Slippery Rock Gazette

Bob Murrell 

M3 Technologies

Photos Courtesy Bob Murrell 

Most restoration contractors operate within their local market because is the most cost-effective option, especially for projects that last several days or longer. However, when a project arises 50 to 150 miles away, it may be financially advantageous to take the job. When you commit to these out-of-town jobs, you really need to have your “ducks-in-a-row,” so to speak. For example, if you forget your floor machine drive plate, what are you going to do?

First and foremost, you should be informed about the project as much as possible before you ever leave the shop. There is no such thing as too many conversations and/or pics of the job, that show both the clients concern and the scope of the project. 

One very common issue is that of a potential topical coating being involved. In many cases I have seen where the pics didn’t show and even the client didn’t know (or at least claimed they didn’t know) there was a coating that had been previously applied. In a recent project, the contractor showed up expecting to re-hone a travertine floor (about 2500 sq ft) and found that there were at least two different types of topical coatings which had been previously applied, before the new owners purchased the home. Unfortunately, one of the coatings was a high-solids acrylic. In many cases, these very hard coatings can be somewhat difficult to remove.

So, what was originally scheduled to be a simple re-hone and seal, turned out to be a very difficult strip, hone, and seal. Fortunately, the contractor did schedule an overnight stay at an Airbnb to avoid the double travel time of driving back and forth. This $150 expenditure was well worth saving the travel time and fuel costs, not to mention the extra of at least 3 hours (minimum) of rest and extended work time, if needed.

Upon arrival to the project site, it was then discovered that there were multiple types of coatings which had been applied over time and had been missed by the both the client and contractor (from the photos). This changed the original plan significantly. Fortunately, the contractor had the forethought to keep some finish stripper and black pads on the van. The kitchen was the main concern, as what was originally thought to be just grease and dirt, was complicated further by the topical coatings. Work began here, as this was definitely the worst-looking area of the entire project. 

Stripper was applied, at a strong solution rate, and allowed to dwell, per the instructions. I always recommend using warm (not hot) water, which I believe improves efficacy. A black stripping pad was used under a 20-inch M3 Heavy Duty machine, with one 25lb additional weight (about 130lb total). Warm water was used in the solution tank, to add as needed, while running the machine, to avoid letting the solution dry on the surface.        

It took several (up to 5 or more) cycles to remove most of the topicals. Some areas came off easier than others. Stubborn areas were from a high-solids acrylic, which is much harder to strip than most off- the-shelf finishes. They were lucky there were no urethane coatings on the floor. I can be difficult to see light remaining hard finish until you’ve run your first honing step, which will actually make the coating stand out more. So, don’t be surprised when you find more remaining coatings after this first post-strip step.   

Above: Dirt, grease, oil, all embedded in multiple layers of coatings – this floor was absolutely disgusting.   Below: The floor, stripped and honed to a nice patina. The project turned out nice but could’ve been a disaster, if the coatings had been urethane or epoxy.

It was so bad in some areas that razor blades had to be used to remove all of the coating, especially in lower areas, where the stripping cycle didn’t reach well. As you can imagine, all of these multiple stripping and razor blade scraping cycles changed the scope of work significantly. Another caveat was the client had a limited budget of two days (day rate pricing). They did not want to pay for an extra day. 

Once the floor was adequately stripped, the honing process began. PLP dips (diamond impregnated pads) from M3 Technologies, Inc. were used, starting at 100 grit and proceeding through 200 grit and then finishing with an 800 grit, to add a nice patina.

So, after a 12-hour first day and a 10-hour second day, the floor had been completely stripped and nicely honed. It really looked like a brand-new floor. However, due to the time and budget restraints, the floor would be sealed by the client. Considering the mess that was there when the contractor showed up, the client was extremely satisfied with the results and if you look at the before and after photos, I think you’ll probably agree.

Above, Left: Low areas had to be scraped using razor blades to remove the coatings. The project took two long days of hard work, but was rewarding, and the client was very satisfied with the results. Working past sunset revealed the planet Venus, next to the crescent moon.

The point of this story is that you can’t have too much information before showing up to a project, especially one that is out of town. It is not economically feasible to drive back to the office to get additional required materials when you’re this far away. 

Also, I recommend keeping as many consumable products, like stripper, black pads, razor blades, diamonds, Tape & Drape, blue tape, other cleaners, and other things that you may not think are needed on a project, just in case. Just remember that when you have chemicals on the van when freezing temperatures are present to remove them each  night, so that they don’t lose effectiveness.

I always recommend doing a test area on any project to confirm both the results and procedure. Also, the best way to help ensure success is by partnering with a good distributor, like BB Industries, that knows the business. They can help with technical support, product purchase decisions, logistics, and other pertinent project information.

Spring is coming and I can’t wait. I have no use for short daylight hours and cold temps. I’m ready for boat season! 

Bob Murrell has worked in the natural stone industry for over 40 years and is well known for his expertise in natural stone, tile, and decorative concrete restoration and maintenance. He helped develop some of the main products and processes which revolutionized the industry, and is currently the Director of Operations for M3 Technologies.
Send your comments and questions to Bob at attn: publisher@slipperyrockgazette.net .