Floor Waxing and Maintinance

[michaelman2]

HI all, when we were rencetly talking about floor polishers I decided to take a look at my kitchen floor.the flooring is black, Armstrong asphalt tiles, like used in commercial, retail installations. I put a high gloss finish on this floor and it looked great but now has a "haze" in the high traffic areas. The first time I waxed this floor I used an old product that I bet many have heard of, "Future". Well it took me hours into the "future" to get this stuff to lift. I used a professional product that according to the seller has more "metal" in the formula. I have a Oreck polisher that I use for buffing other floors. Anyone have a suggestion about removing the haze from the floor with this machine. Or should I strip the floor and re-wax?...thanks!

 

[customline]

When in doubt..........

Sounds like it's ready for a stripping. I would go to a proffessional janitor or restaurant supply store and get some real wax. Then to get that mile deep shine, rent yourself a HIGH SPEED buffer. It spins so fast that it actually heats up the wax, thus creating a terrific shine. Apply the wax with a lambs wool applicator (this will give you a smooth and even application) and make sure the floor is absolutely clean and free of dirt before waxing.

 

[launderess]

Future - Tougher Than Wax

Have vauge memories of "Future" wax from the television commercials and seeing the product on shelves/people's homes.

IIRC Future was not a true wax but some sort of acrylic chemical. It was supposed to be tougher and longer lasting than regular wax (like the Johnson's liquid stuff in a canister most housewives used).

You cannot use a beeswax paste wax over the Future, you are going to have to strip the floor and start from scratch. Back in the days when polishing floors was a regular part of housekeeping, one could tell it was time to strip coats of wax from the floor when it no longer looked shiny after mopping and or reapplying fresh coats of wax.

To remove coats of wax, you are going to need a strong solution of household ammonina and water in a bucket. If mopping with said solution does not do the trick, you'll need some elbow grease and scrub brush. Once all the previous wax is removed, you can apply a fresh coat.

Best of luck,

L>

 

[gansky1]

I use products from Hillyard Supply Co. and have done many resilient tile floors. You first need to strip, I recommend the Power-Strip product, I've had great luck with all kinds of waxes and metal-interlock finishes. Once you have the floor completely stripped, a good washing/rinsing and a sealer is a good idea before applying two or more coats of a "high-solid content" wax.

Good luck -

http://www.hillyard.com/ProductsServices/PSProductsFrame.asp

 

[jmirawm]

Is hiring Gansky to do his floor........

Waiting patiently for the first step......<p>**You first need to strip,**

 

[michaelman2]

Thanks for the info!!..Has anyone heard of a spray or wax in a squirt bottle that you spray on the floor while buffing. It is apparently a form of acrylic that adheres to the original coat?

 

[veg-o-matic]

Closest I can think is a long-discontinued product: Pronto Pushbutton Floor Care. I remember using it in the '60s. Sort of like squirting whipped cream on the floor then mopping it around.

Most likely the inspiration for "Shimmer."

"It's a floor wax!"
"It's a dessert topping!"

veg

 

[Cybrvanr]

On a related note, I was wondering what type of varnish would look best on my red oak hardwood floors. The previous owners used a rather soft varnish that while it looked good for a while, scratched easily. I'm looking for some type of commercial grade varnish that will leave an extremely hard, heavy-duty finish. I am thinking about something that would be used in a school gym, or in some other commercial setting.