Flooring Insurance

I ran into this company in Vegas at the World of Concrete. Ram Board. It seems that this product is always needed when it’s needed. No one seems to think about ordering a product like this ahead of time.

It doesn’t matter what kind of flooring is put down in a construction project there will always be contractors doing finish work after a floor is put in. Lighting, painting, signs whatever. Contractors want to do their job and if you don’t protect yours too bad.

If a floor is not protected it will get damaged. It’s going to cost someone and I’ve never seen the client eat a contractors mistake.

Whether you’re the client, general Contractor or sub bookmark this company. Ramboard

Cleaning Concrete

The photo above shows the results of cleaning concrete with Surface Gel Teks gelled acid called HD24.

The project was a 40,000 square foot concrete slab located at a marina in Baltimore Maryland. The concrete had years of dirt, rust and algae build up. They had tried numerous products without satisfactory results before they used the HD24 gelled acid.

All Surface Gel Teks gelled acids are ASTM (American Society of Testing Methods) certified. The acids are water soluble and environmentally friendly.

The acids pull all kinds of contaminents out of the concrete and the gel works as a carrier. I’ve personally used the product to clean an area of concrete that was literally black from years of algae buildup to the appearance of new. Then I sealed the surface. Three years later the concrete looks new.

The gelled acids can be used vertically and even overhead. The gels enable control of the acids on any surface. Contact Tamryn at Surface Gel Tek for more information about cleaning concrete surfaces.

About a year ago I put together this research report about maintaining decorative concrete floors.

I spent a lot of time discussing the technical aspects of maintenance with the folks at Formula Tecnologies. When decorative concrete floors are properly maintained they will last indefinately.

Floors like these above with proper maintence will actually get better over time. However with the wrong cleaning system and wrong products these floors can be shot in 6 months.

I’ve heard bad stories about excessive wear of decorative concrete (and other floors). It’s always a case of using the wrong products and wrong systems. I also have a sales program where an idividual can earn $500,000.00 selling these products if interested.

Worlds Best Decorative Concrete Floor Finish

How To Maintain A Decorative Concrete Floor

Residential homes require minimal maintenance due to the low amount of foot traffic. As a precaution against wear and tear put a floor mat at doorways, bottom of stairs and entrances to your home.

Dry mop with a microfober mop and occasionally clean with mild cleaning agents. Do not use amonia or vinegar. If you have access to a high speed burnisher (1500-2000 RPM) you can burnish with a white or champagne pad. Do not use 175 RPM machines. Ideal cleaning products are Lemonworks, Pine Valley or Freshworks. Garage floor paint and epoxies can be cleaned with Orangeworks which removes petroleum oils and black marks from tires.

Commercial Floors

Commercial floors like retail stores, restaurants, hair salons, medical facilities, hotels require easy but proper maintenance systems.

If you notice at Walmart, Target or many large grocery stores you will see clean shiny floors. The reason is use of proper products and maintenance systems. Large retailers are very image and cost conscious. They take care of their floors. It’s too costly to shut down to repair floors so they do it it right.

I have spoken to many contractors who have told me about clients discontent with decorative concrete floors. The fact is they don’t use the right cleaning products or systems. It’s actually quite easy and inexpensive. The proper maintence system and products will enhance the appearance indefinately.

Sealers

Start with a 2 coat floor sealing system. Fisrt 2 coats are coated with Intersealer an 18% solids co-polymer. The next 2 coats are with Accelerator a zinc cross linked 30% solids sealer. The zinc enables the floor sealer to be stripped. Accelerator is an amazing floor finish. Advanced applicators swear by it.

After initial application Accelerator can be burnished with a hogs hair pad. Subsequent burnishings use a soft pad like a white or champagne pad.

The process of maintaining the Accelerator is daily cleaning with an everday cleaner like Pine Valley, Lemonworks or Freshworks. A stronger cleaner like Waterworks works well for high traffic retail floors with improved performance from regular burnishing.

Other specific cleaners are Orangeworks a great grease remover from restaurant floors. When grease is tracked through a restaurant from the kitchen improper cleaning is going to smear the grease having a negative aesthetic result and expensive remediation.

Hair Salons have a differnt cleaning requirement due to hairsprays which get tracked throughout. The result is a slippery floor with a smeared effect. Reworks has unique properties for removing the hairsprays and Gripshine restores the floor and ads a non-slip result.

Other use-specific products are Bionix which kills bad bacteria in bathrooms, kitchens, stoves, bar areas, groutlines, wall switches and doorknobs. FixIt neutralizes corrosive salts in winter climates and Yellowout which removes asphalt marks from hot parking lots.

