11 Easy Steps to a Brighter Floor

If your indoor concrete floor is looking dingy and needs a little pick-me-up, try stripping and resurfacing it. A darker space with a dingy floor surface will automatically brighten up a room once the floor is stripped and repainted. 

With both a stripping disk or a sanding disk, you can strip sealer, paint or adhesive. However, sanding disks can damage the surface making it impossible to use certain types of floor coverings afterwards, so this is a less preferable method. We suggest stripping disks along with a liquid stripper, as this is the most reliable option. 

Using a floor buffer does require strength but the job itself is fairly easy to do. Below are simple instructions to help guide you through the process.

1. Before operating the buffer, remove loose dirt, dust and debris.

2. To avoid damage to the lower portions of the wall, mask it off. Overflow from the buffer can spray on the wall, damaging the finish. Be careful not to bump the wall as it will leave black marks along the bottom.

3. Install the stripping disk onto the buffer machine. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to properly secure the disk. 

4. Following the manufacturer’s specs, set the rotation of the disk to a speed of 175 to 600 RPM. Some machines will not have a specific number selection. For this type of machine, set the speed to low. 

5. Pour the stripping solution onto a section of the floor as indicated by the package directions. Let it penetrate into the surface per the directions on the container.

6. Plug the machine in, turn it on and grasp the handle with both hands.

7. Glide the buffer along the floor at a slow and steady pace until you strip the whole section where the stripper was applied. No need to force the buffer along the floor. The machine is doing the work for you. Your role is simply to guide it.

   Sometimes the disk may become gummy from the stripper. From time to time, check it to be sure it is clean.

8. When you complete the entire surface, remove the disk from the machine and clean it thoroughly.

9. With the use of a scrub brush, be sure to get in the corners and other areas where the floor buffer couldn’t reach. To lift anything left behind, use a scraper.

10. Vacuum the floor with a wet vac to remove the liquid and sealer debris. 

11. With clean water, mop the floor to continue to remove any residue left behind. Repeat the mopping until there is no stripping solution remaining. Let the floor dry completely. Your floor is now ready to reseal. 

Your once dingy and dark room will feel brighter and make a small space seem so much bigger. Let that natural light in and enjoy your new room.
Check out the experts at B & W Custom Concrete for any additional questions you may have.