Damp Buffing
A low-speed floor machine with a cleaning pad and neutral cleaner removes scuffs and surface soil. It freshens the floor without adding finish.
Cleaning & maintenance
Floor Buffing and Waxing in Kitchener, Ontario
A well-maintained floor tells customers and staff the business is looked after. Kitchener Prestige Flooring strips, waxes, buffs and burnishes floors for retailers, schools, clinics, offices and property managers across Kitchener and Waterloo Region.
We bring more than 16 years of flooring experience and 1,700+ completed jobs to floor care. As installers, we know which floors should be waxed and which ones wax will damage, and we tell you plainly.
Our crews are licensed, insured and WSIB covered, and we work overnight and on weekends. All floor care work is backed by a written 1-year labour warranty.
- Licensed & insured
- WSIB covered
- 1-year labour warranty
- Free in-home estimates
Who This Service Is For
This is mainly a commercial service. Retail stores, schools, daycares, clinics, offices and apartment common areas with VCT, sheet vinyl, linoleum or terrazzo are our typical clients.
Floors in these spaces take heavy traffic and need a protective finish to look their best. A regular program is far cheaper than replacing floors early.
What Buffing, Burnishing and Waxing Actually Mean
People use these words interchangeably, but they are different operations with different costs.
High-Speed Burnishing
A burnisher spins at high speed, heating the floor finish and hardening it to a deep, wet-look gloss. It is fast and suits large floors between recoats.
Spray Buffing
A spray solution is misted onto the floor and buffed at low to medium speed. It fills fine scratches and restores gloss in busy areas.
"Waxing" today usually means applying a modern acrylic floor finish, not traditional wax. That is the protective layer everything else maintains.
Strip and Re-Wax Cycles
Over time, finish builds up, traps dirt and yellows. A full strip removes it all so fresh finish can go on.
How Many Coats and Why
After stripping and neutralising the floor, we apply thin, even coats of finish. Commercial floors usually get four to six coats.
More thin coats build a tougher, more even film than a few thick ones. Thick coats dry soft and scuff easily.
Cure and Recoat Timing
Each coat dries in about 20 to 40 minutes, depending on temperature and humidity. The floor can take light traffic within hours.
We wait for the finish to cure, usually a day or more, before the first burnish. Burnishing too early smears the finish.
Floors That Should Be Waxed and Floors That Should Not
Waxing the wrong floor is an expensive mistake. Here is the plain answer.
Should be finished: VCT, most commercial sheet vinyl, linoleum and older terrazzo on a maintenance program.
Should not be waxed: polished concrete, most modern LVT with a factory urethane wear layer, hardwood with polyurethane, and natural stone that should be sealed and polished instead.
For stone, see our floor sealing and waterproofing service. For tile floors, see tile and grout restoration.
Slip Resistance and Finish Selection
For commercial buyers, slip resistance is a liability question. We use finishes that meet the ASTM D2047 slip resistance standard.
Burnishing can raise gloss without lowering grip when the right finish is used. We also advise on walk-off mats and wet-floor procedures for entrances in winter.
Scheduling Around Business Hours
Floor care happens when your doors are closed. We work overnight, early morning and weekends.
Large floors are done in sections so staff areas and exits stay open. Every visit ends with the floor dry, clean and ready for opening.
Maintenance Programs and Frequency by Traffic
A program keeps floors consistent and budgets predictable. These are typical frequencies for commercial VCT.
| Task | High traffic | Moderate traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Dust mop and auto-scrub | Daily | Daily or several times weekly |
| Spray buff or burnish | Weekly | Every 2 to 4 weeks |
| Scrub and recoat | Quarterly | Twice a year |
| Full strip and re-wax | Once or twice a year | Every 1 to 2 years |
We build a schedule for your space and can include it in wider commercial flooring service.
Buffing and Waxing Pricing
Typical 2026 ranges in Waterloo Region for commercial floors:
| Service | Typical cost per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Strip and re-wax, 4 to 6 coats | $0.40 to $0.90 |
| Scrub and recoat | $0.25 to $0.45 |
| High-speed burnish | $0.08 to $0.20 |
| Spray buff | $0.10 to $0.25 |
Small areas carry a minimum charge. Program pricing is available for regular visits. All floor care work carries our 1-year labour warranty.
Keep exploring
Related Flooring Services
- Commercial Flooring Carpet tile, LVT, VCT and sheet vinyl for offices, retail, clinics, schools and multi-unit buildings. Learn more
- Concrete Polishing Mechanically ground, densified and polished concrete for warehouses, showrooms and modern basements. Learn more
- Tile & Grout Restoration Deep cleaning, regrouting, grout colour sealing and silicone replacement for tired tile floors. Learn more
- Floor Sealing & Waterproofing Penetrating and topical sealers for stone, grout and concrete, plus membranes for showers and wet areas. Learn more
Where this service is in highest demand:
FAQ
Buffing and Waxing Questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Still unsure? Call and ask.
Ask for a Free Quote How often should a commercial floor be stripped and waxed?
Most busy commercial VCT floors need a full strip and re-wax once or twice a year. In between, regular scrubbing and recoating plus burnishing keep them looking good and extend the time between strips.
Should polished concrete be waxed?
No. Wax sits on top of polished concrete, becomes slippery and hides the polish. Polished concrete should be cleaned with a neutral cleaner and burnished with diamond pads instead.
Can you work overnight so we stay open?
Yes. Most of our floor care is done after closing or on weekends. Finishes are chosen and applied so the floor is dry and ready by opening.
What is the difference between buffing and burnishing?
Buffing runs a slower machine, often with a spray solution, to clean and restore shine. Burnishing uses a high-speed machine that heats and hardens the finish for a deep, wet-look gloss.
Free estimate
Book a Free Floor Buffing & Waxing Estimate
Tell us about the floor. We will call to book a time, measure on site, check the subfloor and moisture, and leave you a written quote.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call and speak to a flooring specialist directly.
- Measured on site, with moisture and flatness readings
- Written, itemized quote with no obligation
- Licensed, insured, WSIB covered, 1-year labour warranty
Kitchener Prestige Flooring
137 Glasgow St, Kitchener, ON N2M 5E3
Monday to Saturday: 7:00am to 9:30pm
Sunday: 9:00am to 9:00pm