Protecting your customer’s interior floor finishes is essential when carrying out work. The last thing you want to do during a construction or renovation project is damage them.
The best way to protect a customer’s floor is to use temporary floor protection, which means that if you drop a tool, spill paint, or forget to take off dirty footwear, the floor surfaces will be protected. You will also not have to pay for replacing the damaged floor.
In this guide, we take a look at how temporary floor protection works, look at the different options that are available, and the right products for the different types of floors.
How does temporary floor protection work?
Spilling paint or dropping materials can cause expensive damage to floor surfaces, which can be irreparable and costly for construction workers.
Temporary floor protection acts as a barrier between the floor and any potential hazards which could cause damage.
Here are some examples of how floor protection works:
- Creates a physical barrier: The protective material sits on top of your existing floor, taking the brunt of scratches, spills, and items being dropped. This extra layer of protective material prevents items or materials from reaching the actual floor surface.
- Absorbs spills and liquids: Some materials, like absorbent paper or mats, can soak up spills before they stain or damage the floor.
- Stable work surfaces: There are floor different types of floor protection that create a level platform for working on. This is essential when you are carrying out work that involves heavy machinery and tools.
- Creates breathability: There are certain materials that are breathable, such as cardboard and mats, which allow air to get to newly laid floors to help them cure properly.
ALSO READ: What is the best way to protect carpets?
What are the different types of temporary floor protection available?
Different jobs require different types of floor protection, and here are some of the options that are available to you.
Correx floor protection
Correx floor protection boards are built out of lightweight corrugated plastic and are, therefore, extremely durable. The material is tear, puncture, and impact resistant, which helps it protect all types of flooring against scratches, chips, and spillages.
Being made from corrugated plastic means that the boards can be cut and curved to fit any floor surface, no matter what the shape of the room is like.
This type of protection board is not only limited to protecting floors, as it can be used to protect other areas of a home, including windows, stairs, doors, and walls. Businesses can also get Correx boards custom printed, so their company logo is emblazoned on it.
Carpet protection film
If you need temporary flooring protection over a carpet to help guard it from spillages and debris during a building or painting project, then a carpet protection film is the best product for the job.
These films have adhesive backings, so they can be stuck to most carpets and carpet tiles to keep the film in place securely as well as make the installation process much easier. This stability will make it safer for work to be carried out.
These protection films can be easily peeled away once the project has been completed, and there will be no residue left on the carpets.
Cotton twill dust sheets
If you are re-decorating a customer's home, one of the best types of temporary floor protection is Cotton twill dust sheets.
They are an extremely popular product to use amongst decorators as they are easy to lay out over floors to protect them from paint spills and dust.
These 100% cotton products are washable and can be reused over and over again.
Heavy-duty protection boards
If you are working on a construction site where there are high-value floors which need to be protected, a heavy duty protection board is one of the best choices. These products have a 4mm thickness, and this high density means they can protect surfaces from heavy materials and abrasions.
Heavy-duty protection boards are commonly used on long-term sites and in areas of a site where there is heavy footfall as they provide great protection. They are commonly used as protection over wooden flooring due to their expensive nature.
Rubber matting
Rubber matting is another type of floor protection that is widely used across the construction industry as it has many benefits. Rubber is a tough material, and it can withstand heavy foot traffic and prevent floors from being scratched, scrapped and chipped.
Most rubber floor matting has textured surfaces, and this helps to provide excellent grip to workers, and as rubber is naturally waterproof, it can help protect floors from water damage and makes cleaning up any spills much easier.
Some of the different types of rubber matting you can use are:
ALSO READ: A guide to temporary surface protection for delicate finishes
What protection should you have for different types of flooring?
Understanding the best kinds of protection for different types of flooring is vital, as there is a unique solution for each floor type.
- Laminate and vinyl flooring: If you are working in a room with vinyl or laminate flooring, then you can choose between card protection board, Correx, and hard surface film products.
- Stone & Ceramic flooring: Whether it is marble or stone flooring, it can be very expensive to replace, but rubber matting, card floor products or Correx floor protection products are just some options you can use to avoid scratches and chips.
- Wooden floors: If an area has a wood floor which has just been laid, breathable fleece protection or cotton twill dust sheets are great options, as they will allow the flooring to cure.
- Carpet: Carpet protection film offers the best solution to prevent carpets from getting damaged during work.
Impact protection: Correx and heavy-duty protection boards can protect a variety of flooring surfaces such as tiles, carpets and wood.
ALSO READ: How to choose the right temporary protection materials
No matter what type of temporary floor protection you are looking for, you can browse our range of Proguard products or get in touch with any questions.
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