An epidemic has started in the world of flooring and, unfortunately in some cases, it cannot be corrected. It’s not done maliciously and it starts before anyone realizes it. In this new world of “sanitize this and disinfect that”, facility staff is asked or told to include flooring in the disinfection process. It’s at the […]
Suggested Procedures
Abraded VCT Surface
The XL North Suggested Procedures (SOP) PDF underscores that a heavily damaged VCT can be revived. Authored by industry professionals, this guide presents a restorative process for managing scratched and abraded VCT, facilitating the renewal of your flooring’s integrity and appearance without necessitating complete replacement.
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Case Studies
Case Study: XL PTU Shine Plus Transforms Terrazzo Floors
In this case study from XL North, we explore an impressive terrazzo restoration project undertaken by the Rite Rug crew in Columbus, Ohio. Discover how a potent combination of a streamlined process and the chemistry of XL North’s PTU product line yielded remarkable results that not only pleased the client but also highlighted the efficacy […]
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Guides & Checklists
Commercial Flooring Maintenance Van and Truck Inventory Checklist
Members of the XL North Tactical Group helped us compile this comprehensive list of recommended and must-have tools, accessories, and equipment to have aboard commercial floor care vans and trucks. Learn what you need to be fully prepared on carpet, resilient, and tile & grout jobs.
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White Papers
Extractor Terminology
Get the basics on extractors and extraction! In this white paper, we review extractor terminology – common words, abbreviations, and phrases used when discussing the extraction process.
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Floor Maintenance Professionals: Prepare Your Techs for the Hard Questions
If you are a floor maintenance service technician, supervisor, manager, director or contractor, then you have been asked questions that may go beyond your scope of knowledge. It has been my experience that when someone hires you in any capacity, they are not just hiring you to do the job, they are hiring you to […]
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Guides & Checklists
Flooring Pre-Maintenance Checklist
Job site evaluations are crucial before beginning any floor care project. By getting answers to as many questions as possible, your team’s effectiveness and efficiency will improve, positively impacting overall job performance. The answers can determine the chemicals used, the cleaning procedures, and/or how many technicians are needed for the job. Do not ever assume […]
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Floors Maintained with Bleach
It’s still common (even in this day and age) to have custodial personal take it upon themselves to do what they think is right. We often see this phenomena when a company goes to do a strip and finish for a new client or even an existing one. Mopping with bleach will leave the “salt” […]
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Frozen Floor Finish
It looked great going down … until you walked across it and the finish shatters into a million pieces. This is caused by the floor finish being frozen and damaging the polymers. The only fix is to re-strip the floor and apply new finish.
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Go on the Offensive to Protect Your Flooring Investment
By Spencer Luallen, Technical Maintenance Specialist, Roppe Holding Company Safe guarding investments and assets is always a good idea, right? Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide wouldn’t take Offensive Linemen off the field to get another Wide Receiver on the field, would they? No, because protecting the 5-star Quarterback recruit that could lead them […]
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How to Remove Releasable Sticker & Adhesive Residue from Floors
XL North’s Bill Luallen is back with a quick tip on how to remove the adhesive residue that stickers can leave on floors. More and more businesses are using way finding stickers throughout their facilities to direct traffic according to social distancing guidelines. While these stickers help promote safety in the workplace, adhesive can be […]
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Industry-wide Changes Are Coming for Commercial Resilient Floors
Mark Bischoff from Starnet shared his insights with me about the upcoming changes in resilient flooring that will significantly impact commercial flooring professionals. As the President and CEO of the world’s largest network of full-service independent flooring contractors, Mark’s understanding of the industry is unparalleled. His comprehensive experience in the flooring business is evident in […]
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Interview with Mark Warner, Education Manager, ISSA
Training As a Passion Mark Warner is currently the education manager for ISSA‘s Cleaning Management Institute. His extensive background in floor care spans over three decades, with two of those spent in training and education. “Being involved with training and sharing information, I learn every day as well as try and teach others every day,” […]
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Interview with The Moisture Testing Guy, Carl Bredl
Carl Bredl has been in the flooring industry for 35 years and the depth of his experience is impressive. Beginning as a union installer in 1985, he started with carpet, and eventually ventured into hard surfaces, including vinyls, rubber, wood, laminate, concrete repair, epoxy mitigation systems, and resinous flooring. He’s known as “The Moisture Testing […]
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Last Chance to Get the Introductory Rate! IICRC RFMT Training Course & Certification
The first two IICRC Resilient Flooring Maintenance Technician (RFMT) classes in Columbus and Dallas were great successes, and the upcoming 2 day course in Las Vegas is your last chance to get yourself or your technicians certified for only $229. Don’t miss the opportunity! Continuing education is vital in flooring maintenance. This is an excellent […]
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Case Studies
LVP Sacrificial Coating Case Study
Flooring Services Inc. recently installed roughly 18,000 SF of quality LVP in a very large university book store. The customer was acutely aware that both the environment of the area and the traffic volume would be worthy of applying a “sacrificial” acrylic coating to the floor. Jason Rowley, Account Manager with Flooring Services, turned to […]