[Mike Osbourne]

Did my first hard floor today and custy was over the moon. Spoke to JK who sorted me out and prompt delivery of goods as ever.

It was pretty straightforward once I got into it. The only snag was when I was padding on the sealer there was a lot of excess in the grout. I think I was using a bit too much sealant and pressure and not quick enough removing the excess.

Dried quickly and very even effect.

Thanks Andrew, John and other posters.

[sherco]

Good to hear it went well for you, here's to many more...did you enjoy it?

[Mike Osbourne]

She has a Jack Russell and a great Dane and despite me telling her to keep them out the way they were still going outside then coming back in with muddy feet and horsepoop. :

Anyway it came to a head when I went to shew the Jack out of the area and the little bugger nipped me. Well at least it wasn't the Gt Dane.

Other than that it went quite smoothly. 

Mike

[carlton care]

Little dogs are like little people.

[clinton]

Mike

Was it a wood floor or the tile and grout

Always found the smaller dogs like the jack russell are the ones to watch out for

[Mike Osbourne]

Clinton it was tile with a grey grout. They were riven pock marked tiles and on some the scrubber didn't get to so there's me with a brush doing it by hand. It had been down five years and never been sealed apparently.

Had a call from a friend of hers today and she wants me to do a quote for a hardfloor. Which was nice.

[Cathedral Floorcare]

Can I ask what kind of sealer you used, and how you got on with it? I use Aquamix stuff but I'm always looking to try other products...

Ta,
Chris

[Mike Osbourne]

Hi

It was Johnsons Carefree Satin from John Kelly. Unfortunately as i t was my first hardfloor job I haven't really got anything to compare it with.

Dried in 10-15min per coat with and airmover with any excess toweled off.

[clinton]

Thanks mike

Sounds like it went well with the floor

[gwrightson]

Mike ,

I would have resisted the use of air movers , all the hidden dust blown onto wet floor.

 Geoff

[Mike Osbourne]

That's a very good point Geoff, will know for next time thanks. 

[sherco]

Can I ask what kind of sealer you used, and how you got on with it? I use Aquamix stuff but I'm always looking to try other products...

Ta,
Chris
[/quote
The only problem with Aqua Mix sealants is if you strip and clean a stone floor and its had an impregnating sealer put onto it, you cant use Aqua Mix as its water based and 99% of other sealants are solvent based and the Aqua Mix wont work. And you cant put a normal sealer or topical sealer onto natural stone if its had an impregnater as you will have a sticky floor. Got one in guildford in a manor house as the guy who stripped and cleaned it has done this and got a sticky floor. Andrew

[Cathedral Floorcare]

Andrew,

Aquamix actually make a solvent sealer too (Ultra-solv), it's pretty good too. I agree with your point on trying to get into a previously impregnated stone, I always try to use the same product as was used originally (if I can't get enough out with a sealer/coating remover) to avoid any complications.

Chris

[sherco]

Hi Chris, im getting alot of problems these days with tilers using wrong sealents, but i suppose it keeps us busy...Do you do grinding and polishing stone? Andrew

[Cathedral Floorcare]

Hi Chris, im getting alot of problems these days with tilers using wrong sealents, but i suppose it keeps us busy...Do you do grinding and polishing stone? Andrew

I looked into that side of things but couldn't see a way into it without shelling out a fortune for kit. Do you know a guy called Kev (Tilinglogistics) in Solihull? I've seen his set up and heard how much he's spent and I don't fancy it to be honest, as there's nowhere to get good training that I can see and too many opportunities for very expensive mistakes as well. 

[sherco]

Yes i know Kevin, im seriously looking into it as i think there is a huge amount of work out there, looked at going to Italy to the KLINDEX factory as they do training there. As i lay lots of natural stone need to know how to polish and hone it etc. I have a big stone floor retailers that i fix for near me and they said the will give me a list of everybody they have supplied stone too so i can contact them offering my services.

[John Kelly]

Nulife offer a stone restoration franchise. One of my customers bought into it and is doing really well. He's picked up some high end work especially hotels where he has also picked up the carpet cleaning for himself.

[Cathedral Floorcare]

Yes i know Kevin, im seriously looking into it as i think there is a huge amount of work out there, looked at going to Italy to the KLINDEX factory as they do training there. As i lay lots of natural stone need to know how to polish and hone it etc. I have a big stone floor retailers that i fix for near me and they said the will give me a list of everybody they have supplied stone too so i can contact them offering my services.

Sounds like you could be onto a winner there Andrew, I know there's a lot of money to be made down that route, and you've got a ready made database too. And the market must be pretty open, there's not many guys out there that can tie up the fixing side with the polishing/honing side. Good luck if you go for it.