Hard floor restoration
Commercial Floor Stripping and Waxing in Atlanta
When finish has yellowed, scratched through or built up at the edges, we take it back to bare tile and rebuild a clean, protective finish.
A full reset for resilient floors
"Waxing" is the everyday name for applying polymer floor finish to vinyl composition tile (VCT) and other resilient floors. Over months of traffic, finish wears thin in walkways, while layers keep building along walls and under fixtures. Dirt gets trapped between coats, and the floor turns amber and patchy. No amount of mopping fixes that.
Stripping chemically removes all existing finish. After rinsing and neutralizing, we apply sealer where appropriate and multiple thin coats of commercial floor finish, allowing proper dry time between coats. The result is a uniform, protected surface that maintenance crews can keep up with burnishing and periodic recoats.
What's included
- Furniture and fixture moves as agreed in the scope
- Edge and corner detailing to remove build-up along baseboards
- Stripper application, dwell time and machine scrubbing
- Wet-vac recovery, double rinse and neutralization
- Sealer and finish coats, applied thin and even
- Optional high-speed burnish once the finish has cured
Strip and wax process
Prep & protect
Clear the floor, dust mop, and protect baseboards and adjacent carpet.
Strip
Apply stripper, allow dwell time, and scrub with stripping pads on a floor machine.
Recover & rinse
Wet-vac the slurry, rinse twice and neutralize so new finish bonds properly.
Seal
Apply sealer where the tile is porous or the spec calls for it.
Finish coats
Thin, even coats of floor finish with full dry time between each.
Cure & return
Let the finish cure, then return furniture and, if specified, burnish.
When stripping is the right call
Yellowing
Old finish and trapped soil turn amber over time, especially near entries.
Edge build-up
Dark bands along walls where finish was applied but never worn away.
Worn-through lanes
Traffic paths with no finish left, exposing tile to scuffs and staining.
Powdering or peeling
Finish that's failing and won't take another recoat cleanly.
Equipment and materials
Low-speed swing machines with stripping pads, edge tools for corners, wet vacuums for slurry recovery, finish applicators and, for the final shine, high-speed burnishers. Chemical selection follows the floor and finish manufacturer's recommendations.
Protecting the new finish
The finish lasts longer when entry matting is in place, floors are dust-mopped daily and burnished on a schedule. A scrub and recoat in between full strips can extend the interval. Ask about maintenance plans.
Floor stripping and waxing FAQs
How many coats of finish do you apply?
It depends on traffic, the finish product and the spec. High-traffic commercial floors typically receive several thin coats, often with a sealer underneath. We confirm the coat count in the quote.
How long before we can walk on the floor?
Light foot traffic is usually possible a few hours after the last coat, depending on humidity and product. Heavy carts and furniture should wait longer for the finish to cure.
Can you strip and wax LVT?
Many luxury vinyl products have a factory wear layer that aggressive stripping can damage. We follow the manufacturer's guidance and often recommend a different maintenance approach.
Is there a strong odor?
Strippers and finishes have some odor. We ventilate where possible and schedule work when the space is unoccupied.
Can you work in phases?
Yes. Corridors, wings or departments can be done over several nights so part of the building stays open.
Should we strip or just recoat?
If the finish is still sound and only dull, a scrub and recoat is often enough. If it's yellowed, built up or failing, a full strip is the better investment.
Free quote
Get a floor stripping and waxing quote
Tell us the floor type, approximate square footage and when the area can be closed.