Stripping, Waxing and Buffing a Floor

Stripping, Waxing and Buffing a Floor

Stripping

First, you need to purchase a floor finish stripper that marches with your floor. Some floors, for instance, hardwood floors, may tend to be damaged by some floor finish strippers. It is necessary to check the label before buying to be sure that the floor finish stripper is compatible with the floor. It is advisable to use the same brand of floor finish stripper as the brand of floor wax used lastly.

• There are “no-rinse” and “rinse” floor finish strippers. The “no-rinse” strippers do not need to be rinsed off the floor after the work is done. However, it is advisable to clean the floor finish strippers no matter the specification since they are known to be powerful solvents; hence it is right to rinse to prevent damage and discoloration (King, 1981).
• A distinctive logo that is mostly different in each country, for instance, “Tera Choice” in Canada or the United States, the “Green seal” is used to mark the floor finish strippers that are environmentally sustainable.

Secondly, ensure that you have an electric floor scrubber and a wet-dry vacuum. You should rent specialized equipment for this work, which will make the task easier (Thatcher, Haas, & Clark, 2000). The floor scrubber is to be used for scrubbing off sealers and floor finish while the wet-dry vacuum is used to suck up the stripper floor finish residue.

• Floor scrubbers and vacuums come in different sizes, and the larger sizes strip the floor quickly and are usually recommended when removing a large area. However, if you are stripping one or two rooms of a residential house, you can opt for smaller scrubbers and vacuums.

Free the floor from furniture and dust. Move the furniture and other objects to another room and then sweep the floor thoroughly to eradicate all the dirt.

Open all the doors and windows in that room. Floor finish strippers are known to produce toxic fumes; thus should not be used in a poorly ventilated place (Young, 2017). You can also have fans in front of doors or windows and put on a respiratory mask.

• If you use fans, ensure that they are not directly pointing on the floor since this could dry the stripper faster than needed hence interfering with the stripping process.

Put on PPEs. You should put on rubber gloves and goggles since floor finish stripers have harmful chemicals that can be absorbed into the body through the skin and can dang the eyes (Davis, 1993). It is also recommended that you wear long-sleeved top and long pants to ensure that you cover as much skin as you can.

Learn some safety procedures. In the instance that your eyes or skin come in contact with the floor finish stripper, it is recommended that you flush your eyes and rinse the surface with running water to ensure for five minutes. Therefore, it is necessary to have a water faucet near the working area.

Before beginning the whole process, test the stripper on a corner or a not readily visible spot of the floor (MacDonald & Milner 1986). This is to ensure that the brand of the floor finish stripper that you have is compatible with the floor. If the floor gets damaged or color bleeds after stripping, this will need you to try a different brand or contact a professional for further guidance.

Come up with a plan of how you will carry out the work. You will start stripping from the corner that is farthest from the exit and proceed towards the door (Kurtz, 1993). You can remove in sections of like 2-by-4-foot (60-by-120-cm) at a time, as shown below.

Line up at least three buckets with a trash bag. Put a large, heavy-duty trash bag in each of the buckets for easy cleaning after the task and ensure the bucket can be used later for other purposes.

Mix the floor finish stripper and water in one bucket as instructed the label. Mix the two according to the instructions given by the manufacturer. Strippers require a specific level of diluting for them to be active and safe; therefore, you must mix the two accordingly.

Fill the second bucket with clean water. This water will be used to rinse off the stripper solution after removing the finish from the floor.

Fill the third bucket with tools. This third bucket is meant to keep the used floor stripping solution, but it can be used to store the tools as you begin the process. However, you can still have another bucket for storing the tools. Two mops are needed, one for the stripping solution and the other one for the clean water. You will also need scrubbers, razor scrapers, a putty knife, a toothbrush and scrubbing pads.

Apply the floor finish stripper using the mop. Apply the stripper in sections to coat the area thoroughly but do not apply too much of the striper as it floods in that area and soaks in-between seams and cracks (Kurtz, 1993). Apply the stripper more carefully in the regions that have a lot of wax build-up.

Use your hands or an electric floor scrubber to scrub tight areas. Let the stripper soak as in the instructions on the label and then use the scrub pads to scrape away the wax build-up. You must wear rubber gloves.

Use the other tools to scrape away finish at corners. The toothbrush is to be used to scrub nooks and crannies while the putty knife is to be used to scrape off gobs or multiple finish layers in corners.

