Synthetic Floors | Natural Stone | Wood Floors

Welcome to the Clean As A Whistle
Guide to Hard Surface Floor Care

Certified by the National Training Center for Masonry Trades

This guide is designed to provide you, with the basic introduction into the cleaning and restoration of floors.

All Hard Surfaces Floor can be divided in two categories: SYNTHETIC FLOORS and NATURAL STONE

We will cover only the floors used commonly in today’s market.

Synthetic Floors

CERAMIC TILE – Ceramic Tile is clay fired man-made material. Surface in glazed ceramic (single-fired, double-fired, etc...) do not normally require any protective treatment. It is the glaze itself that gives the material its excellent protection against the absorption of dirt, along with its particular aesthetic effect. Many of the new ceramic tiles in today’s market are manufactured to look like real stone.

VCT-TILE – Vinyl Composition Tile can be found in 9 inches but most commonly in 12 inches. It contains vinyl resins and comes in a wide variety of colors. It is an extremely dense yet porous floor and has a good resistance to acid, alkaline and solvent base spots and spills. It is highly resilient and is installed in light, medium and heavy traffic areas. Of all resilient floor coverings, VCT is the most commonly found in commercial use.

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QUARRY TILE and PAVER BRICK – Quarry Tiles are an unglazed ceramic material that are particularly suitable for exterior paving, due to their low adsorption and resistance to freezing (the high baking temperatures and high quality of the clay, with other raw materials make this type of floor, one of the most durable in the market today).
There is no particular waiting time before treating these materials as they are not generally affected by blooms, and their absorbency allows for rapid drying. In any case, protection treatment should only be carried out when the floor is completely dry. There are different products and process for these materials according to whether they are laid inside or outside. Two are the most common type: Rustic and Stoneware

PORCELAIN TILE - Is a very hard material that is particularly resistant to chemical agents, scratches, freezing and to the absorption of water. It is ideal for paving floors in public places such as restaurants, airports, schools, hospitals and shopping centers. It has also recently begun to be used in residential applications. Porcelain Tile can be given a polished surface industrially. This produces the "polished" version with its mirror-like shine. However, unlike the "natural" or unpolished versions, it is subject to marking. Can be honed and polish, but is very difficult and time consuming.

TERRACOTA TILE (knows as "SALTILLO TILE") – One of the oldest ceramic materials made by man, this type of floor is obtained by mixing clay and water, leaving this to dry naturally, then baking it in a kiln. Saltillo Tile has particular characteristics of a physical (absorption), mechanical (special finish), and compositional (for the different types of clay) nature that demand special treatment.

Natural Stone

MARBLE – Is known as a calcium carbonate stone, and has been a metamorphic rock, marble reacts to acids and give a high gloss appearance. Is acid sensitive and scratches easily; most Marble stone have veins, swirls and bands. For cleaning and restoration purposes, the most suitable method should be chosen according to the level of wear. It entails of removing the dirt, erasing stains and restoring the worn protective layer.

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SLATE – Is classified as a "rough" material with a low absorption. Slate can be found both an interiors and exteriors, and rarely have a high polish unless a coating is placed on it. Slate can be a problem for it’s high content of clay, especially in wet areas, and can develop efflorescence easily. A good quality silicone impregnator sealer can protect the stone and generated more durability. A color enhanced can be applied also in this type of floor, to create a colorful look of the stone.

TERRAZO – The appearance of the terrazzo is more uniform than most natural stone, and is available in tile forms or by pouring application on the slab. Terrazzo is a mixture of Portland cement and Marble chips. These chips can range in size from a fraction of an inch to as large to several inches. The very good side about Terrazzo is it can be ground, honed and polish just like Marble and can be easily mistaken for Granite.

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GRANITE – Granite is an extremely hard natural stone with low porosity, normally given a polished finish. Granite is formed by volcanic action, and is an acid and scratch resistant as well. Granite paving is not usually treated; in this case waterproofing the material is recommended, especially if is laid in places such kitchens or bathrooms.

TRAVERTINE – Is limestone that has been formed in hot springs. Water movement caused the erosion of the stone creating numerous holes of varying sizes. A polished travertine will have its holes filled with color-matched Portland cement filler. These fillers do not take a high polish and therefore the overall polish tends to look blotchy.

FLAGSTONE – Is the term given to almost all-stone material cut into thin, irregular shapes. Found extensively on sidewalks, foyer entrance, pool decks, etc..., flagstone can be almost any material but is commonly the SANDSTONE type. Flagstone should not be ground and should only be cleaned and sealed.

