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I run a small carpet cleaning firm and occasionally sand and varnish wood floors for my domestic customers using hire equipment (drum and edge sanders).

However, I have been asked to look at improving a large wooden floor of aprox 70 sq metres in a pub. The floor was only laid 3 months ago but now after Christmas /New year has already lost its bright new look and is looking grubby with ingrained soil. How can I test to see if the boards where sealed. To be honest, I think it would be a huge job for me to sand the wood back to clean and really am looking for a suitable product to clean the floor as best as possible and then re seal.

Any advice greatly apprecaited.

jc

Hi
A few questions before I can give you an answer.
Do you know the type of wood and more importantly the type of finish it was sealed with?
Is the pub willing to close to have the work done or is this area in a side area to the pub which can be closed off? Do you want to sub the work out or do it yourself?
Post a reply and I will help all I can
Regards
TT

Hi TT



Ive seen the floor now (its an unidendified light wood) and it looks to me as though it has been pretreated with some sort of oil based seal. Unfortunately Its out of the question to close the pub and seal off the area and so I have advised the landlord that sanding and resealing is not an option in the few hours that I will have available. I have a Prochem product called Ultrapac Renovate which I believe can be used to clean sealed wood floors do you know of it?
Also would you advise buffing the floor? with rotary pad machine, which I would hire.

Thx jc

Hi JC
Be a little careful here. The product looks fine for Polyurathane sealed floors but if the floor is oiled it could leach the floor of its oil. You may need a specific oiled floor cleaner. Try a test are first.
A slow buffer with a red pad would help scrub the dirt from the surface, you then need to dry the surface to stop the dirt drying back onto the surface.
You then need to decide how to re-finish the surface. If its oil or hard wax oil you need to use an appropriate re-plenisher, check with the product manufacturers like Bona or Osmo.
With a lacquer you can use Polyurathane re-plenishers like Freshen-up or Polish based products.
The application of any top coat finishes is restricted by the drying times, which are in excess of that on offer by the client.
Regards
TT

Thx for the adviceTT. I'm gonna take a rain check here I think. As you say, without specific info its just too risky. I'll see if the landlord can get a manufacturers specification before I go near it.

Cheers jc.

PS Great Site!

Hi TT sorry to trouble you again, I have now found out the floor has a hard wood oak finish with Bourne Seal, does this mean anything to you?

cheers jc.

Hi JC
I need to Phone a friend on this one and get back to you.

Looking at the drying times for Cuprinol Bourne Seal a re-seal is out of the question. My old standby of Bona Polish Remover and a red pad on a buffer would probably be the way to go to give it a thorough clean, but I am not sure the best maintenance product.
Post back tommorow
TT

Hi JC
I would suggest a thorough clean with Bona Polish Remover and a red pad on a buffer, dry the floor with a cloth and then a coat of spray buff polish.
The cleaning is first so you do not seal in the dirt, the polish then adds a small build and a bit of shine back to the surface. This will need to be done a semi regular basis to keep it looking good which is probably something for the pubs contract cleaner not yourself.
Regards
TT