Finish The Job

Leave the job site in a clean, orderly condition with a brief explanation of any protective measures or maintenance instructions. This can go a long way in achieving customer satisfaction and repeat business.  

A. Inspect Your Work

Inspect your workmanship. Was the floor properly rolled into the adhesive as required for most products? Check for loose edges or seams and correct as necessary. Are there trapped air blisters, buckles, dirt or debris particles under the flooring? Is there adhesive on the surface? Take care of any problems immediately. Don’t wait for call-backs.

By inspecting your completed installations, you often avoid future problems by making minor adjustments to your installation techniques – adjusting adhesive open time, proper trowel notching, conditioning the material or subfloor preparation. 

B. Clean-up

The most obvious consideration in clean-up is trash and waste product removal. Tools, equipment, adhesives or any chemicals that may present safety hazards should be properly stored or disposed of. Be alert to such materials and conditions when other trades are working in the same area and in occupied homes. Keep all walkways, work areas, stairways and doorways free of obstruction or trash. In residential work you should remove all items except for a few square yards of material in case repair insets are needed in the future.

Check surrounding walls, cabinets and fixtures for adhesive smears or accidental damage that may have occurred during the installation. Correct as necessary and point out to the owner any conditions that require further attention by plumbers, electricians, etc.  

C. Protect the Floor

1. Traffic, dirt and discoloration
   When seam treatments are recommended and require protection until they cure or dry, provide adequate protection and post signs with necessary cautions. In new construction, you may provide a protective covering of plain, undyed kraft paper in high traffic areas to guard against damage to the new floor. Be sure the covering does not contain any inks, markings or other agents that could stain the new floor. Armstrong does not recommend the use of mats or rugs with rubber or latex backings since they may cause permanent discoloration. Protect all products from the direct flow of heat from hot-air registers, radiators or other heating fixtures or appliances.
2. Temperature Requirements
   Just as proper conditioning of the installation site and flooring products is important before and during installation, it is equally important to maintain room temperature at a minimum of 65°F (18°C) for 48 hours after completion of the installation. Maintain a minimum of 55°F (13 °C) thereafter. Proper room and material conditioning not only affects flooring products and adhesives during the actual installation but also assures proper curing, setting and bonding of these products. Sudden temperature changes and temperature extremes can adversely affect the installation and performance. The surface of radiant-heated floors should not exceed 85°F (29°C).
3. Moving heavy appliances and equipment
   When moving heavy or sharp objects(such as appliances) over resilient flooring installations, place a wood panel under the object. Without moving the panel, slide or roll the object over it. Follow with additional panels as needed. This prevents scratches, tears or buckling of the flooring material. Before moving wheeled or castered objects over newly adhered flooring, use wood panels to protect the floor by distributing the load. Otherwise, permanent wheel tracking could develop in the flooring, caused by movement in the fresh adhesive. We recommend protecting the resilient flooring with wood panels whenever heavy objects are moved across it. On residential installations, it is especially important for the installers to move appliances whenever possible. If this cannot be done on new construction work, you must instruct the responsible persons about the precautions for moving heavy appliances and furnishings. Newly installed commercial flooring should not be exposed to routine rolling load traffic (carts, lifters, etc.) for at least 72 hours after installation to allow setting and drying of adhesives. If rolling loads cannot be avoided, protect the installation for 72 hours after installation by covering with wood panels.
4. Indentations
   Equip table and chair legs with floor protectors to minimize scratches and indentations.
   Take care to prevent damage to resilient flooring by wheeled vehicles, castered furniture, and appliances and dollies. Wheels or casters should have widths and diameters suitable for the loads to be carried. This will reduce rolling resistance and minimize or eliminate the risk of cutting or permanently indenting the floor. Note: Since rolling-type casters and certain floor rests on furniture and appliances may damage resilient flooring, any warranty as to their suitability rests with the furniture or appliance manufacturer.
5. Guidelines for Floor Protection Devices (Furniture feet, rests, casters, wheels, etc.)
   • The contact area should be smooth, flat to provide full contact and free of small protrusions, irregularities, roughness, depressions, mold lines, embedded dirt, and grit, etc.
   • The contact area should be large enough to distribute the load evenly without damaging the floor.
   • All edges should be slightly rounded to prevent damage if briefly turned on edge.
   • Floor contact devices should be manufactured from non-staining materials.
   • Floor contact devices should be properly maintained. Worn, damaged and missing devices should be replaced.
   • Furniture, appliances, equipment, etc., should be properly leveled so that all floor contact devices rest fully and firmly on the floor at all times.