Certified by the National Wood Flooring Association

When is time to renew your floors, recoating will be your least costly option. It should be done when the floor begins to show wear, don't wait until the finish is completely worn off and dirt and spills have penetrated the wood.

Recoating wood floors provides a fresh "wear-layer" of finish and helps "even-out" the surfaces returning that like new shine; using our state of the art process of dust containment.

Proper recoating will often extend the life of your floor and is significantly less time consuming and less expensive than re-sanding. To determine whether a floor is a candidate for these process or not, we will refer it to our testing procedures.

Hardwoods Can Last Forever

Yes, everyone loves a rich, beautiful hardwood floor. And hardwoods truly can last forever if they are properly maintained. Other great news is that hardwood floors, when properly maintained, are the easiest of all floor surfaces to keep clean and new looking.

Dust-Free Process
Bridgepoint has created a refinishing process that is completely dust free, quick to accomplish and inexpensive. The process features Bridgepoint Wood Products. These fine products are designed to clean, repair and refinish your floors to a spectacular appearance.

Qualified, Trained Technicians
In the hands of a trained technician the products will restore your hardwood floors to their original beauty. Maintenance treatments every 1-3 years, depending on traffic levels and type of use, will keep your floors looking great for the lifetime of your home.

Does your floor need to be refinished?
An easy way to tell is if cleaning no longer restores your floors to an acceptable appearance. Besides the dull appearance, look for scratches, gouges and separation between boards. Repairing such damage is part of the Bridgepoint Process.

The Process

Step 1 — Visual Inspection
We will join you in the inspection to be sure that we have found all damaged areas. Another purpose of the inspection is to determine if we can restore the appearance level with the Bridgepoint System or if a more aggressive restoration will be required, including sanding, staining and refinishing.

 

Step 2 — Damage Repair
We will fill in the cracks, gouges and separations with Bridgepoint Wood Patch. If we don't have exactly the right color our technicians will mix colors to match.

Step 3 — Complete Cleaning and Abrasion
This step will remove all loose and embedded soil. It will take off scuff marks and, through mild abrasion, will remove the surface layer of the old finish. This leaves your floor in the ideal condition for the next finish to be applied. This entire process is dust free.

 

Step 4 — Initial Sealer Coat of Finish

 

Step 5 — Final Finish Coat
You have your choice of gloss, semi-gloss or matte (satin) finish.

You now have a beautiful, durable finish that will protect,
beautify and add years to the life of your hardwood floors.

The same process can be used to refinish other fine hardwood furnishings. Cabinets, tables and desks can be restored to a new look and protected from damage. A little preventative maintenance will help keep those expensive pieces in top condition for life.

Hardwood Floor Care

As recommended by the National Wood Floor Association

• Use dirt trapping walk-off mats to all exterior doors.
• Strong sunlight can cause fading of wood and wood stain. To avoid uneven appearance move area rugs occasionally and drape or shade large windows to avoid direct sunlight on the wood.
• Apply fabric-faced glides to the legs of your furniture.
• Vacuum or dust your wood floor as often as you vacuum your carpet.
• Wipe up food and other spills immediately with a damp (not wet) cloth.
• Standing moisture can damage poorly finished floors.
• Soaps, they can build up and create problems. For cleaning use cleaners, that are specifically formulated for wood floors like the Bridgepoint Wood cleaner.
• We recommend using Florguards when moving appliances. Florguards will prevent damage to your floors from sharp edges an even the weight of the appliance. A heavy refrigerator can leave indentations in some floors.

Did you Know?

• If floors and furnishings are neglected, the finish can wear through causing loss of stain color and damage to the actual wood. This will require extensive restoration including complete sanding, staining and refinishing. This process is expensive, time consuming and inconvenient. It may even require you to move out of your home during the process.
• Most wood floors can accept only two or three of the treatments described above over a lifetime. The wood veneer can be sanded away and the floors will need to be replaced. It pays to maintain your floors.
• The Bridgepoint System is completely dust free. You will not be cleaning up our dust months later as is the case with the sanding process.
• The Bridgepoint System is odorless, non toxic and dries in about an hour. You can walk on the floor in your stockings at that time. Furniture may be moved back in 4 hours and rugs after 12 hours. Don't allow shoes on the floor for the first 24 hours. After that, your new finish is hardened and ready for normal use.

To book your hard surface cleaning or
restoration, call Clean As A Whistle
at 713-784-4648 today!

808 Park Two Dr • Sugar Land, Texas 77478
713-784-4648 • Fax 281-240-4712
caaw@alltel.net
www.cleanasawhistlehouston.com

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