1st choice restoration
Member
Doing 5k sqft of new white vct tile. I know it comes with a factory finish but does it really need to be stripped? What happens if you put finish over it? What's ur process for new VCT??
Thank you
Thank you
Does brand new VCT tile really need stripped before applying wax??
- Thread starter 1st choice restoration
- Start date
Lee Stockwell
FOJL
Depends. Adhesive residue needs removed, along with scuffs and such.
I'd use a very mild detergent with 3M surface prep pads.
Pull off residue with new foam squeegees.
I'd use a very mild detergent with 3M surface prep pads.
Pull off residue with new foam squeegees.
Mikey P
Administrator
@dealtimeman knows all and tells all
Lee Stockwell
FOJL
That's why we get the big bux boss
1st choice restoration
Member
Neautral cleaner and black pads?
Lee Stockwell
FOJL
No. Black pads are for heavy wax build up. 3M SPP are made for jobs like yours.
Desk Jockey
Member
We light scrub with neutral cleaner the apply wax. I was going to say fast but nothing is ever fast with VCT. Easy, it's easy work and looks great since it's new.
Yes, scrub the tile with green or blue pads, most tiles made have a spray wax applied at the factory to help it stay nice while its in a building under construction.
scrub with mild cleaner
rinse with clear water
dry
apply 2 coats of floor sealer
apply 4-6 coats of high solids floor finish
whatever finish and sealer you use, read the directions.
some sealer needs to cure for 24 hours.
some floor finish's need burnished after coats are all installed.
burnishing the floor after installation for some finishes helps to cure the finish, however you want to use the pad it recommends as the floor will be in its softest state and probably need a white - champagne colored pad and a 1500-2000 rpm burnisher.
for smoother finish application use a microfiber floor mop with the finish pads.
scrub with mild cleaner
rinse with clear water
dry
apply 2 coats of floor sealer
apply 4-6 coats of high solids floor finish
whatever finish and sealer you use, read the directions.
some sealer needs to cure for 24 hours.
some floor finish's need burnished after coats are all installed.
burnishing the floor after installation for some finishes helps to cure the finish, however you want to use the pad it recommends as the floor will be in its softest state and probably need a white - champagne colored pad and a 1500-2000 rpm burnisher.
for smoother finish application use a microfiber floor mop with the finish pads.
1st choice restoration
Member
Starting it tommorrow and all I have is black pads or red pads. Would it hurt to just use the black pads? Will I actually be able to see when I remove factory finish? I've done plenty of strip and wax jobs just not new vct
dealtimeman
Everyday is Saturday.
Industrial or office?
How clean is it?
How new is it?
If it was installed a few days ago and is very clean(in other words has not been seen heavy traffic traffic, the. Mop some neutral and go to town with the red pads, just take your time.
If it has seen some heavy traffic, then mop on some light degreaser or stripper mixed at 10 percent of recommended strength and hit with blue pads.'
If you don't clean the tile well before applying wax you could encounter several issues including surface tension issues like the wax separating in circles, adhesion or lay issues, and a slue of unforeseables.
Wash the surface well and apply finish to floor, much easier and much quicker Job than stripping.
How clean is it?
How new is it?
If it was installed a few days ago and is very clean(in other words has not been seen heavy traffic traffic, the. Mop some neutral and go to town with the red pads, just take your time.
If it has seen some heavy traffic, then mop on some light degreaser or stripper mixed at 10 percent of recommended strength and hit with blue pads.'
If you don't clean the tile well before applying wax you could encounter several issues including surface tension issues like the wax separating in circles, adhesion or lay issues, and a slue of unforeseables.
Wash the surface well and apply finish to floor, much easier and much quicker Job than stripping.
Last edited:
Mikey P
Administrator
ya see!
1st choice restoration
Member
It's in a church fellowship hall and hallways with some classrooms. Tile was installed over a month ago. It's white tile with brown cove base...
dealtimeman
Everyday is Saturday.
I would light degrease and hit with blue pads or take time with red pads.
If you degrease take ten minutes and rinse with a neutral cleaner before you throw wax or rinse the crap out of the floor.
