A. Hard Floors ;Non5r#sili#nt $loors<
&looring materials that do not /gie0 to any degree underfoot. Their hardness ensures their durability. Eents are not a problem with these types of floors. Howeer, the hardness of these types of floors is also a ma2or drawbac*. They are e%tremely tiring to those who must stand on them for any length of time.
'$!es of Har# Floors .1on2resilient Floors/: a. 'ric*
b. )eramic and Terra )otta Tiles c. )oncrete
d. $tone &loors e. Terrazzo
a. %ri"
'ric* is not commonly used as a flooring material for interiors, e%cept to coney a rustic theme. 'ric* floors are normally left in their natural unglazed state and color, but they can be sealed and finished for some interior applications.
nglazed bric*s are highly porous material, and they proide a highly durable, fairly slip-resistant floor, but the mortar between the bric*s can deteriorate rapidly if it is not properly maintained.
Eeteriorating mortar and loose bric*s can uic*ly become a serious hazard for slip-fall accidents.
(nother caution is not to use bric*s where there may be grease spills. $ince an unglazed bric* is ery porous, spilled grease and oil will be absorbed into the bric* and will be ery hard to remoe. If the floor then becomes wet, the surface of the bric* will hae this oil and water mi%ture, ma*ing for a ery slippery surface.
Cleaning %roce#ures:
'ric* floors create special problems in cleaning. If the bric*s are the specially- made type of slip-resistant bric*, they will cause cotton mop heads to fray. (lso, unglazed bric*s tend to become ery dusty.
The best approach to cleaning a bric* floor is to acuum it with a brush and, when mopping, use a bristle brush in combination with a wet#dry acuum.
1. #ra&i" and T#rra otta Til#s
Li*e bric*, ceramic and terra cotta tiles are made from clay that s fired in a *iln. Howeer, ceramic tile differs from bric* in that a coating is applied to one side of the tile and the tile is then fired in a *iln, creating a surface that is almost totally imperious to soil and liuids.
)eramic tile comes in a multitude of colors and can hae either a matte or glossy surface. )are must be ta*en when selecting ceramic tile because certain solid colors will show dirt uite easily. )eramic tile also appears on walls and countertops, as well as on interior and e%terior floors.
Terra cotta tiles, typically si% inches suare, resemble bric*s because they are left in their natural color, and they do not hae the glaze coat that is commonly applied to ceramic tile. The color of terra cotta is traditionally a reddish-brown. "ne ariety of terra cotta is often used in *itchen floor application because it is mar*ed with a rough surface that ma*es it slip resistant in greasy conditions.
Cleaning %roce#ures:
The tiles must be cleaned freuently to remoe dust and grit that could damage the glaze on the tile. )leaning procedures might include dust mopping, damp mopping, and light scrubbing when needed. )otton mop heads should not be used on tiles that contain slip-resistant surfaces, because these surfaces will uic*ly shred a traditional mop head. $crubbing should be done with brushes and the water should be pic*ed up with a wet# dry acuum.
". on"r#t#
The concrete floor is employed for its utility, not for its attractieness or its resiliency. ( concrete floor is composed of cement, roc*s, and sand, to which is water is added to initiate a chemical reaction that changes the ingredients into a stone li*e material.
Cleaning %roce#ures:
The cleaning procedures that may be used on a concrete floor range from a daily dust mopping, to a damp mopping, to heay scrubbing to remoe grease and soils. $ince concrete, and especially unsealed concrete, is so porous, an immediate effort must be made to clean up spilled liuids before they are absorbed into the concrete and cause unsightly stains.
d. Ston# Floors
)ommon types of natural stone flooring includes marbles, traertine, serpentine, granite, slate, and sandstone.
(ll natural stone products share certain properties that must be ta*en into consideration by the professional house*eeper to ensure the proper care of this type of flooring.
:atural stone flooring may loo* imperious to the elements, but it is decidedly not as resistant to damage as it loo*s. (cids and moisture can hae disastrous effects on natural stone. $ome acids are present naturally in the stone, but een the acid from spilled orange 2uice can hae a deleterious effect on stone floors, causing pitting, crac*ing, and spalling. These floors need to hae moisture-permeable sealers applied so moisture and acids do not build up under the sealer and destroy the floor8s surface. "ils and grease can permanently stain untreated stone floors because these floors are e%tremely porous.
