What does burnishing do to a floor?
Burnishing can restore shine and smoothness to a coated floor while helping protect its surface. The process uses a high-speed machine with a special pad to polish the floor finish, typically reducing scuffs and light scratches. Burnishing can also harden the top layer of the finish, making the floor more resistant to wear and easier to clean. It’s commonly used on hard floors like vinyl, tile, and polished concrete.
A flooring pro can help you decide if burnishing is right for your floors.
Pro tip: Floor polishing and burnishing can both improve a floor’s appearance, but polishing is a more intensive process that helps restore or enhance shine by smoothing the surface and, in some cases, using polishing compounds. It’s often used on stone, concrete, or finished wood floors to improve clarity and appearance. Burnishing is typically more of a maintenance measure.
What's the difference between floor polishing, buffing, and burnishing?
Polishing, buffing, and burnishing can all improve a floor's appearance, but they have slightly different functions:
Polishing smooths a floor's surface and enhances its shine, often using polishing compounds. It’s done once in a while to stone, concrete, and finished wood floors to restore clarity and luster.
Burnishing uses a high-speed machine to harden and smooth the existing finish, increasing gloss and durability in high-traffic areas. It's usually done every month or two.
Buffing is a low-speed process that helps remove light scuffs and refreshes the floor’s finish. It’s typically part of routine maintenance to keep floors looking clean.
A flooring pro can help you choose the right method based on your floor type and how much wear it gets.
What can raise the cost of getting a floor burnished?
A few things can impact the cost of floor burnishing service, including:
Floor size: The total square footage of the area to be burnished is one of the biggest factors. A larger space will generally require more time and labor.
Condition of the floor: If your floors have deep scratches, heavy scuff marks, or built-up grime, they may need extra prep work like deep cleaning or stripping before they can be burnished.
Type of flooring material: The cost can vary depending on whether you have vinyl composite tile (VCT), terrazzo, or concrete, as each may require specific pads and solutions.
Project accessibility: Ease of access to the work area sometimes matters. A job on an upper floor with no elevator, for example, might cost more than a ground-level space with easy entry.
How do I choose a floor burnishing service?
Here are some steps to help you pick the right pro to burnish your floors:
Ask about insurance: Find out if they have general liability insurance to cover any potential property damage. Specific licensing for floor care isn't necessarily required, although requirements vary by region.
Get several estimates: A proper estimate should break down costs for labor and materials, note the total square footage, and list steps like stripping old wax, applying new finish, and burnishing.
Read reviews: Look for reviews that mention a long-lasting, high-gloss shine and professionalism. Red flags might include comments about swirl marks, a dull or hazy finish, or damage to walls and baseboards.
Look at portfolios: Browse for before-and-after photos of floors similar to yours. The finished floors should have a clear, mirror-like reflection without any cloudiness or streaks.
Find out about warranties: Some pros offer a satisfaction guarantee. Ask if they would return to correct any potential issues, like an uneven shine, if noticed soon after the service.
Ask other questions, like: What products and equipment will you use on my floors? How should I maintain the floors after they’re burnished? How long should I stay off the floor afterward?
How often should you get a floor burnished?
It’s a good idea to schedule floor burnishing services at least every one to three months, especially for high-traffic areas. This frequency helps maintain a high-gloss shine and remove scuffs from daily wear and tear. Regular burnishing also helps harden the floor's finish, which can extend the life of the finish and better protect the flooring underneath.
How do I know if my floor needs burnishing?
It might be a good idea to hire a floor burnishing service if you notice:
A dull finish. Your floor has lost its high-gloss shine and looks flat, even right after you’ve cleaned it.
Light scuffs and scratches. You see minor surface marks from foot traffic that don’t come off with regular mopping.
Haziness or cloudiness. The finish looks milky or foggy in certain areas, either due to wear or a buildup of cleaning products.
Embedded dirt. Grime seems trapped within the top layer of the floor’s finish, making it look constantly unclean.
Uneven wear. High-traffic areas look more worn down and less reflective than the areas along walls or under furniture.