Floor buffing and floor polishing are two methods of restoring that eye-catching sparkle to your commercial floor using high-tech and assisted machines. While both methods use specialized equipment and get your floors nice and shiny, they have different purposes and functions.
What’s the difference between buffing and polishing you ask? Though both are often used interchangeably and share similarities, they do have some key differences. We’re here to help explain both so you know what your commercial floor needs to shine like new.
Buffing
When you buff your floor, you’re both cleaning and restoring its luster and shine. Buffing your floor uses a buffing machine (well that’s easy to remember) to smooth and gloss your floor. The buffing pads gently spin to remove dirt and other scuff marks that aren’t easily cleaned with a mop or handheld cleaning tool.
While buffing does get your flooring clean and free from scuffs and dirt marks, you’ll need to polish your floor for that wet and ultra-glossy look.
Buffing can be done in one of two ways: spray or dry. A spray buffer uses a specialized liquid to buff away dirt and scuffs. These buffers usually go up to 1000rpm and are the more common type. Dry buffers are considered high-speed and are fast enough to smooth the floor and remove scuffs. These machines go over 1000rpm and are recommended for professional cleaning experts.
Polishing
To generate maximum shine, you need a stronger and heavier tool that spins at a higher rate. Polishing, which is technically known as burnishing, is used to accomplish an intensely glossy and polished surface.
While a standard buffing machine spins at 175 revolutions per minute (RPM), a burnishing machine is usually larger and spins at a much higher 1500-2000rpm. This higher rate combined with a heavy body creates more pressure to not only clean and remove scuff marks, but to smooth out uneven surfaces by removing bumps and chips in your floor.
Burnishing machines also work much faster, meaning it’s more suitable for large commercial areas such as industrial floors.
Buffing & Polishing Benefits & Uses
Buffing and polishing your floor doesn’t just bring out its shine, but also contributes to its longevity. Removing the built-up dirt, grime, and scratches slows the wear and tear of your flooring to help extend its lifespan.
Both methods can be used on many types of flooring including but not limited to laminate, tile, stone, concrete, and marble.
Does Your Commerical Floor Look A Bit Dull?
Want to impress your customers with clean, shiny, and bright floors? If you need some help determining whether your floor needs buffing, polishing, or both, then contact the commercial flooring experts at Picture Perfect Cleaning today.