Cleaning %roce#ures:
To preent the staining of stone floors, the dust mops should be free of all oil- based dusting compounds. Eusting should be carried out on a daily basis because grit,
sand, and other abrasies that are trac*ed onto a stone floor will uic*ly mar the floor8s finish.
( pH neutral detergent is recommended to clean all natural stone floors. Highly al*aline cleaners as well as acidic compounds will damage stone floors. Bhen mopping stone floors do not let water or chemicals remain on the floor. ( final rinse of clean water should be applied and then immediately pic*ed up with a mop or a wet# dry acuum.
#. T#rra))o
( terrazzo floor is a mosaic flooring composed of Portland cement that has been embedded with marble and#or granite chips.
The chips used in terrazzo floor can differ both in sizes and color, creating a ariety of colorful and attractie floors.
Bith proper care, a terrazzo floor will hold its original luster and will last indefinitely. Bhat destroys most terrazzo is not use, but improper maintenance.
Cleaning %roce#ures:
Terrazzo should be dusted daily to remoe harmful grit and sand that can wear down the surface, but dust mops should not be treated with oil dressings because oil is the archenemy of a terrazzo floor. "nce oil or grease penetrates a terrazzo floor, it is irtually impossible to remoe.
$teel wool should not be used on the surface of a terrazzo because the steel wool may put rust stains on the marble chips.
Bhen selecting detergents and cleaners for terrazzo floors, stay away from acid cleaners, abrasies and scrubbing powders, and preparations that hae an al*alinity aboe pH 17. (lways rinse a freshly scrubbed floor and do not allow water or cleaners to
remain on the floor surface. %. R#sili#nt Floors
!esilient floors hae arious degrees of /gie0 to their surfaces. Bhen dented, a resilient floor will eentually rebound wholly or partially to its origin form. They are called resilient because they are elastic and buoyant underfoot. They are also non porous.
T#"es o$ !esilient Floors: a. (sphalt Tile b. )or* c. Linoleum d. !ubber e. Jinyl f. Bood g. )arpet a. Asp!altTil#
(sphalt tile is one of the lowest-cost resilient floor coerings aailable, and it is uite durable under most normal conditions. It will, howeer, become brittle when e%posed to prolonged periods of low temperature and will also dent when heay ob2ects are present on its surface, particularly when the ambient temperature is aboe 577
&ahrenheit.
(sphalt tile is also fire resistant, in fact, it is one of the most mar resistant of all floorings in regard to cigarette burns.
Cleaning %roce#ures:
Eust mopping, damp mopping, and scrubbing will maintain and presere the asphalt floor. "ne important item to remember, wet mopping is to neer let water stand
for any length of time on an asphalt tile floor. $tanding water will attac* the adhesie cement and will cause tiles to curl and loosen.
1. orTil#
)or* tile is made from the outer bar* of cor* oa* trees grown in $pain and Portugal. The cor* is ground into large granules, mi%ed with synthetic resins, and pressed into sheets, which are then cut into tiles. )ontemporary cor* tiles for floors usually hae a top layer of clear inyl applied to them. This inyl layer protects the cor* from staining and wear.
)or* tiles traditionally hae had limited application in industrial or institutional settings. "ne reason is that cor* is susceptible to staining because it is one of the most porous of all floor coerings. (nother limitation is that it is not durable; it is highly
susceptible to abrasion. )inders, sand, and grael trac*ed on to a cor* floor will seerely shorten its life span. &inally, it is e%pensie. )or* rials ceramic tiles in cost and does not hae nearly the useful life of ceramic tile.
". Linol#u&
In modern buildings, the use of inyl has replaced linoleum, but on occasion, linoleum floors can still be found in older facilities. Linoleum was once so perasie that many still use the term linoleum to indicate any continuous flooring material, such as solid inyl flooring.
Linoleum was composed of o%idized linseed oil, resins, embedded cor*, and wood flour with pigments pressed on a bac*ing.
