Prevent Scratches On Sealed Concrete
Posted on: 24 December 2018
Sealed concrete floors are smooth and shiny—and have a lovely color—when they are scratch-free and new. Keeping the floor in that wonderful condition is a worthy goal, and it doesn't take much to keep the floor safe from scratches. However, you do need to start early—pretty much when the sealant has dried—and care for the floor frequently. Accidents happen, and there's no way to guarantee that the sealant and floor won't ever be chipped or scratched, but your daily actions help keep the floor looking as good as possible.
Sweep Frequently
Dust looks soft when it's floating in a shaft of sunlight, but on the floor, it can be the mini equivalent of a scouring pad. Tiny pebbles, leaf bits, and other debris blown in when you open the door can easily scratch up the floor as you walk along and accidentally drag the debris across the surface. Even if you don't see a huge scratch, these tiny scratches add up and dull the surface's appearance over time. Sweep the floor frequently—daily is great, though weekly should do—just to move debris off the floor.
Furniture "Socks" or Padding
If you're not going to have rugs, place little pads or "socks" on the feet of furniture. You can find adhesive pads that make it easy to slide furniture around in stores; these should be treated as permanent, so get ones that fit the bottoms of the feet/legs and that aren't too big or small. If you don't want to use permanent pads, you can buy little socks for chair legs and the like. These are knit items that really do look like little furniture socks, and they are available in different patterns and colors.
Shoes Off in the House
Create a shoes-off policy in your house. Have guest slippers available for people who do not like walking around in socks or bare feet.
Designated Package Area
Sometimes dropping a bunch of grocery bags or shipping boxes can lead to those same tiny scratches you get from debris. The scratches can occur because of sharp corners on the items in the bags or because there is some dirt on the bottom of the boxes. Create a designated drop-off area and place a rug there, so you can put down items by the door without damaging anything.
A Special Note About Pets
If you have dogs, especially dogs with long nails, you will likely get scratches on the floor. It's difficult to prevent the sealant from being scratched even if the concrete itself isn't a worry. In this case, you'll have to arrange to have the floor buffed and resealed more often. It is especially urgent that you sweep and protect the floor in other ways to reduce the scratches that you'll have to deal with.
If you have other questions, contact a company that installs and repairs sealed concrete floors. You can have pets, and you can live your life without constantly cleaning—but you do need to have a routine that helps protect the floor.
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