VCT Help

[Steve Manier]

We're going to be doing a large VCT job next week and only have 1 night to do it. The store is set up like a Wal-Mart or Target with about 50k sq. ft.of brand new VCT...The contractor had his guy's do the coating and it still looks pretty good except for the occasional scratch and black mark. The store management wants us to come in the night before the grand opening to sweep, mop, and buff it out...I have never done a large store like this, (Largest is about 15k sq ft) and never been hired to do just a sweep, mop, and buff. I have 1 propane buffer, a small 17 in. auto scrubber, and all the other equipment needed to do smaller VCT jobs. I have "Chimps" and can probably get more equipment if needed.

Please help me with a system and game plan to get it looking it's best in the alloted time which will be sun down to sun up in one night..This is a very imprtant job!...Thanks!

.

 

[RGH269]

I would try and find out what finish was used so an appropriate pad can be used for buffing. Sweep auto scrub with a combo cleaner restorer (Butchers Speedtrack ) is what I use. You can just about bet that there were minimal coats of a cheap finish applied just enough to get by, that is what nearly 20 yrs of doing that type of work tells me. It will probably take two guys several hrs to do the job properly. I say that because it sounds as though your set up is very similar to mine.

 

[D Rice]

Rent one or two big auto scrubbers 24" to 32" it will speed thing up greatly. They will probably drop them off for you.

 

[Jeremy]

A big dust mop and auto scrubber would be nice... Also a 27" burnisher would help a ton & don't forget to put up your wet floor signs.

Start with the dust mop case it with the auto scrubber whilesomeone goes around with a tennis ball on a stick to get up the heel marks. Thenc once the auto scrubber has a decent section completed chase it with the burnisher. Just remember the auto scrubber is going to be the slow part of the process so you'll want to keep it running. Know where the water & the drain is and make sure the batteries are fully charged at the start of the job. Put the machine on the charger at every break... Anything you can do to keep that scubber going is going to pay off...

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[floorguy]

they do realize that 1 buffing after a few coats of who knows what finish, isnt going to make it all bling blingy ...right???

Yes the autoscrubber is the slow part so i would try to rent one..the 17" will take you HOURS on that thing....

how big is your propane??? on one of that size you will need a few pads to switch out as you go...

lets see on one i did that was almost 60k...we had 2 24" autos, and 2 24", 1 27" buffers, and took us 2-3 hrs....that was with 3 guys playing "leap frog"

so here it is pay attention Iseeru Iseeru Iseeru Iseeru

1 guy gets the machines set up and filled, then if needed walks around checking for things to scrape

the other 2 guys start to dust mop...36" is the perfect size.....after it is 1/3-1/2 swept one guy breaks off and starts autoscrubbing... if you rent one (meaning you have 2) then the guy scraping should be ready to run the other 1...

while those 2 are scrubbing, the guy dust mopping should be about done...and he goes and starts buffing....remember the slower you walk the slightly better the shine...SLIGHTLY better newer pad switch outs works about as well....

as Jeremy stated remember where the water is, and work out and around from it...that way the buffer doesnt cross dirty areas, and the autos dont cross buffed areas...

This method was an every night janitorial acct...SOOOOO we could fly buffing..

As i stated in the 1st.....IT IS NOT GOING TO LOOK LIKE A STORE THAT HAS BEEN WORKED ON FOR A FEW MTHS.... make sure they understand this

and if there has been construction work going on, then the nicks are going to be just that NICKS...meaning dings and scratches

 

[Shane Deubell]

We're going to be doing a large VCT job next week and only have 1 night to do it. The store is set up like a Wal-Mart or Target with about 50k sq. ft.of brand new VCT...The contractor had his guy's do the coating and it still looks pretty good except for the occasional scratch and black mark. The store management wants us to come in the night before the grand opening to sweep, mop, and buff it out...I have never done a large store like this, (Largest is about 15k sq ft) and never been hired to do just a sweep, mop, and buff. I have 1 propane buffer, a small 17 in. auto scrubber, and all the other equipment needed to do smaller VCT jobs. I have "Chimps" and can probably get more equipment if needed.

Please help me with a system and game plan to get it looking it's best in the alloted time which will be sun down to sun up in one night..This is a very imprtant job!...Thanks!

.

I would max out each variable, treated dust mops ,then autoscrubber with light pads filled with a restorer, followed by spray buff with Top Guard with propane buffer, then treated dust mops real quick to pick up dust kicked around.

This would be a premium service though, cutting it close with 1 set up.

Top Guard misted before a propane buffer is pretty sick.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

We rolled into a 40k Kmart in Indiana with two big A-L autoscrubbers and a NSS propane buffer a few decades ago(edit:1980). There was so much stock and rackage that the autoscrubbers were nearly useless. Worked 20 hours straight to finish it. Ugh!!!

 

[Steve Manier]

Thanks guys...Great info!
I went by there earlier this week...The contactor had his guys there doing a second scrub and re coat...They are using Hillyard "Tuff Stuff" and said they're putting down 4 coats each time...The floor actually looked pretty good but heres the funny thing...The 2 lil old guys and their grandson were doing it...I asked them how long it took them and they said 2 WEEK EACH TIME! :shock: ...Their equipment was a joke for a job this size...They were doing it in small sections with a small electric 175 and the smallest electric auto scrubber I have ever seen...These poor guys looked beat but the floor actually looks great except for the few scratches and black marks....The only thing going on in there now is stalking but I know that in itself can beat a floor up...Oh, they also tried to tell me that the wax cost them 40 bux a gallon wich I know is BS because I have bought the same stuff for around 25 a gallon, and It's no better than the Hillyard Exploror we use now for less than 15 a gallon.

The possible good news is that the store management went out and bought a brand spankin new Clark ride on auto scrubber and a ride on burnisher and a walk behind auto scrubber, etc, etc, (about 50k or more in equipment), just for this store, courtesy of your federal tax dollars! shiteatinggrin...This will be for the stores regular cleaning crew to use... I am trying to get them to let us use it and "They will get back to me", but the problem is I have never ran this kind of stuff...I'm sure it's not to difficult... hey Marty, blow me ... Job is on wednesday so I should know on Monday... I may just have to rent another auto scrubber and propane buffer...No biggy! Should be an interesting job!...Thanks again!

 

[floorguy]

why would you want treated dust mops???

nothing like leaving a little film...

 

[dealtimeman]

I agree, don't use treated dust mops. It will be a simple job just time consuming.


Do they want you to scrubb and recoating any trouble areas?

 

[Steve Manier]

Yeah, I have never used a treated dustmop...Hey, when buffing, would you use a spray system or just put it in the auto scrubber and mop bucket and buff afterwards? Buffing cleaner or a neutral cleaner?

 

[Steve Manier]

I agree, don't use treated dust mops. It will be a simple job just time consuming.


Do they want you to scrubb and recoating any trouble areas?

No, they insist that it will only be a clean and buff.