Floor Stripping & Sealing

When you first install your flooring, it looks polished and attractive. Over time, it loses its lustre. Floor stripping services can remove dirt and grime and adding a floor sealer can keep your flooring looking beautiful.

Dull, scuffed and grimy flooring creates a poor impression of your business. Stripping and sealing restore your floor to like-new condition.

Some benefits of floor stripping services include:

• Adding more shine
• Making it easier to clean the floors
• Increasing the longevity of your flooring materials
• Reducing scratches, scuffs and marks
• Creating a barrier against further damage and bacteria

It takes several steps to properly strip and seal your floor. That’s why it’s better to leave it to the professionals at Jim’s Cleaning.

Applying the Floor Stripper

The technician starts by sweeping the floor and removing all dust and foreign objects such as gum and stickers. We isolate the area and provide alternative routes for anyone walking by as we work. To protect other areas of the building, we surround the work area with cardboard.

The strength of the stripping solution needed depends on the thickness of the sealant. Typically, a 1:10 ratio of stripper to water does the job. Using a stripper mop, we saturate an area of flooring, breaking large areas down into smaller sections.

The stripper solution takes at least 10 minutes to dissolve the old floor sealant. Using a scrubber and pads, we start at the edge and begin removing the sealer. After removing the sealer, we wet vacuum the floor to remove any remaining floor stripper.

Applying the Base Coat

Next, we lay down a base coat of floor sealant using a clean polish mop. Applying a thin layer of sealant can prevent pooling that causes dull spots.

Once the first coat completely dries, it no longer feels tacky. Then, we can apply the second coat. The second layer goes on at a 90-degree angle to the first coat to ensure at even finish. Once the area dries, the top sealer goes down.

Several coats of glaze add shine once we buff the area with special pads about six hours later. We recommended waiting six weeks before buffing the floors again.

Applying the Top Sealer

It takes patience and skill to apply a top sealer with a clean fringe mop. It’s critical to rinse the mop in water beforehand to remove loose dust, debris and fibres that you don’t want to end up in the sealer.

A watering can with an 8-millimetre spout provides an even pour. We place a rubber glove over the spout and cut the hole to the right size. This process is done in 3-metre by 6-metre sections. A line of sealant down the centre makes it easy to evenly distribute the sealant.

Wetting the fringe mop with polish, our technicians mop in smooth motions, backing away from the already-polished sections. The main goal is to spread the sealer evenly one frame at a time.

Depending on the size of the area that we need to seal, this may take several sections. It’s important not to overlap the sealant because this creates streaks.

Floor sealers consist of a chemical solution used to cover floors and protect them against damage and stains. Some sealants have components that give them a glossier finish depending on the application and whether this would be appropriate for space.

The three basic types of floor sealer include the following:

• Initial Use Sealer: This chemical sealant goes on the floor as soon as you install it. It’s used for porous materials that are vulnerable to stains. Some materials that use this sealer include sandstone, brick, cork and natural stone.
• Regular Use Sealers: Some flooring requires just one coat of sealant. However, it must be reapplied periodically to maintain the condition of the flooring. We recommend reapplying a floor sealer once a year. You may need to do it more often depending on the traffic in your business.
• Restorative Sealers: When flooring becomes dull and dingy looking, restorative sealers can reinvigorate it. This works with unglazed tiles and natural stone. For hardwood flooring, previous layers of the sealant must be removed to provide a fresh look before applying the restorative sealer.

If you have an industrial business, you might want to look into sealants that can handle oil stains and chemical leaks. This applies to warehouses and garages where a variety of liquids spill onto the flooring.

There’s no clear-cut answer to this question because it depends on numerous factors. However, commercial floors typically require resealing every year or two. If you have a lot of foot traffic, it may be more often.

Jim’s Cleaning provides residential and commercial services Australia-wide. Pair our floor stripping services with some of our other services, including pressure washing, window cleaning and regular office custodial services, to help maintain a clean, attractive business.

Contact us online or on 131 546. Feel free to book an appointment or request a quote at your convenience.