Its properties included in a remar*able degree of resiliency. :e%t to cor* and rubber, and of course, padded carpeting, linoleum is considered to hae the greatest degree of resiliency. Linoleum was uite durable, was resistant to oil and grease, and do not shrin*.
The negatie aspects of linoleum was that it is highly susceptible to water. The linoleum would absorb water and would then soften, causing it to lose its abrasion resistance and become more susceptible to indentation. +en high humidity would hae a negatie effect upon this material.
Cleaning %roce#ures:
&reuent dusting is essential to the preseration of linoleum. The flooring can also be dry mopped using a pH neutral cleaner. Harsh abrasies and scouring powders should be aoided and water or detergent solutions should not be left in contact with the floor for
any length of time.
Bhen the floor is mopped, it should be allowed to dry completely before foot traffic is allowed upon it.
d. Ru11#r Floors
(ll modern rubber floors are made from synthetic rubber, such as styrene butadiene rubber >$'!@. !ubber tiles are cured or ulcanized by the application of heat. !ubber floors are nonporous, waterproof surfaces. "ne ma2or adantage is that they are uite resilient and will remain resilient oer a considerable temperature range.
!ubber flooring is susceptible to al*alines, oils, grease, solents, ultraiolet light, and ozone in the air. Bhen attac*ed by these components, a rubber floor will often become tac*y and soft. It will then become brittle and begin to crac* and powder.
!ubber tiles often hae *nobs n the surface or will hae a tread pattern to improe traction, especially if liuids are freuently spilled on the surface.
Cleaning %roce#ures:
Highly al*aline cleaning solution should be aoided; it is best to use pH neutral detergents wheneer possible. )leaning solents such as naphtha and turpentine should neer be used on a rubber floor.
!ubber floors are fairly easy to maintain. Eaily dust mopping and an occasional damp mopping are all that is needed to maintain the floor.
#. Vinyl Floors
There are seeral types of inyl floorings and tiles. The ma2or arieties include inyl asbestos tiles, inyl composition tiles, homogeneous or fle%ible inyl tiles, and laminated inyl flooring.
Jinyl asbestos tiles are no longer made and hae been remoed from numerous commercial and residential settings because the asbestos in the tile is a *nown carcinogen. Improper cleaning of inyl asbestos tile can release deadly asbestos fibers into the air and present a ery real health hazard.
Laminated inyl flooring is less e%pensie to manufacture than inyl composition or homogeneous inyl floors. The low initial cost may be deceiing, howeer, for once the top wear layer is worn through, the floor will hae to be replaced. $ome laminated floorings are only guaranteed for three years with moderate use. The cost of laminated inyl flooring will ary in proportion to the thic*ness o f the top inyl wear layer.
In addition to the inyl resins, inyl composition tiles contain mineral fillers such as asphalt and pigments. Homogeneous inyl tiles may either be fle%ible or solid, and it has become the preferred standard for resilient tile flooring. It is practically unaffected by moisture, oils, and chemical solents.
Cleaning %roce#ures:
Aodern homogeneous inyl needs only to be dusted and damp mopped to restore its luster. Eaily dusting to remoe sand and grit is e%tremely important to the care of inyl because most types will scratch under heay foot traffic. $ome tiles are specially treated with a scratch resistant seat that is applied at the factory.
Aodern inyl is unaffected by al*aline detergents, but pH neutral detergents are recommended oer heay al*aline products.
$. Wood Floors
There is nothing uite as attractie as the warmth and richness of wood floors. Aost hardwood floors are made from oa*, but other popular woods include ash, beech, birch, hic*ory, maple, tea*, and walnut. In addition to its attractieness, hardwood floors
are e%tremely durable if they are properly finished and maintained.
nfinished wood floors will uic*ly deteriorate under een light use, as wood is an e%tremely porous material. nfinished woods are susceptible to dirt lodging in the grains, splintering of the wood fibers, abrasions caused by normal foot traffic, and of course, moisture, the bane of wood floors. Too much moisture will cause a wood floor to warp, while too little humidity will cause wood floors to shrin* and crac*.
