Riding Floor Scraper Blades and Walk-Behind Floor Scraper Blades can be interchangeable in some cases. Much depends on the thickness of the blade. It is important to note that a Riding Floor Scraper weighs in excess of 2,000 lbs. As a result the Ride-on machine will require thicker blades with hardened tool steel.

Equally important, the thinnest recommended flat blade to use on a riding floor scraper is .092 inches in width. Anything less is likely to bend or break under the weight and power of the Rider.

An extremely effective blade to choose for a Walk-Behind Floor Scraper is thinner and lighter. For instance, a scraper blade between .032″ and .062” thickness works well on the lighter weight Walk-Behind. Also important, these thinner blades will remove more glue.

The best floor scraper blade for your project depends on the flooring type needing removal.

Soft flooring, also known as soft goods, like carpet, VCT, rubber etc. is removed quickest using flat blades. Side cutting floor scraper blades (called self-dicing) allow your floor scraper to cut a path through the floor and roll it up as it cuts, making cleanup faster and easier. 

Hard flooring types, like ceramic tile or wood, usually require more specialized blades or shanks designed specifically for that flooring. For stone tile, epoxy and thinset, carbide tipped blades are the most efficient option.

A Floor Scraper Blade will need replacement based on the smoothness of the concrete and the hardness of the coating. A rough or cracked concrete floor will wear down blades significantly faster than a smooth floor- sometimes cutting the blade life in half. In the same way, a very hard coating will require a sharp blade at all times. Consider these three levels of blade choices:

First, Flat BladesAs a rule, most flat blades are rated at 3,000-5,000 square feet per 6” of blade. This number can vary wildly depending on the floor. A smooth concrete floor with a soft coating (like VCT, carpet or glue) will usually give 10,000 or more square feet per flat blade. If the concrete is rough, porous, cracked or covered with thinset, your blade life could drop down to as little as 2,000ft. Re-sharpening the blade on a regular basis will give you a clean floor, but will lower the lifespan.

Second, Thick Blades and Heavy Shanks– These blades are also rated at 3,000-5,000sq feet per 6″ of blade. It should be noted the main purpose of shanks is to break up the large flooring on top and remove the majority of the top layer- not 100%. Cleaning what’s left is most efficiently done with a flat blade. When shanks are used this way, their life can be extended well past 10,000 square feet in most cases.

Third, Carbide Tipped Blades and Shanks– Carbide tips are wear down slower and cut longer in between resharpening. Most carbide tipped blades, just like shanks, are meant only to break up the tile by cutting cornrows or breaking the top layer into pieces. Once that’s done, it’s most efficient to clean up with a 6” flat blade.