Common Resilient Floor Sealers and Characteristics

To seal or not to seal; that is the question! The main purpose of a seal is to "bridge the porosity" of the substrate (floor). By bridging the porosity, less product is required to produce the desired gloss level. Secondly, a sealer is used to block stains from getting into the tile. This reduces the maintenance effort required to remove the stain. Seals can be permanent or removable. The following table represents EPP floor sealers and their characteristics.

Common Resilient Floor Finishes and Characteristics

Selection of the Ecolab Professional Products Divisions floor care system(s) takes place as you develop a maintenance program. The maintenance program will be based on available labor hours, equipment, product usage, ease of application, desired initial appearance, short and long-term appearance and final concerns. The recommended finish is based on a variety of "on-site" conditions and the Airkem Floor Finishes as shown in the November 1998 issue of Technical Alert in the Performance Parameters Chart.

Common Resilient Floor Cleaners and Characteristics

The purpose of a cleaner is to hold the dirt in suspension so that it can be removed from the surface without damaging the finish. As a general rule of thumb, use neutral cleaners for routine maintenance on a resilient floor finish. As the alkalinity of the cleaner increases, the floor finish may be dulled and / or removed.

Common Resilient Floor Restorers and Characteristics

The purpose of a floor restorer is to temporarily soften the surface and restore plasticizers to the finish. They also provide lubrication to the pad to aid in the grinding process during spray buffing and/or burnishing.

Common Resilient Floor Equipment and Pad Characteristics

Buffing and burnishing equipment is categorized by speed (revolutions per minute) of the equipment. Low speed is normally 175 rpms. Variable (medium) speed is 300 - 450 rpms. High speed is usually 1000 - 1200 rpms and ultra high speed is 1500 - 3000 rpms.

You will be working with either an electric, battery, or propane burnisher. The electric burnishers have larger wheels in the back and are referred to as a straight-in-line machine, which means you cannot swing it back and forth like you would a 175 buffer or a variable speed machine. The battery operated burnisher has the advantage of not having an electric cord to worry about. A propane burnisher is like having a big lawn mower engine on a buffer.

The electric burnisher's speed will usually vary from 1000 to 3000 rpms. The battery burnisher's speed is usually 2000 to 2500 rpms. The propane burnisher is usually 2000 rpms. Note: There is a propane stripping machine (350 to 500 rpms) but it is not used to burnish floor finish.

In order of aggressiveness; the electric is less aggressive than the battery, and the battery is less aggressive than the propane. The aggressiveness is measured as the amount of pad pressure applied to the floor. In addition to pad pressure, you need to be aware floor burnishing pads also vary in aggressiveness.

In general, a synthetic pad is less aggressive than a natural "hog hair" pad. Aggressiveness will also vary between synthetic and non-synthetic hair blends. You have to match the right pad to the right machine and then to the "Relative Reparability" of the finish. Some finishes will require a more aggressive pad and other finishes will require a less aggressive pad. You need to try several combinations for maximum results with your equipment.

Walk-off mats should perform three functions: remove dirt and water. Trap dirt and water. Hide dirt and water. One thousand people will track in up to 1.2 pounds of dirt into a facility (3.6 pounds on a wet day). Sand and grit are the major cause of floor wear. One pound of dirt will cause $500.00 of damage before you can remove it from the facility!

Matting will reduce interior maintenance cost and reduce costly slip and fall accidents. The first 20 feet (three steps per shoe) of matting removes 85% of the dirt from the shoes. Twelve times as much dirt is tracked in during wet weather conditions. Matting is your first line of defense.

Common Resilient Floor Types and Characteristics

Questions to be Asked in Selecting a Resilient Floor Care System

The components of a "Floor Care System" are the matching of stripper(s), seal(s), finish, cleaners, restorers, equipment, pads, mats and a good maintenance program to the type of flooring to be maintained. The following compiles the information we covered above.

What type of stripper do we want to use? Is odor going to be a problem? What about rinse or no rinse? If you sell them the "idea" of not rinsing, will they get sloppy? What type of flooring does your customer have to maintain? If it is asphalt or linoleum be careful with solvent type no rinse strippers.

Will you use a seal or not? Some people have had problems removing a seal and therefore don't like to use them. If you have either an old porous floor or a newer type, you may still want to consider a seal. Otherwise you can usually go straight up with the finish. Is there a possibility of stains, such as in a hospital? If so, First Base may be your best choice. But is it going on the type of flooring that can be damaged by an aggressive stripper? You need to discuss and decide between you and your customer.

Are you matching the finish to the maintenance program? Will the results meet your customers expectations? You don't get a "wet look" from a low maintenance program. Look at the equipment and budget your customer has to work with to meet their expectations.

Match your choice of cleaner to the finish and maintenance program. The purpose of the cleaner is to hold the dirt in suspension so that it can be removed from the surface without damaging the finish. As a general rule of thumb, use neutral cleaners for routine maintenance on a resilient floor finish. As the alkalinity of the cleaner increases, the floor finish may be dulled and/or removed.

Don't try to use one cleaner to do everything. It may be too strong and attack the finish when used at too high a concentration. Remember when you are using a cleaner/restorer prior to burnishing, you don't use your regular cleaner. But always use a neutral cleaner during a scrub and recoat.

Speaking of restorers; are you using the right one? Low and Behold for spray buffing and burnishing. Flashback and Quik Fill 330 as a cleaner restorer just prior to burnishing, and Easy Glow DFM as a cleaner restorer when burnishing may not be done every time the product is used.

The enclosed chart with give you examples of matching the stripper, seal, finish, cleaner, and restorer to the maintenance equipment/program designed to meet your customers expectations. Next month we will pull it all together in "The Keys To A Successful Floor Care Program".