To help forestall damage, most wood floors made today receie factory applied finish. In some instances the wood is heated to open the pores of the wood. Tung oil and carnuba wa% are then applied to seal the wood.
$ince there is a degree of resiliency in een the hardest of hardwood floors, precautions should be ta*en to protect the floor from furniture legs that may dent the flooring. Bood floors are particularly susceptible to metal or hard plastic rollers and to those small metal domes that are often found on the legs of office furnitures
Cleaning %roce#ures:
Preentie maintenance is the *ey to attractie and durable wood floors. "ne of the best preention techniues is to use wal*-off mats at e%terior entrances and use rugs and carpet runners in high-traffic areas.
Bood floors should be dusted, but do not use an oily dust mop on wood floor. The oil from the mop head may dar*en or stain the floor. Bater is one of the most deleterious substances to a wood floor, conseuently, it should not be used to clean most wood floors. Eusting, acuuming, buffing, and, on limited occasion, a light damp mopping is all that is necessary to maintain a wood floor on a daily basis.
(. arp#t Floors
)arpet is typically installed wall-to-wall to eliminate the maintenance of hard flooring surfaces around the edge of a carpet. !ugs, on the other hand, are often used to accentuate a tile or wood floor. In areas where there is heay foot traffic, rugs can be used to eualize wear and help preent trac*ing onto other floor coerings.
)arpet offers a number of benefits oer hard and resilient flooring materials. )arpet preents slipping; it proides an additional source of insulation, it has acoustical properties that can effectiely lower noise leels; and it is the most resilient of all floor
coerings, which is a ma2or benefit to indiiduals who must remain on their feet for e%tended periods. )arpet )omponents a. Pile b. Primary 'ac*ing c. $econdary 'ac*ing d. Padding a. Pil#
Pile is the yarn that we see and can readily touch. The fibers can either be synthetic or natural in composition.
'est of %ile 3ualit$:
a. Pile density; the greater the density of pile, the better the carpet. )arpet with greater pile density hold their shape longer and are more resistant to dirt and stains. "ne common test of density is to bend a piece of carpet, and if the bac*ing can readily be seen, the carpet is of an inferior uality. b. &ace weight; is the weight of the carpet8s surface fibers in ounces or grams
per suare yard. The greater the face weight, the higher the uality. c. Height of the pile; longer fibers are better than shorter fibers.
d. (mount of twist the pile fibers hae receies; the tighter the twist, the better the carpet.
1. %a"in(
The bac*ing is on the underside of the carpet; it secures the tufts of pile and gies additional strength and stability to the carpet. Aost carpets hae a double bac*ing, a primary bac*ing to which the yarn is attached and an outer bac*ing called the secondary bac*ing. ( layer of late% adhesie is sandwiched between the two layers to seal the pile
tufts to the primary bac*ing.
T#"es o$ Backing:
a. 3ute; a natural fiber imported from India and 'angladesh, b. Polypropylene; a synthetic thermoplastic resin,
c. &oam rubber.
". Paddin(
Padding can be placed under carpet to proide e%tra insulation, deaden sound, add comfort, and e%tend the life of the carpet by sering as a /shoc* absorber.0
Types of Padding a. &oam rubber b. rethane foam
c. :atural materials such as 2ute and hair blends. Si)#s o$ arp#ts*
a. 'roadloom carpets F 14 feet in width, but can be ordered up to 1? feet in width.
b. )arpet runners F 4 feet to < feet in width. c. )arpet suares or tiles F 15 suare inches. arp#t onstru"tion*
a. Tufted carpet F produced by forcing needles, threaded with pile yarn, through the primary bac*ing >usually polypropylene@ to form tufts.
b. :eedle punched carpets F are produced by a manufacturing method that punches the fibers into a structural bac*ing and then compresses the fibers
into a felt-li*e fabric. It is used mainly in indoor-outdoor carpets.
c. &loc*ed carpets F are produced by electrostatically embedding short carpet fibers into a bac*ing, producing a elety-loo* cut pile surface.
d. Gnitted carpets F are produced by a method that uses a specialized *nitting machine with different sets of needles to loop together the pile, bac*ing,