The Difference Between Protective Floor Coatings and Treatments

Commercial protective floor coatings and treatments

Commercial hard flooring protective coatings and treatments are designed to protect floors from damage, make them easier to clean and care for, and help to extend their lifespan. Protective coatings can also be used to restore and revitalize old flooring that may look worse for wear.

At Corporate Care, we work hand-in-hand with commercial building owners, property managers, and office managers to help commercial surfaces look their best. If you are looking to protect your flooring or are looking for a way to revitalize old flooring, our team can help.

The types of protective coatings Corporate Care offers

At Corporate Care, we know that not every commercial building owner or flooring material has the exact needs, long-term goals, and budget, so we offer different protective coatings and treatment options to meet our client's unique requirements.

We offer a variety of different coating products to suit our client's needs. Read on to learn more about our various protective coatings and how they differ.

Acrylic Wax

Acrylic wax is a flooring treatment typically applied to terrazzo, resilient floors, and sometimes concrete surfaces. It is easy to apply and is a low-cost protective coating, making it ideal for those with a tight budget.

An acrylic wax finish is walkable within about an hour, limiting disruption in your building. However, it is not resistant to wear and tear and can turn yellow if exposed to too much sunlight.

Acrylic wax requires a high level of maintenance to keep the desired level of shine, like frequent burnishing, scrubbing, and chemical stripping to reapply. In commercial buildings, slips and falls often happen during the stripping process.

CareGuard Plus

CareGuard Plus protective coatings can be applied on tile and grout, terrazzo, concrete, wood, and resilient commercial floors. This type of coating helps to restore your commercial flooring while also improving the look of the floor. This type of coating also offers moderate chemical and abrasion resistance.

CareGuard Plus coatings are a step above acrylic wax treatments but a step below CareGuard Premium. This type of treatment typically lasts for anywhere from one to three years.

CareGuard Premium

CareGuard Premium protective coatings can be applied to the largest commercial flooring surfaces, including tile and grout, terrazzo, exposed concrete floors, and resilient and wood floors. This treatment option also offers the most benefits. Not only can it restore and improve the overall look of your commercial flooring, but the coating covalently bonds to the floor's surface, making it easier for your janitorial team to clean. CareGuard Premium helps protect against staining and increases the traction on your floor.

CareGuard Premium is a long-term solution that sometimes lasts three to five years or longer. It has the longest drying time (up to 4 hours), but with floor restoration taking place overnight, this is usually not an issue. Despite the small inconvenience, the payoff is tremendous.

What factors should be considered when selecting a protective coating?

Before coating a floor, our CareTeam will come to your location and complete an assessment. During that assessment, we will evaluate the overall condition of your flooring and discuss your needs, goals, and budget to determine the best commercial floor coating options for your unique situation. Some of the various factors that our team looks at when determining which protective coating is ideal for you include:

The type of flooring you have

The type of commercial flooring you have is one of the first factors that come into play when determining what type of protective coating to apply because not every type of coating can be applied to every kind of flooring. Your specific type of flooring affects what coating options are available to you.

How long the coating will last

Another factor our team will consider is how long you want the coating to last. Protective floor coatings do not last indefinitely, and the coating starts to wear out as the floor is walked across, cleaned, and maintained. The coating will wear out sooner if it is cleaned and maintained improperly.

Some companies do not mind applying a coating frequently, while others may want to apply a coating as infrequently as possible. Acrylic floor coatings need to be applied the most frequently, while CareGuard Premium needs to be reapplied much less often.

The amount of maintenance the coating requires

The amount of maintenance you want to complete also plays a role in which floor coating may be ideal for your space. When thinking about coatings, you must consider the full scope of their application and maintenance requirements.

Acrylic waxes cost the least to apply but require the most maintenance. They need frequent burnishing, scrubbing, and chemical stripping.

A CareGuard Plus coating requires a moderate level of maintenance. These types of floors need periodic scrubbing and reapplication.

A CareGuard Premium coating has a higher upfront cost but requires the least maintenance. With CareGuard Premium, your floors will look great for a long time, and they'll also be easier to clean and keep clean, freeing up your janitorial staff to work on other projects.

The length of the warranty for the coating

Corporate Care offers a one-year appearance warranty for the CareGuard Premium Coating without a signed maintenance agreement. With a cadenced maintenance contract, we offer a 3-year extended appearance warranty. We provide a one-year extended appearance warranty when we apply a CareGuard Plus coating and you opt-in to a maintenance agreement. Acrylic wax treatments do not come with an appearance warranty.

Your budget

Lastly, your overall budget may affect what protective coating or treatment is right for you. Acrylic wax coatings are the cheapest option and ideal for those on a tight budget. Our CareGuard Plus coating is also a great option for those on a budget but wanting a few more benefits.

The CareGuard Premium coating is our highest-priced option, but it lasts the longest and offers the most benefits. As the price of coatings and treatments vary, you should always consider your budget, as well as the complete scope of the application AND maintenance. Sometimes a short-term solution is all you need, and other times a long-lasting, low-maintenance solution is best. We have a coating solution for every surface and budget.

Are you ready to learn more about protective hard floor coatings?

Reach out to Corporate Care now! With our CareGuard Protective Coatings, you can give your flooring an extra layer of protection while improving the appearance and longevity of the surface. Contact us to schedule an assessment, and let us work with you to find the right protective coating product for your commercial flooring needs.

 

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About Corporate Care – A sustainability company

Corporate Care exists to improve the appearance, performance, and longevity of every surface in the commercial buildings you manage – reducing capital expenditures, stress, and management burden on facility managers from coast to coast.

As true surface care experts, we understand the unique properties and cleaning protocols every surface needs (or doesn’t) to look amazing and comply with manufacturer warranties. We’re here to support your existing janitorial crew with cadenced deep restorative cleaning and tailored maintenance protocols – performed by IICRC®-certified cleaning technicians.

We are firm believers in restoration over replacement. Let’s reduce waste together!