anyone else had this happen???

[sassyotto]

I have cleaned carpet for over 30 years. Ive been using 2 inch Scotch Blue painters tape on hardwood floors that abut the carpet Im cleaning. Usually I then lay carpet samples over the painters tape for good measure to protect the wood floor.

Cleaned for a new customer that had a 20 foot area that had to be taped. Didnt have enough carpet samples to fill that length so I double taped it (two widths) and laid what carpet samples I had.

Customer calls me back to say that there is damage to the wood floor. I go to inspect it and there are 4 - 5 areas that are about 3 inches long where there seems that the finish was removed. They are located in the areas where I had taped the floor and seem to be the width of the tape. House is 16 years old

I have NEVER had this happen before and tape wood floors on a daily basis.

Can anyone tell me what possibly happened?

 

[hogjowl]

The tape pulled the finish off
Duh

 

[Lee Stockwell]

It will usually buff out.

 

[sassyotto]

I probably will have to have my insurance company take care of it but I guess I dont know too much about finishes - are there good and bad?

the customer had me clean the carpet prior to moving in so maybe the sellers had the floor refinished. That is something I will need to find out.

Just trying to find out why so I can avoid this in the future.

I will try to get pictures....

 

[Lee Stockwell]

1500 rpm buffer with 3M 3300 pad.

poof!

 

[Dolly Llama]

are there good and bad?

yes there are
But I don't know of any that are so crappy painters tape would pull the finish

I think it possible the tape pulled dirt off the surface of a dirty mop water cleaning job

did you try to do anything with them?
Like wiping with a a damp MF towel?


..LT.A.

 

[Mikey P]

I'm not sure what shocks me more that you would take the time and trouble to do this when you could just throw down some waterproof tarping like us normal people use or the fact that it took 30 years the f****** a floor the more than likely you f***** up many this is just the first time it's gotten noticed call John Olson and get some of the waterproof runners 4 ft x 100 and quit d****** around with blue tape I have a marry bed bug Christmas

 

[Sierra Clean Care]

Or, just use a rag and give the edge a wipe after you clean near the transition?
Tape? Really? EVERYTIME? My gawd, and you people think I over complicate things!!!!

 

[Cleanworks]

Canvas tarps work well.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I'll try what he's drinking.

 

[Nomad74]

Not going to dog pile on you for this or your technique. Sorry that happened to you.

 

[Fat Mike]

Not going to dog pile on you for this or your technique. Sorry that happened to you.

Very generous of you.

 

[Old Coastie]

The floor has some topical finish on it. Your tape pulled some of it loose. That’s all. Ask what they used, do a good top scrub and apply their stuff again. It will look dandy.

 

[Dolly Llama]

blue painters tape is made to release easier than regular masking tape ..it isn't all that sticky
If it pulled finish off, the topical finish was laid over layer of dust or uncompatible surface .

I s'pose that's possible
otherwise.....it don't make sense

.LTA.

 

[BIG WOOD]

That's impossible to pull off the original polyurethaning floor finish with just masking tape. I agree with the posts above that it's either just dirt or it's a cheap topical finish that was just applied recently like Bona or Rejuvenate, which you can fix yourself.

 

[steve_64]

blue painters tape is made to release easier than regular masking tape ..it isn't all that sticky
If it pulled finish off, the topical finish was laid over layer of dust or uncompatible surface .

I s'pose that's possible
otherwise.....it don't make sense

.LTA.

It just took the shine off. A new finish that is glossy will dull easily. Just polish area with a micro fiber rag. The shine shoukd come right back. Maybe a little pledge would help.

 

[Dolly Llama]

or it's a cheap topical finish that was just applied recently

AH!! good call, Woody .
They just bought the joint, possible something was done the day before and "whatever" they used was dry, but hadn't fully cured yet

regardless, Paul's on the hook.

and don't want to jump on you like some half drunk budding redneck did..
BUTTT....masking hard surfaces traditions?

what juices are you using that drop/runners and microfiber towels won't do?
do you use a glided wand that scratching has all but been eliminate



it's your dog 'n pony show , do it the way you doit.
but with runners and MF towels .....as long as you're able to not pee all over the toilet seat...sure is less time, trouble and expense for same show you care

Just trying to find out why so I can avoid this in the future.

see my last comment

..LT.A.

