Floor buffers are versatile machines that make heavy-duty jobs more affordable and efficient for businesses. What might take manual laborers days to accomplish can be completed in several hours with the proper equipment. Whether you have your own floor buffer or you rented a commercial machine from a retailer or equipment rental service, you must identify and acquire the appropriate consumable items needed to complete the task. These items include floor stripping pads, polishing pads, floor buffer pads and even baseboard cleaning kits.
When selecting the pads you plan to use, consider the task before you buy them. If you plan to simply clean your floors or to renew their look with a fresh seal, you will need buffer pads. Also known as floor cleaning pads, they will help make a floor that is already in good condition appear luminous and smooth. On the other hand, if there is a damaged or unsightly coating already on the floor that must be removed beforehand, you will also need stripper pads. These pads are much coarser, as their primary purpose is to remove wax and other sealants, usually with the aid of a stripping agent or chemical. If your task will involve replacing wax or applying a coat for the first time, you will also need polishing buffer pads to make your floors look their best.
Knowing exactly which pad is right for the job can be difficult, particularly when buying online. Make a note of the make and model of your floor buffer and be certain that the pads you are buying will fit the machine. Consult the owner’s manual for recommendations, but keep in mind that you can purchase other brands, even if the manual only recommends the manufacturer’s replacement products. While it can be confusing at first, you will find that most manufacturers make it easy to differentiate their products by using a variety of different colors to signify different uses.
The most important thing to consider when shopping for these pads, besides finding the right kind of pad, is finding the right size. Buffer pads come in a variety of sizes, depending on the type of equipment being used. The size of pads will be listed in diameters, and generally in inches in North America. Common sizes for commercial scrubber pads range anywhere between one and four feet, and you will find 11” pads, 17” pads and 20” pads at most major outlets. Pad thickness has more to do than the intended use of the item, but higher quality buffer pads will be thicker than their bargain counterparts. A pad for commercial use should never be less than three quarters of an inch thick, but it is not uncommon to find them an inch thick or more.
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