Shiney Happy Flooring

I spent a good part of a very hot Monday putting a final finish on the garage floor and did some tests on reviving the previously coated kitchen floor… with good results.

I went with Zep's line of floor finishes. A coating of sealer followed by a few generous coats of high-traffic floor finish. I ended up using an entire gallon in the garage.

I headed to Cresco — the local tool rental spot — and rented a 13in low-speed buffer (175RPM). I was hoping to get a high-speed burnisher, but these don't seem to be readily available at rental spots, perhaps because of the high-speed and perceived danger.

Since the floor was new (with a new finish), i used very little spray-buff solution (80% water, 20% floor finish). I tried both a white and red pad and found the red to be the best combination of grit and polish. So, a few hours later, the floor was finished.

I headed to the kitchen for a light coating of finish and a polish. I had coated it prior to installing the kitchen over it (a good idea, btw), but a year of traffic had taken its toll. Casie gave it a good cleaning with a towel and floor-cleaner (we find that the ol' hands and knees approach is actually easier than mopping — with better results). I wiped a few light coats of finish on the floor with a microfiber towel and let them dry before giving it a light buffing. A big difference.

Now, the rest of the 1800SF house…