Scrub and Recoat

When floors will lose their luster due to foot traffic and Micro scratches prevent light reflection it’s time to strip the top layer of the floor finish and add 2 new coats. Formula Technologies has a mild stripper that removes only the top layer of Accelerator leaving 1 coat. Then recoat with 2 new coats of Accelerator. Now there are 3 coats, better than what you started with. As needed over time, remove 1 coat then add 2. Grocrey stores and restaurants may need the scrub and recoat process every 6-12 weeks. A fairly simple job but necessary.

Cleaners

Most of Formula Tech cleaners retail for about $24.95 per gallon. They make about 100 gallons each when mixed with water. There is a misconception that using more cleaner will work better. It’s actually the other way. If you use the right cleaner it will break down the grease, dirt, hairsprays and the water washes it away. Using too much cleaner will create a haze that is tough to remove. The haze traps dirt. Here is a summary.

• Freshworks, Lemonworks, Pine Valley – daily cleaners
• Waterworks – stronger than above cleaners, recommended for retail stores, restaurants, grocery stores, office buildings, hospitals and more
• Reworks – for hair salons and other floors. Sometimes you need a little trial and error to find right cleaner.
• Gripshine – great for restoring shine and adding a non slip finish over Reworks and other cleaners
• Orangeworks – Ideal for removing grease from restaurant floors. Can be a bit harsh for everyday use. Use 2-3 times per week. Try Waterworks or a mild everyday cleaner in between.
• Bionix – ideal for bathrooms, kitchens , bar areas in Restaurants, locker rooms, cafeterias.
• Yellow Out – Removes asphalt marks tracked in from parking lots.
• FixIt – Neutralizes corrosive salts.
• Turbo Force – Mild stripper for scrub & recoat system.

To give you an idea of price of cleaners for a 1500 square foot restaurant . 5 gallons of water with 5 capfulls of cleaner per day. That means 1 gallon of cleaner every 20 days-18 gallons per year $450.00. Scrub & Recoat twice per year, about 5 gallons of Accelerator, $200.00, Turboforce Stripper $35.00 and 3 gallons of Bionix $105.00. The total is $795.00. Cost is about 50 cents per square foot per year.

There are 2 great businesses with this system product sales and maintenance business. You can contact me to learn about these. Read www.contractors-guide.com first.

By the way if you want to learn about burnishing watch this Bob Harris video here

1. Mops – Microfiber mops with a heavy pad are an excellent tool for dry or wet mopping decorative concrete floors. Use for both residential and commercial floors. Rayon mop heads work well with cleaning products. Should I mention a bucket?

2. Burnisher – High speed electric burnishers with 1500 – 2000 RPMs work great on High Solids floor finishes. They cost about $700-$1,000 and are a worthwhile investment. They are easy to use and quiet. In most cases you will use a soft pad like a white or champagne (green) . There are numerous brands on the market. Here is a picture of a model manufactured by Mercury Floor Machines.

3. Pads – check with the manufacturrer of your floor finish. If you use Accelerator by Formula Technologies you can use a brown Hogs Hair Pad after the first application and then swithch to the soft pads after that. Pads shown are from 3M

4. Floor Scrubbers – for larger floors it might be a good idea to get a floor scrubber for cleaning your floor. Here is a model manufactured by Mercury Floor Machines.

The key is to maintain your concrete floor finishes and sealers. All floors will wear down. The wear is due to foot traffic and frequently using the wrong products and methods for maintenance.

Residential floors have minimal foot traffic and require little maintenence other than occasional dry mopping with a heavy microfiber mop or neutral cleaner like Lemonworks.

Retail and Restaurant floors need the wax or finish coat to protect the sealed decorative floor. Even with all the proper cleaning any finish coat will wear and get scratched. Most scratches are too small to see unless you get down close. Dirt, dust, sand etc. eventually gets in the scratches and stops light reflection.

If you look at the picture below you will see the difference between a new coat and unsealed coat. When your floor loses the shine the best solution is what is called the Scrub & Recoat Process. The finished part is the look you want to maintain

Scrub & Recoat is the process of using a mild floor wax or finish stripper to remove just the top layer and then reapply 2 coats of finish like Acclerator. Accelerator is a high solids (30%) finish. When your floor is new 2 coats of Accelerator or other high solids finish coat is applied. The Scrub part removes 1 coat, then recoat with 2 coats. You now have 3 coats. If you stick with this system, over time you will build up the floor finish creating a highly durable more visibly appealing floor.

The frequency of the Scrub & Recoat process depends on the wear. In a high traffic grocery store it could be every 6-8 months. Some floors every 3-4 years depending on well it is cleaned. Typically the highest wear and tear is at entrances where grit is tracked onto a floor.