Remove the floor finish stripper. Use a wet-dry vacuum to suck up the waxy residue and the stripper. You could also use a squeegee or floor scrubber squeegee attachment to take off the waxy residue and stripper. Soak up excess liquid using the mop or rugs. Dump all of this into the third bucket after removing your tools, unless a wet-dry vacuum was in use.

Continue to apply the stripper in stages. Apply stripper to the next section before you begin scrubbing the previous section. This will ensure that the stripper soaks in and does its work while scribing the last part. Do this for all the sections until you complete the floor. While stripping divisions near the edge, check the baseboard for the stained finish to see if it needs removing as well.

Repeat on tight sections if necessary. In case of a part where you can’t scrub away all of the build-ups, take off what you can and reapply the stripper. Let it soak in as you work on another section and rewash it.

Use the clean water to mop the floor and let it dry. Mop the floor to ensure that all the traces of the stripper are gone and no longer reacting on the floor. Even a “no-rinse” stripper may cause damage. Hence this step is highly recommended. Let the floor dry completely before you wax it.

Waxing

Read and understand the instructions on your wax or finish carefully. Waxes are usually products manufactured from natural substances and are used to seal and protect the floor, while finishes are synthetic (Wax, 2005). There are various varieties of finishes, and they require a particular application.

1. • Polyurethane finishes are one of the most popular. They should be applied quickly by back-and-forth overlapping lines without letting the edge dry, unlike with the wax, where you give it time to dry before applying the next coat.

Use a new, clean mop to apply the wax. Use a brand-new mop to avoid introducing dirt into the new layer of wax or finish. A flat wax applier mop is recommended for this procedure as the wax can be poured directly onto the mesh back of the broom.

Work in an area with good airflow. Make sure all the windows and doors are still open, and fans are still working (Davis, 1993). Finishes are not as harmful as floor stripping solution, but can even cause damage when too many fumes are inhaled.

Fill a lined bucket with wax. Wax is difficult to wash off their it is recommended to line the bucket with a heavy-duty trash bag before pouring the wax into it (Kurtz, 1993). You will need to dip an ordinary mop into the wax solution, but if using a wax applier mop, you will just pour the wax solution directly on the back of the broom.

Apply wax in sections just as done with the stripper solution. By using the wringer of a mop bucket, the mop gets dump with the wax and not soaked (King, 1981). Working in sections, apply a thin layer of the wax slowly and steadily over the floor to ensure that the whole floor gets an even coat—work from the furthest part of the room from the door towards the exit to prevent getting trapped.

Let the wax dry completely. Leave the wax to dry for 30 minutes to 1 hour. If using a fan for sufficient air circulation, the drying up could take less than 30 minutes, but you should not point the fan directly on the floor as it could interfere with the normal wax setting process.

Apply additional layers the same way. You might require to do 2 to 5 coats depending on the instructions given by the manufacturer of the wax or finish you are using. You must ensure that the strides of the mop take the opposite direction of the previous layer to prevent peeling off (Smith & Murphy 1986). Remember to allow each coat to dry up before applying the next layer. Letting each layer to dry completely before applying the following ensures that the wax is even and prevents a build-up of excess wax.

Buff the floor if necessary. Most of the modern waxes and finishes do not need polishing. If the floor looks attractive and glossy and if the label says “no buffing,” then you may skip this step. The floor can be polished using buffing pads and dry terry cloth towels tied around a clean mop and are meant to move in a circular motion over the floor. You can use a burnishing machine for larger spaces to hasten the process.

References

Davis, J. B. (1993). U.S. Patent No. 5,191,002. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

King, V. B. (1981). U.S. Patent No. 4,295,243. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Kurtz, J. (1993). Selecting and maintaining vinyl flooring. Journal of Property Management, 58(4), 37-39.

MacDonald, M., & Milner, D. (1986). Old House Restoration: Floors. Old House Restoration OHR3.

Smith, J. A., & Murphy, B. J. (1986). U.S. Patent No. 4,565,644. Washington, DC: U.S.

Thatcher, D., Haas, C., & Clark, B. (2000). U.S. Patent No. 6,023,813. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Wax, S. U. (2005). Wax. Yedang Entertainment.

Young, D. (2017). U.S. Patent Application No. 15/343,760.