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Vinyl & Lino are varieties of plastic floor covering often found in areas with high levels of foot traffic such as shopping centres, nursing homes, kitchens & laundries, just to name a few. Vinyl is a great choice as it is durable and an easy surface to maintain. Care must be taken, however, to protect the surface from new, as once the surface finish becomes abraded by foot traffic it becomes progressively more difficult to maintain a highly polished finish and when the wear is bad enough, it can prove to be virtually impossible. It is therefore essential to start maintaining the floor surface from the moment it is laid and that is the procedure we're going to look at now. Here at Sebastopol's Tile Cleaners we provide professional stripping, cleaning and sealing services for all your Vinyl & Lino floors needs!
There are several major subgroups of vinyl, which evolved from linoleum and is typically a mixture of cork powder or other wood dusts, certain pigments and binding agents pressed into sheets. The sheets are then covered with a transparent wear-resistant layer to seal the vinyl underneath and give the surface a finished look that varies from matte to a glass like shine. Vinyl has always been popular, because it boasts excellent qualities - it's durable and affordable, looks appealing and is fairly easy to maintain. Of course, one of the greatest things about vinyl flooring is that it also comes in a great deal of colours and patterns and ultimately, there is no look that cannot be mimicked by vinyl flooring.
Vinyl flooring is made of several materials, the most common being true vinyl, thermoplastic, and linoleum which is making a comeback due to its versatility and excellent durability. All are smooth, water resistant to a high degree and can be polished to virtually a mirror-like finish. Care must be taken, however, to protect the surface from new, as once the surface finish becomes abraded by foot traffic it will become progressively more difficult to maintain the highly polished finish and if the wear is bad enough, it can prove to be virtually impossible. It's therefore essential to start maintaining the floor surface from the moment it is laid, which is the procedure we're going to look at now. Here at Tile Cleaners we provide professional stripping, cleaning and sealing services for all your Vinyl & Lino floors needs!
Linoleum, commonly abbreviated just "lino" is a flooring material first patented in 1863. The name comes from its main ingredient, solidified linseed oil, which is boiled and mixed with molten resins, powdered cork, wood dust, fine limestone and other raw materials. Finally, the mixture is formed into sheets by applying heat and pressure. Genuine linoleum is an extremely long wearing floor coating that gets stronger with age due the linseed oil becoming harder as it oxidises slowly over time.
The polish is the uppermost layer of your vinyl or linoleum preventing dirt and liquids from penetrating and staining the floor and should be reapplied regularly, at least twice a year. This involves stripping the previous polish using the manufacturer's approved products and applying a new layer. In most cases dry buffing is needed to achieve maximum shine, surface gloss and durability, although not always necessary, it's the only option for dealing with permanent staining, burns and deep scratches. Finally, a freshly stripped vinyl floor requires a minimum of 3 layers of polish for an acceptable gloss and sufficient surface protection.
Without polishing, linoleum and vinyl floors appear dull and matte and will become progressively susceptible to stains and damage. Advantages of correct polishing is the vinyl surface will become shiny and protected against wear and tear as well as stains. Generally, polished linoleum and vinyl floors require more frequent regular maintenance than flooring that features a protective layer applied by the manufacturer during production. A proper maintenance routine typically includes stripping and re-polishing at least once or twice per year, especially in areas with high foot traffic. You will know it's time to have you floors polished once they start looking dull and matte even after cleaning.