The process is simple and inexpensive. I’m familiar with Formula Technologies products so I’ll reference their products. I’m sure there are many others.

Formula Technologies has a mild stripper called TurboForce. If you have a floor scrubber mix about 2 ounces of Turboforce with a gallon of water and apply to floor. If you have a smaller area you can mop on adding about 4 ounces per gallon of water. Let sit for about 10 minutes and clean from floor with a squeegy and wet vac. You know you’ve correctly removed to the top layer when floor loses shine and gets dull.

The beauty of Accelerator is that it can be burnished regularly and will protect the sealer below. A lot of decorative concrete contractors like using Urethanes because they are tough. However if they get scratched they can’t be fixed. If you apply Accelerator you will protect the Urethane or whatever type of sealer is applied.

In my next post I will review some of the cleaning paraphernalia you need including floor machines and mops.

Decorative concrete has become a critical part of restaurant floor plans. Architects worldwide are projecting restaurant interior design with stains, overlays and polished concrete. If you don’t maintain your floor correctly it will cost you a lot of $$$. So read on.

The battle is against heavy abuse. Lots of foot traffic, chairs and barstools sliding on the floor, food grease, alcohol, citrus acids. Floors take it hard.

Start with Floor Mats. Floor mats at the entrance are a must. Floor mats at the kitchen entrance also a must. Grease tracked all over from the kitchen is the biggest floor crusher I have seen.

I have seen numerous restaurants ruin their floors because they didn’t pay attention. Maybe they thought concrete is industructable. Maybe they just weren’t thinking about their floor until it was too late.

Let me enlighten you about maintaining concrete floors. First before you make your plans think about maintenance. (And if you’re an architect make sure you understand the product). If you’re not going to maintain your new floor with the right systems and products then stop right now and don’t even consider concrete. Don’t give the product a bad reputation. Go trash some other floor. Seriously. I get the phone calls. Restauranteurs call complaining about how the floor isn’t wearing well. When I ask them how they are maintaining the floor …. well they did it wrong and ruined the floor. So what do you do?

Well, the good news is that it is inexpensive and cleaning systems are easy. It’s all about the system. If you deviate from the system then you have problems. Maintenance must be like clockwork. There are no shortcuts no matter what kind of floor. Systems, systems, systems!

What I am explaining to you I learned over the course of a year from Formula Technologies. They make about 30 floor cleaning products. All have specific uses.

Let’s start with Bionix. I did a review (in review category) of Bionix if you want more info. Bionix kills bacteria. Use it to clean bathrooms, wipe on doorhandles, sink faucets, bar tops, backs of chairs. Use it to clean groutlines and along edges of walls, or anything on the floor. Bionix is highly concentrated. Mix 1-2 ounces with a gallon of water. Ends up costing about 35 cents per gallon.

Orangeworks is a food degreaser. This is what you use to clean the food grease off your floor. Use it once or twice a week as needed. It’s too abrasive for daily use. Use waterworks daily. About 25 cents per gallon. Product comes in gallon containers. 1 ounce is mixed with 1 gallon of water. The biggest mistake most people make is thinbking if they use more product it will clean better. Not true. Too much cleaning solvent and you get a haze on the floor. Orangeworks breaks down the grease and the water is a carrier.

After the floor is cleaned with Orangeworks you can mop on Grishine which is a floor restorer and gives a polished finish. Gripshine can be burnished with a high speed buffer, 1500 – 2,000 RPM machine with a soft pad.

I’ll get into Floor machines and pads in an upcoming post so stay tuned.

Thats the sytem. Simple don’t you think? I’m going to be talking about sealers and waxes so come back and read more.

Thanks to Colormaker Floors for the photo below. Thats a Wholefoods Store with Pentimento Overlay stained with Patinaetch and Someru Dyes. Wholefoods is a pro at maintenance. Their floors look great always.

There are a lot of cleaning products on the market. Some work great but some don’t. I’m always hearing from retailers who like thier decorative concrete floors and others who are dissappointed with how the floors wear.

The disappointed ones don’t maintain their floors properly. They use the wrong products, wrong systems and are quick to blame the contractor, manufacturer or whoever.

Retailers in main street retail or strip centers have a few enemies to deal with.

1. Asphalt marks - When parking lots get hot especially in southern climates asphalt gets tracked in and stuck to the floor. Petroleum oils from the asphalt will also get tracked onto the floor. There are specific cleaners such as Yellow Out manufactured by Formula Technologies that cure this problem. Use of the wrong products will damage the floor.

2. Corrosive salts – This is a winter problem. Not just for decorative concrete. When salts are spread on sidewalks and tracked inside they start ruining floors. I’m sure there are others but I do know that Fix It was engineered for this purpose. The ingredients in FixIt neutralize the salts, water carries it away. If you get salts on your floor during the winter it will ruin your floors. Take care of your floor.

