STRlP and RESEAL PROCEDURES

Stripping the sealer from a floor is a costly, labour intensive process that should only be attempted when all other reasonable methods of repair have failed. Before attempting to strip a floor, ask yourself these questions: 

1. Is it absolutely necessary to strip the floor, or does it simply need sprucing up? Most floors fall into the "sprucing up" category. 
2. Are there any areas that have worn through to bare tile? If so, can just these areas be stripped and repaired successfully, without stripping the entire floor? 
3. Is this a project that can be started and completed in a safe and timely fashion? 

Unlike stripping old wax build-up with an all purpose wax remover, stripping today’s tough sealers requires the use of more harsh, sometimes hazardous chemicals in order to effectively remove all the layers of sealer from the surface of the floor. Ideally, knowing the specific name brand and type of sealer being removed would greatly reduce your labour costs, by reducing or eliminating time in the field spent on experiments for the right products and removal techniques. We have developed a systematic approach to choosing the correct materials needed for the type of sealer being removed. By judging the unique reactions of several types of sealers when subjected to Everstrip, we can determine the best recommendation. Here are a few descriptions of the more common types of sealers in today’s marketplace and their reactions when exposed to Everstrip. References to Ever products are made when possible.

WATER BASED ACRYLICS, such as Everseal, will "gel and swell", becoming an opaque, sticky, gooey substance. Use a flexible, metal paint scraper or straight edge razor scraper and gently scrape the sealer/stripper residue from the surface (use a steel wire brush instead of a paint scraper when stripping sealer from wire cut brick). Start at the grout joint closest to you and scrape away from you, being careful not to scratch or gouge the tile surface. Collect the sealer residue with a straight edge and discard into a waste container. Briskly wipe the surface of the tile with a wet rag soaked in lacquer thinner. The tile will get darker where it absorbs the solvent. Areas that do not absorb will look like off-white, lighter coloured areas. Firmly rub these spots with the lacquer thinner soaked rag to remove them from the tile.  

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PETROLEUM BASED ACRYLICS, such as Everseal 200, dissolve and can be easily removed by wiping the tile surface with a clean terry cloth type rag. Follow up with a damp rag soaked in lacquer thinner.

PETROLEUM BASED URETHANES AND ALKYDS, have a much more violent reaction than most other sealers do. Typically, within seconds upon contact with Everstrip, these sealers blister and peel, turning into a powdery substance that can be easily removed by brushing the surface with a stiff bristle brush or scraping the residue off with a razor edge. Do not rush it! Let the stripper do the work for you.

SILICONE IMPREGNATORS, such as Everseal Extra are acid resistant and cannot be "stripped". Their effectiveness can only be diminished by rinsing the surface with a high pH (alkaline) solution. Use Everclean 2000 mixed with equal parts water. Apply solution to area, allow to stand for several minutes, scrub with a stiff bristle brush and double rinse with clean water.

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SEALER REMOVAL AND RE-SEAL PROCEDURES FOR MEXICAN SALTILLO TILE:

LIST OF MATERIALS:

Everstrip Sealer Remover (5 litres per 50 square feet) or similar full-bodied stripper such as 'Nitromors' type.
5 litres lacquer thinner per 350 SF 
Blue painters masking tape
One flexible metal paint scraper or razor scraper
Several abrasive stripping pads
Several clean white terry cloth rags
A small metal bucket
A metal paint rolling pan
An old 4 inch paint brush
A straight edge to gather residue (try a piece of firm cardboard)
A stiff nylon bristle brush
Proper protective clothing and safety equipment.