Floor Finish Problem and Solution Guide
Floor maintenance isn’t easy. Many issues can arise during and after professional floor finish application. From low initial gloss to leveling and streaking, the challenges of applying and maintaining beautiful floor finish are many. Nyco is an expert in resilient floor finish and facility floor care. Below are 7 common issues that maintenance professionals will likely face at one time or another, along with their most likely causes and remedies. If you need need personal assistance with your floor finish problem, call us at 800-752-4754 or email customerservice@nycoproducts.com and a Nyco expert will be in touch. You are also welcome to browse our premium floor finishes. We carry floor finish for all VCT and resilient flooring.
#1: Floor Finish is Not Glossy After Application
Possible Causes |
Recommended Solution / Remedy |
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Enough coats of floor finish have not been applied. |
Apply additional coats of finish. Scrub, rinse and then apply new finish if floor has been opened for use. |
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Humidity is too high during application. |
Use an air conditioner to lower the humidity, and increase dry time between coats of finish. |
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Contaminated equipment was used. |
Strip, rinse, and reapply new finish. Use clean finish mops, buckets, and other equipment during the process. |
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Finish was applied in temperatures that were too cold. |
Apply floor finish when temperature is above 50°F. |
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The floor finish was frozen prior to application. |
Strip, rinse, and reapply new finish. |
#2: Floor Finish Dulls Quickly
Possible Causes |
Recommended Solution / Remedy |
| The wrong floor pad is being used during maintenance. | Select a less aggressive pad. Use pads designated for buffing or burnishing (often red or pink). |
| The pH of your cleaning solution is too high. | Select a neutral cleaning solution for daily use. |
| Dirt, sand, or other grit is causing floor finish to abrade. | Add additional quality matting at building entrances, both indoor and outdoor. Consider increasing dust mopping frequency. |
| Overuse of oil-based dust mop treatment. | Scrub floor with neutral cleaner. Switch to a water-based dust mopping treatment. |
#3: Floor Finish Takes on a Yellow Hue
Possible Causes |
Recommended Solution / Remedy |
| Cleaning equipment or applicators were dirty. | Strip, rinse, and apply new floor finish using clean finish applicator mops and buckets. Place a plastic liner in mop bucket. |
| Floor finish was contaminated. | Never put used finish back into the original container. |
| The parking lot was recently resealed. | Add additional entrance matting. Clean areas near entrances more frequently. Use a more aggressive cleaner to loosen, lift or remove tar sealer. |
| Floors were dirty when buffing, causing dirt to embed. | Clean floors before buffing, using a neutral solution and a floor pad color designated for cleaning. Rinse, then apply new coats of floor finish. If necessary, strip finish first. |
| Floor finish has aged beyond its life expectancy. | Strip, rinse, and apply new finish. |
#4: Floor Finish is Not Leveling or Did Not Dry Evenly
Possible Causes |
Recommended Solution / Remedy |
| A fan or air mover was pointed directly at the finish, forcing irregular drying. | Scrub, rinse, and apply new floor finish. Aim air movers upward and not directed down toward finish. |
| Floor finish was applied over the factory finish on VCT. | Always remove factory finish by stripping before applying new finish. |
| The floor was not properly rinsed or neutralized after stripping. | Rinse with clean water or apply a neutralizing solution like Nyco’s Neutral 7 after stripping. |
| Frozen floor finish. | Strip, rinse, and apply new finish in temperatures above 50°F. |
#5: Floor Finish is Streaking (Hazing)
Possible Causes |
Recommended Solution / Remedy |
| Inadequate dry time between coats of finish, possibly related to high humidity during application. | Increase dry time between coats, based on temperature, humidity, air flow, and thickness of coating. Floor finishes with higher solids content take longer to dry relative to those with lower solids content. If streaking or hazing occurs, scrub top coat, rinse, and apply a coat of new finish. |
#6: Floor Finish Builds Up on Edges
Possible Causes |
Recommended Solution / Remedy |
| Floor edges were not cleaned or properly stripped. | Scrub along baseboards with an aggressive cleaner and doodlebug pad. If this does not work, the floor may need to be stripped and recoated. Apply a maximum of 1-2 coats of finish to edges during initial application and then not again during scrub & recoat procedures. |
| Excessive coats of finish were applied to edges. | When recoating during scrub & recoat procedures, avoid applying finish to the edges. |
#7: Floor Finish Gets Easily Scratched
Possible Causes |
Recommended Solution / Remedy |
|
Initial coats of floor finish may be too thick. |
Harden finish by high speed buffing a clean floor with a soft pad. If this does not increase resistance to scuffing and scratching then scrub the floor with a neutral detergent, rinse, and apply 1-2 coats of medium thin finish. |
| Scrubbing pads are too aggressive. | Switch to a less aggressive floor pad. |
| Dirt, sand, or other grit is causing floor finish to scratch. | Use a quality matting system. Consider increasing dust mopping frequency. |
| Furniture movement is causing scratching. | Place protectors on chair and table legs. Lift furniture when moving it. |