| Problem |
Most Common Causes |
Solution |
| Poor Gloss |
Insufficient coats applied or recoat schedule off |
Scrub, rinse, and apply additional coats (maintain 4 to 6 coats) |
|
Thin coats of finish |
Apply in medium to full coats; avoid wrung-out mops |
|
Wrong scrubbing or buffing pads/brushes used (usually too aggressive) |
Use red or green pads for routine scrubbing; blue or black pads for deep scrubbing; approved pads or brushes for buffing; on uneven floors use an appropriate brush |
|
Excessive amount of sand and grit on floor |
Use approved mats, dust mop frequently, and remove grit outside doors |
|
Floor not properly rinsed before recoat |
Strip, rinse well, and apply new finish |
| Streaks in Finish |
Recoating too soon before prior coat has dried |
Strip, rinse, and reapply; with most finishes, allow at least 15 minutes after finish is dry to the touch before recoating—do not recoat if mop drags |
|
Floor finish applied over factory finish on new tile |
Strip thoroughly, rinse and reapply finish |
|
Dirty mop or equipment used |
Insure equipment is clean before applying finish |
|
Floor finish frozen or stored in extreme heat |
Replace damaged product, strip, rinse, and reapply finish |
|
Contaminated finish put back in container |
Do not save leftover finish in container for future use—dispose of it |
|
Finish applied with new cotton mops before soaking/cleaning them |
Soak and clean new mops thoroughly; use rayon mops to apply finish |
|
Incorrect concentration of cleaner |
Follow recommended dilution ratios |
|
Dirt coated into floor finish |
Strip, rinse, and reapply finish; deep scrub finish properly before recoating |
|
Outside dirt, sand and grit ground into finish |
Use approved mats and runners |
|
Ineffective daily cleaning (particularly with high speed equipment) |
Damp mopping may not be sufficient; use auto-scrubber daily with proper cleaner and pads |
| Powdering/Poor Adhesion of Floor Finish |
Factory finish not stripped from new tile before finishing |
Thoroughly strip, rinse, and reapply finish |
|
Applying coats too thinly |
Apply in medium to full coats (avoid wrung-out mops) |
|
Wrong buffing pads or brushes used (too aggressive) |
Use recommended pads or brushes |
|
Burnishing a finish designed for low speed buffing or spray buffing |
Match the finish to the maintenance procedure |
|
Floor not thoroughly cleaned or rinsed before finishing |
Before applying finish, floor must be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed |
| Scuffing and Scratching of Finish |
Wrong scrubbing or buffing pads/brushes used |
Use recommended pad or brush for each procedure |
|
Excessive dirt and grit on floor |
Use approved mats and dust mop frequently |
|
Floor finish film is too thick from excessive recoating |
Deep scrub with a black pad before recoating (maintain 4 to 5 coats) |
|
Not scrubbing or buffing often enough |
Separate main from secondary traffic areas and schedule appropriate maintenance |
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