positioned approximately at an angle between 30 degrees and 90 degrees relative to the surface of the concrete application_number US 201514725292 A description the invention is directed to methods for grinding and polishing concrete and compounds for facilitating such methods rather than cutting the concrete with a variety of diamond abrasive grits the method of the invention involves wetting the concrete with a compound prior to applying a tool to shave the ridges on the concrete the compounds of the invention are used for facilitating the stock removal and polishing of concrete the compound which may be used according to the non limiting exemplary methods described herein below may comprise amorphous colloidal silicas and a fluid which exhibits hydrophobic properties when applied to the concrete in some embodiments the colloidal silicas have a particle size which ranges from about 1 to about 10 nanometers in other embodiments the colloidal silicas have a particle size which ranges from about 3 nm to about 9 nm in some embodiments the aforementioned compound further includes one or more surfactants other ingredients may include water disinfectants and fragrances dried concrete may have pores in the size range of 30 nm in diameter while the amorphous colloidal silica in solution is about 7 nm in diameter the solution which may be water carries the amorphous colloidal silica into.