Sealing your hard floors with a quality polish significantly extends the lifecycle of flooring materials.
Acting as a transparent barrier on the surface of the flooring material, a good quality sealant reduces direct contact with the floor, thus reducing damage caused by wear and tear. Materials that may be susceptible to water or weather damage can be made more resilient with a weatherproof sealant.
Those familiar with sealing floors may also be familiar with stripping them. Here are four reasons why it’s a great idea to make floor stripping and re-sealing a part of your long-term floor maintenance plan.
- Extend the life of your floor
The most damage to a floor is done to the top layer. In the case of a sealed floor, this means the layers of polish protecting the floor material. Polish may become brittle, dirty, or discoloured over time. It may wear down and expose the floor to direct damage, or cracks in aged polish may allow dirt or water to sink beneath the protective layer and damage the floor materials underneath. By regularly stripping back the existing polish and applying a fresh, stronger coat, the flooring materials will degrade slower and require less maintenance over time. - Remove unsightly marks on the surface layer
Polish is cheaper and easier to replace than flooring material, so it makes sense that the polish layer is designed to absorb marks and damage that might otherwise harm your floor. However, accumulated marks, stains, and discolouration in aging polish can start to look dirty even when the floor is clean. Dirt can become lodged in fine cracks in the sealant making it impossible to achieve a sparkling finish. The top layer of polish may also be scuffed where items have been dragged across the floor. Removing the old polish and applying a fresh coat gets rid of those irritating and unsightly marks. - Create a newer, safer finish
Your floor may have become more hazardous as the polish ages. The surface may have lost grip as the polish accumulates damage. Flooring material may be exposed where the polish has been worn down completely. Stripping back the polish and applying a fresh, even coat will improve safety. Look for a floor sealer that is anti-slip in both wet and dry conditions. - Bring back that day-one shine
Areas that are high-traffic degrade faster than low-traffic areas, resulting in a patchy appearance where the polish is more worn in some areas than in others. Cleanliness, and the appearance of cleanliness, is a major factor in how a client or customer views a business. Remember: clients will not shop or stay somewhere they believe is dirty! Polish that has been worn and aged is harder to clean and never quite achieves the same level of shine it used to have. Stripping and resealing the floor with a fresh coat dramatically improves the appearance of a floor, ensuring your customers are impressed every time they visit.
In short, a floor sealer is a great way to extend the life of your flooring materials. The cost of maintaining the polish layer is significantly less than if a full replacement of the floor was required every time the floor becomes dull or damaged. To keep your floor at optimum condition, regular stripping and reapplying of the polish layers is advised.
