CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE 
LACQUERED FLOORS

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

This instruction describes how to conduct cleaning and maintenance of Junckers lacquered hardwood floors installed in commercial and residential areas.

A solid hardwood floor from Junckers is delivered prefinished with lacquer and is ready to use as soon as it has been installed. The factory applied lacquer is an extremely hard wearing polyurethane product and several coats are applied during the manufacturing process.

Keeping your Junckers floor clean will retain its natural beauty and will ensure that you have a floor which will last for generations. The life span of the lacquer depends heavily upon the frequency and standard of cleaning.

In high traffic areas, those which may be subjected to high levels of spillage and where very frequent cleaning will be needed the floor may be given a further coat of Junckers HP Commercial lacquer after it has been installed. 

REGULAR CLEANING

The floor must be regularly swept and vacuumed, and when necessary wiped with a well wrung out mop or cloth. For larger floors a scrubber dryer machine can be used. To help removal of dirt from the surface a solution of Junckers SylvaCleaner can be added to the cleaning water or the scrubber dryer. Find more information under the section "Further information". 

When to clean a newly lacquered floor:
Floors which have recently been relacquered must not be cleaned for at least 72 hours after relacquering.

Always use as little water as possible for cleaning:
- Use a well wrung out mop/cloth or scrubber-dryer machine with low dispensing of water.
- Remove excess water immediately.
- Any water spillage must be wiped up straight away so as to avoid water damage.

Water consumption when using a scrubber-dryer machine:
No more than 40 litres per 1.000 m² (corresponding to 40 ml/m²).
Water loss must not  exceed 10 litres per 1.000 m² (corresponding to 10 ml/m²).

LONG TERM MAINTENANCE

To ensure that the wooden floor lasts for many years, it is recommended occasionally to refreshen the surface by lightly sanding the floor and applying a single layer of a lacquer. Frequency depends on the wear and tear to which the floor is exposed.  Floors with heavy foot traffic in retail, restaurants etc. will thus require resealing more often compared to floors in private homes.

It is recommended to inspect the floor on a regular basis and ensure resealing before the lacquer wears through to bare wood. By refreshing a dull and lightly worn surface the original appearance is preserved for many years.

Choose a Junckers water-based floor lacquer having wear resistance properties matching the wear and tear the floor is exposed to.

How to refresh the floor:

• To dissolve old soap residues, start with washing the floor using Junckers SylvaNeutralizer.
• Then sand thoroughly using grit 150-180.
• Vacuum sanding dust and wipe off with a cloth well wrung in clean water.
• Apply one coat of floor lacquer and leave to dry.

A completely clean floor without residues of cleaning agents or polish products is essential for good adhesion of the lacquer. Therefore, it is always recommended to conduct a trial application on a smaller area before lacquering the full area.

If the lacquered surface is worn through to bare wood:
If parts of the existing lacquer surface is worn through to bare wood, it is recommended to sand the entire floor area back to bare wood before resealing.

This means that the floor surface must be rebuilt with 1 layer of primer and 2 layers of floor lacquer. Find detailed instructions in the data sheet of the individual floor lacquers.

WAX OR POLISH TREATED FLOORS

Hardwood floors which have been maintained with wax or polish products must be sanded back to bare wood before resealing. 

PROTECTION OF THE FLOOR IN USE

Felt pads and plastic mats:
Protect the floor from scratches and scuffs by fitting felt pads to furniture legs. Please note that felt pads will eventually wear out and will need to be replaced periodically.

Wear and tear from office chairs etc can be reduced by use of purpose made plastic mats.

Barrier matting:
A good quality barrier mat is a very effective way to keep dirt, water and grit off the floor. Mats must be of sufficient size and the correct type to suit the type of building and number of users.

STAIN REMOVAL

Remove any spillage and stains as soon as possible. Dried out stains are often more difficult to remove than fresh ones.

Fruit juice, milk, cream, tea, soft drinks, beer, wine, coffee; Remove with Junckers SylvaCleaner.
Chocolate, grease, oil, shoe polish, scuffs marks from shoes; Remove with Junckers SylvaCleaner or white spirit. 
Ink, lipstick; Remove with Junckers SylvaCleaner or methylated spirit.
Blood; Remove with cold water

PREVENTION OF SLIPS AND TRIPS

A properly maintained and installed Junckers floor will have good slip resistance, however any spillage will make the floor more slippery and increase the likelihood of accidents. Always wipe up spillage straight away. 

TEMPORARY PROTECTION OF THE FLOOR

Point Loads; eg legs, static wheels:
In order to prevent damage to the floor it may be necessary to use pressure distributing plywood or metal plates to spread the load.

- The flat side of the plywood or metal plate must be placed against floor surface.
- By risk of spillage of liquids, it is recommended to place a waterproof covering on top of the plywood or metal plate.
- For specific advice on protection contact Junckers technical department.

Ordinary covering of the Floor:
Use a breathable covering where possible, e.g. cardboard, plywood, hardboard etc. If protection from extensive spillage is needed a waterproof covering may be used, e.g. polythene.

Ensure that the covering is laid flat and that there are no creases or seams that may cause indentations to the floor under load. Ensure also that the covering does not have printing or anything similar which may transfer to the surface of the floor.

For floors with under floor heating use only a breathable covering and the thinnest type possible so as to prevent the floor from over heating.

USE OF ADHESIVE TAPE AND LOGOS ETC.

Adhesive on tape and logos often have a very high tack value and can therefore damage the lacquer on the floor if the tape or logo is pulled off quickly.

Always use low tack adhesive tapes and logos.

FURTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Products
F 4.2 – Junckers Profinsh
F 5.1 – Junckers Strong
F 8.5 – Junckers HP Commercial
F 10.2 - Junckers Sylva Cleaner
F 10.3 - Junckers SylvaNeutralizer