If you degrease take ten minutes and rinse with a neutral cleaner before you throw wax or rinse the crap out of the floor.
1st choice restoration
Member
Why not use black pads?
Thanks
Thanks
Lee Stockwell
FOJL
Years ago we did use black, and they will work.
However not the best choice.
However not the best choice.
1st choice restoration
Member
Why? Too rough or what?
Lee Stockwell
FOJL
New floor doesn't need to be scarified, scratched.
1st choice restoration
Member
Won't damage the tile though will it?
dealtimeman
Everyday is Saturday.
Won't damage the tile but you will be introducing unnecessary particles( from the back pad and its construction) plus the black pad by design is meant to scratch away slurry while maintaining rigidity made for stripping of floors.
Blue and red pads are softer and work very well where there is no need for a harder or stiffer more rigid pad, AND ACTUALLY COMFORMS BETTER TO THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE FLOOR TO ENSURE A GOOD SCRUBB instead of being so hard and rigid that the highs in the floor will not let area around the high spot get good contact thus poor scrubbing is accomplished in the areas increasing the chances of having problems due to poor floor preparation.
Red pad is the pad for this job.
Blue and red pads are softer and work very well where there is no need for a harder or stiffer more rigid pad, AND ACTUALLY COMFORMS BETTER TO THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE FLOOR TO ENSURE A GOOD SCRUBB instead of being so hard and rigid that the highs in the floor will not let area around the high spot get good contact thus poor scrubbing is accomplished in the areas increasing the chances of having problems due to poor floor preparation.
Red pad is the pad for this job.
One caveat here- Watch out for those RED PADS bleeding on the white tile. It's happened to me before. May not occur at all, but.......
Ray Burnfield
Supportive Member
Use the red pad. Neutral cleaner. Wet scrub.
Doesn't take much scrubbing to prep.
Lay finish
easy peasy
Doesn't take much scrubbing to prep.
Lay finish
easy peasy
Lefty724
Member
I do tons of schools during the summer, all new VCT.
I always use a green pad and neutral cleaner, wet scrub, rinse very well, then apply finish. Easy money....
I always use a green pad and neutral cleaner, wet scrub, rinse very well, then apply finish. Easy money....
you can use black, just make sure you mop up all the black crumbs it will leave behind.
the floor now looks the color its supposed to, but is dull, but once you take that factory spray finish off its going to look chalky. make sure you mop it well, let it dry completely then start with whatever process you decided to go with for finishing the floor.
make sure your floor is always wet and dont dwell to long in one spot
Lee Stockwell
FOJL
Seldom enough...
Bruce Humphrey
Member
I always charge enough or it doesn't get done by me.
Russ T.
Supportive Member
How did it go?
Desk Jockey
Member
$1.00 a foot. We don't do a lot of it, in fact I wish we did less of it but it's usually tired to a regular account.
We've done some for $2.00 but it caked with layers of old wax.
i have 2 pads.....and brushes that re used for stripping
Black for scrubs and for new vct
Red/Grey for cleaning before buffing
No need to carry around 5 different pads....they ALL will leave some trace so dont let that fool you...
What are you using to suck it up???
Like they said be sure to clean it good after...
For me i always used a light mix of stripper, its made for the floors and will rinse off a bit easier then degreaser will.
and yes how did it go??
oh BTW blacks just make everything come off faster as well, no need to heel machine (if a 175) and if on a cimex it blows through pretty fast... AND the light scuffing you are doing to it....I think makes the finish adhere just a bit better... new floors always look different then older ones do when waxing
Black for scrubs and for new vct
Red/Grey for cleaning before buffing
No need to carry around 5 different pads....they ALL will leave some trace so dont let that fool you...
What are you using to suck it up???
Like they said be sure to clean it good after...
For me i always used a light mix of stripper, its made for the floors and will rinse off a bit easier then degreaser will.
and yes how did it go??
oh BTW blacks just make everything come off faster as well, no need to heel machine (if a 175) and if on a cimex it blows through pretty fast... AND the light scuffing you are doing to it....I think makes the finish adhere just a bit better... new floors always look different then older ones do when waxing