 

[Jimmy L]

What?

Are you Joe Biden's son?

 

[Dolly Llama]

It just took the shine off. A new finish that is glossy will dull easily. Just polish area with a micro fiber rag. The shine shoukd come right back. Maybe a little pledge would help.

could be Steveo and that's what we hope and why I asked if toweled it or just looked at

looks like only a few spots were jack'd by the tape and not all of it though


"there are 4 - 5 areas that are about 3 inches long"
[where tape was]

gets the Magic Ball thinking poor prep and/or finish not applied to specs....or both



LTA.

 

[Nomad74]

That's impossible to pull off the original polyurethaning floor finish with just masking tape. I agree with the posts above that it's either just dirt or it's a cheap topical finish that was just applied recently like Bona or Rejuvenate, which you can fix yourself.

Tell that to a customer that thinks it's your fault.

Like when you clean a carpet and it gets all bubbly and wrinkly and they blame you.

 

[Papa John]

Blue Tape Quality has gone downhill!

Green Frog tape is the new King.

But being careful and a quick wipe down would be smarter and quicker.

 

[Cleanworks]

Tell that to a customer that thinks it's your fault.

Like when you clean a carpet and it gets all bubbly and wrinkly and they blame you.

I have no problem doing that.

 

[Jimmy L]

Simple wipe down for me

 

[steve_64]

could be Steveo and that's what we hope and why I asked if toweled it or just looked at

looks like only a few spots were jack'd by the tape and not all of it though


"there are 4 - 5 areas that are about 3 inches long"
[where tape was]

gets the Magic Ball thinking poor prep and/or finish not applied to specs....or both



LTA.

Polyurethane takes forever to cure properly. Even then it's a soft finish. It could have been done properly and still cause an issue.
I'm no expert of course but have used it quite a bit. If he didn't feel the finish on the tape as he pulled it off and I'm sure he would have because he dies it all the time my guess is it just dulled the finish. It's not the other contractors fault unless the finish adhered to the tape.
I try not to blame others for my problems. The customer doesn't want to hear it's not my fault.
Just wiping won't fix it. It needs to be buffed back to a shine and blended to match the original finish. A car buffer would probably be easier than buffing the whole floor out but if that's what it would take to make the customer happy then buff it all. It will harden the soft finish also.

I didn't see any pictures.

 

[sassyotto]

heres pictures. Talked to lady and she knows the seller so she called him and he has not done anything to the floors since the house was new.

Anyway to explain why I use the tape is
1. protects the finish from overspray (which can be done with other things politely suggested above
2. More importantly, carpet is a soft surface and soil first starts to build up where? Going from hard surface floors to carpet! So where is carpet show the heaviest soiling? In track off areas (I learned that in an IICRC class) So when I run the Brush Pro I can safely clean right up to the edge (evven over the edge as its protected by the tape) without worrying about the brushes putting prespray onto the hardwood finish! This is something a tarp cannot do as it would get caught in the CRB.

after further research, I should be using Scotch DELICATE SURFACE tape not the regular Blue.

The area affected has a rough feel to it. Not sure a microfiber would fix it.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Are you certain that’s not just the adhesive from the tape?

 

[Cleanworks]

In the first pic, it looks like the floor was wet. I see the tape outline but the wood is darker near the carpet. Although your theory sounds good, you may be getting too aggressive because you think you protected the floor. I don't think the tape is waterproof. Leaving wet tape on the floor until you finish the job might not be a good idea. Using a glided wand, I just vacuum up any overspray as it happens. I haven't had any issues yet.

 

[Dolly Llama]

looks like tape residue to me
by chance, did any solution migrate under the tape?

L.T.A.

 

[FredC]

last pic looks like the finish was actually pulled off

 

[Sierra Clean Care]

Or, just use a rag and give the edge a wipe after you clean near the transition?
Tape? Really? EVERYTIME? My gawd, and you people think I over complicate things!!!!

This...
I think we all try to do the best job we can...
I’m guilty of going down the rabbit hole, and being to set in our ways simply to look around and realize there often is a simple solution to our SEEMINGLY complex problems.... it’s a subconscious, neurotic thing....