Quick Answer

Use wet pads for natural stone, terrazzo and jobs where dust is prohibited; use dry pads for concrete floors when you need speed and portability with a vacuum-shrouded grinder. Wet polishing gives a slightly cooler cut and higher gloss on stone; dry polishing is faster on concrete and easier to manage on site.

Key Features Compared

Factor	Wet Pads	Dry Pads
Dust	None (water slurry)	Requires vacuum / shroud
Gloss on stone	Higher, cooler cut	Good on concrete
Speed	Slower (water management)	Faster on concrete
Surface	Stone, terrazzo, concrete	Concrete, terrazzo, some stone
Clean-up	Slurry collection needed	Minimal, dust bag only

How to Choose

• Indoor occupied space → dry pads with a HEPA vacuum.
• Marble or granite → wet pads to avoid heat and achieve deep gloss.
• Large concrete warehouse → dry pads for production speed.
• Terrazzo restoration → either works; wet gives a better finish on softer matrix.

How to Use It Correctly

• Wet: keep a steady water flow, collect slurry, and stop if the pad loads.
• Dry: attach dust extraction before starting; run at the pad's rated RPM.
• Step through the grit sequence; clean the floor between grits either way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can the same pad be used wet and dry?

A: No. Wet and dry pads use different resin formulations. Use each pad only as intended.

Q: Do dry pads burn stone?

A: On hard natural stone, dry pads can generate heat and burn resin. Wet is safer on marble and granite.

Q: Which is cheaper per square metre?

A: Dry polishing on concrete is usually cheaper (faster, less water management), but on stone, wet often achieves the required gloss in fewer passes.

Conclusion

Match the method to the material: dry for fast concrete work, wet for stone and terrazzo. For a reliable dry range, try the 3'' 15mm Thickness Diamond Dry Polishing Pads (JOY-RFP-06); for general concrete and terrazzo polishing, the 3'' Diamond Resin Floor Polishing Pads (JOY-RFP-05) is a solid choice.