Rinse Floors With A Neutralizer Before Applying Finish

This is the final installment of a four-pronged approach to winning a flooring bid.

A reader comments: "I have an opportunity to strip and wax about 1,975 square feet of VCT (vinyl composite tile) at a church. Can you recommend the best way to bid this job and do the work?"

I am making recommendations based on the tools you have on hand and not necessarily best practices. As to pricing we have determined the total number of labor hours plus overhead plus supplies to arrive at a quote. Since this is a relatively small job, it may not be appropriate to quote $ X.00/square foot.

At this stage, we have successfully stripped the floor (one section at a time), rinsed it with a neutralizer to allow the finish to adhere better and using the dedicated rinse mop, rinsed it at least two more times. Many old timers will wipe their hand across the surface and if they pick up any residue on their hand, they will rinse again with a clean mop. It is very important NOT to proceed with applying floor finish until ALL old finish has been successfully removed and the neutralized surface has had time to totally dry out. Applying floor finish on a floor that may have any residue is a recipe for re-work. A simple visual inspection in bright light will determine if there is any wax residue still needs to be removed.

Once the floor is ready for finish, the rinsed out mop bucket (and thoroughly rinsed squeegee) are ready to put in a plastic trash liner to protect the finish. Pour only enough finish to get the finish mop head wet since it may be necessary to dump the residue and start fresh if you pick up hair or other foreign matter. Starting at a far corner, apply the first coat 6-9 inches away from the baseboard. After sufficient drying time, apply the second and third coats following the same pattern. Assuming we are applying three coats, apply the fourth coat up to the baseboards without getting them wet with finish.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.