 answers

What does this polished concrete punch checklist cover?: 9 items across 3 sections, covering protection removal walk, scratch and damage repair, haze and cleanup. 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 on a callback, or the GC's superintendent clearing floor punch items before turnover.
When in the schedule should this walk happen?: During closeout, after protection comes up and after other trades and carts have marked the finished floor.
Why do these items ask for a photo?: 6 of the 9 items call for photo evidence, 6 photos in all. 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 punch inspection?: Scratches and cart tracks buffed only at the surface so they flash back under light once the guard wears, instead of being re-polished out. Efflorescence or a hazy film left from cleaning that reads as a dull patch, closed off as done without restoring the sheen to match.
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.

Related checklists

Polished concrete Rough-inPolished concrete rough-in inspection checklistSlab read, cleaned and repaired so the surface is flat, sound and ready to grind before the polishing sequence starts14 items10 photos Polished concrete FinalPolished concrete final inspection checklistGrind, densify and polish sequence complete with the specified aggregate exposure, sheen and clarity across the floor13 items12 photos

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 6 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.