3. Abrasion - every floor has this issue. Sand and dirt get on the bottom of shoes and become walking sandpaper. A strong daily cleaner will get the dirt out of small scratches. Waterworks does the job. I’ve used it. I never thought it would matter but it does. If you’ve spent the money on a nice decorative concrete floor take care of it.

A retail store on street level will require more maintenance than in a mall for obvious reasons, like weather. In a mall most wear and tear will be at the entrance. By the time foot traffic reaches the stores shoes are fairly clean.

What you need to do is protect your finish coat. Once your finish coat loses it’s shine it’s time for a scrub and recoat. If unfamiliar with the scrub and recoat process come back in a few days. I’m going to do a post about the scrub and recoat process and the various cleaning paraphernalia you need.

Special thanks to Anton Vogt of Concrete Artisan Systems Vancouver BC for the picture below of what a well maintained floor looks like. Concrete Artisan Systems specializes in interior decorative concrete applications and consulting for retailers and restaurants nationwide. Anton’s years of concrete artistry and experience has enabled him to build an extensive network serving his clients nationwide.

About a month after the salon opened the floor started to get this smeared look and got slippery. The reason was the hair sprays that got on the floor. Then the hair sprays were tracked all over the salon.

It turns out that there are specific cleaners for different cleaning. Most of us think that if it’s blue and is soapy thats the way to clean. Not so. The solution for the hair salon was a combination of a product called Reworks which cleans the hair sprays off the floor and Gripshine which restores the floor shine with a non-slip bonus.

The process of hair salon design as with many commercial spaces overlooks the floor ’til the end as if it doesn’t matter. Floors should be the first consideration with all design. Maintenance is part of the design process. Fortunately Rita hazan Hair Salon was able to find the perfect solution. Many others are not so fortunate and pay a hefty price.

If you are looking for a high end decorative concrete finish there are few concrete artisans with the talent of Paul Huneck. Paul mainly works on projects in New York City but does travel nationwide with his network of concrete artisans. Paul can be reached at 646-645-4043 or click this link to view his impressive works. Hudson Concrete

Thanks Paul for sharing this image.

So I thought maybe I would do a series about products to use and systems for maintaining decorative concrete floor coatings.

First – it is a lot cheaper to do proper floor maintenance than to do it wrong. However most people do it wrong, I guess it’s a boring subject so no one pays attention until it’s too late. Then they start blaming people like the installer or manufacturer.

The area that needs the most education about maintenance is the smaller floors 1000 square feet to 4000 square feet. These size floors are the bread and butter for the decorative concrete overlay market, mainly retailers, restaurants and hair salons.

I took the picture below of a Starbucks. They have a rubber mat outside then a carpet inside. I heard somewhere that 70% of all dirt and sand come off shoes in the first 2 steps. based on Starbucks strategy that must be true.

Starbucks has their systems down and they are the typical size about 2000 square feet give or take a few hundred feet. They know that shuffling feet can be like sandpaper on a floor. Each store is a cash register so they look at everything from an income and expense perspective.

So start with floor mats and area rugs. Put them at doorways and stairs. Floors get a lot of wear at cash registers or other places where people stop. It’s the constant friction and abrasion that wears a floor.

It’s easy and inexpensive to maintain floors properly. Hopefully this series on floor maintenace reaches you. It will save you a lot of money.

The pool was in a beautiful field house. Terrazzo flooring in the lobby and stairway leading to gym with indoor track and pool.

As soon as I enetered the pool area I naturally look at the concrete. Wow. Great facility, 8 lane pool, nice bleachers. Bad concrete. They never did anything with the concrete, not even seal it. It’s dirty, I could feel the grit under my feet.

When I sat down I could see stains from sodas or whatever. All the little kids at the meet are eating muffins, chips, sandwiches and getting crumbs on the floor. All the feet walking around are grinding it into the porous concrete. Not healthy and impossible to clean.

I wonder why they built this great facility and never did anything with the concrete. I’m sure it’s tough to clean. Unsealed concrete is going to fight the cleaning mops and use a huge amount of cleaners.

I see this everywhere. There are many cost effective solutions for concrete resurfacing. Even just basic concrete sealers will make concrete last longer and be much cleaner and healthier. The ease of maintenance, labor and cleaning product savings will make up for the cost of a new coating. It makes for a much more positive environment and that can only add value.

Whether its school bleachers, a basement, store or restaurant there is no reason that concrete floors should be not taken care of.

Take a look at the solutions at Decorative Concrete Kits, maybe you’ll get a few ideas.