D. Maintenance Products

It is important the installer communicates accurate maintenance information. A general maintenance guideline for all Armstrong floors is: “Do not wet wash, scrub or strip the floor for at least 5 days after the installation.” This is to allow the material to become well-seated in the adhesive and to prevent excess moisture and cleaning agents from interfering with adhesive bond and/or seam treatments.

Residential Floors

Information on maintenance of residential floors is included in the Floor Care and Warranty Guide. Maintenance products include: 

Armstrong® Once ‘n Done Resilient Deep Cleaning Floor Cleaner

• Recommended for no-wax vinyl, ceramic, terrazzo, and all stone floors; do not use on linoleum
• No rinsing required
• Regular use keeps floors looking their best
• Shelf life is two years if unopened
• Available in convenient ready-to-use spray quart (S-309), half gallon spray refill (S-337), and economical quart, half gallon and gallon concentrates (S-330, S-338)

Armstrong® Satinkeeper Low Gloss Resilient Floor Finish

• Recommended for semi to high gloss vinyl and linoleum floors
• Protects floor from scuffs, scratches and embedded dirt
• Restores shine to dulled or worn floors
• Use after floor stripping
• Coverage – 500 to 750 sq. ft. per quart
• Shelf life is two years if unopened
• Available in quart and half gallon sizes
• Product numbers are S-390 and S-391

Armstrong® Shinekeeper Resilient Floor Finish

• Recommended for semi to extra-low-gloss vinyl and linoleum floors
• Protects floor from scuffs, scratches and embedded dirt
• Restores gloss to dulled or worn floors
• Use after floor stripping
• Coverage – 375 to 500 sq. ft. per quart
• Shelf life is one year if unopened
• Available in quart size
• Product number is S-385

Armstrong New Beginning Resilient Deep Cleaning Floor Stripper

• Recommended for vinyl floors; do not use on linoleum or grouted vinyl tile installation
• Cleans very dirty floors and tough spots
• Removes built-up polish
• Shelf life is two years if unopened
• Available in quart and half gallon sizes
• Product numbers are S-325 and S-326

Commercial Resilient Floors

Information on maintenance of commercial floors is provided in the booklet, Commercial Resilient Flooring Maintenance Recommendations, F-8663. Maintenance products include:

Armstrong® S-485 Commercial Floor Cleaner

• Neutral floor cleaner for use on vinyl, linoleum, terrazzo, ceramic, concrete, brick, and rubber
• No rinse formula leaves no residue
• For damp-mopping and moderate to heavy scrubbing
• Contains no phosphates
• Low-foaming formula is great for automatic floor machines
• Available in gallon and five gallon sizes
• Shelf life is two years if unopened 

Armstrong® S-480 Commercial Floor Polish

• Acrylic polish – for use on resilient floors throughout an entire facility
• Excellent wear resistance
• Dries bright enough for use as a scrub and recoat procedure
• Can be high-speed buffed to a high gloss
• Available in gallon and five gallon sizes
• Coverage – 1500 to 2000 sq. ft. per gallon per coat
• Shelf life is one year if unopened

Armstrong® S-392 Static Dissipative Tile Polish

• Designed specifically for use on Armstrong Static Dissipative Tile
• Protects the floor, creates a high gloss and enhances the tile’s electrical properties
• Can damp-mop or spray-buff and high-speed buff
• Available in gallon size
• Coverage – 2,000 sq. ft. per gallon
• Shelf life is two years if unopened