How to Refinish Brick Flooring

Brick flooring is a conventional and widely-reputed flooring option. Brick flooring offers many advantages. Brick flooring is immune to maintenance issues like staining or color-fading. Further, brick flooring is very durable and needs minimal maintenance along with being fire-proof.

Brick flooring is often used in contemporary home-improvement projects to establish a traditional, rustic texture in the house. However, brick flooring also ages and needs occasional servicing in the form of refinishing. This is a simple and quick way to augment the life of a brick flooring surface and improve its appearance. Refinishing is recommended since brick flooring is slightly porous. This means that grime and dirt can get stuck onto the flooring surface. There are two basic approaches to refinish brick flooring. The first method represents a conventional approach—using self-sealing wax. The other option is to use a brick sealant. However, both these approaches are initiated with a common, preparation phase explained below.

Preparing Brick Floors for Refinishing:

Step 1—Cleaning Brick Flooring

Start with thoroughly cleaning the brick flooring. Ideally, you should sweep the surface with a broom and then vacuum it. Proceed by cleaning the surface with soap and water. Use a mild detergent for this purpose. Scrub the floor with a brush. Pay special attention to the grout lines. This is where the grime often sets-in. Allow the cleaned floor to dry. Prepare a solution consisting of water and vinegar in the ration of 15:1. Dip the mop into this solution and wipe the brick flooring. Leave the prepared floor to dry.

Step 2—Removing Wax

Mix one cup of ammonia with eight cups of water. Stir the solution and add a cap of any household/all-purpose cleaner to the mix. The ammonia in the solution helps to get rid of any wax or grime that might be clouding the surface. Dip the mop into the solution. Gently mop the brick floor. The strokes should be slow. Leave the mopped floor unattended for about 10 minutes. This allows the surface to absorb the solution. Scrub the mopped floor with a floor-brush. Rinse the floor with plain water. Allow the floor to dry.

Now you may proceed in either of the following two ways:

Option 1—Refinishing Brick Flooring with Sealing Wax

This is an easier, faster way of refinishing brick flooring. Apply the self-sealing wax, according to packaged instructions. Usually, two coatings are sufficient. Scrub the brick with the microfiber cloth. This is a simple way to buff the floor and lend it the required, finished appearance.

Option 2—Refinishing Brick Flooring with Flooring Sealant

Instead of using self-sealing wax, use flooring sealant that is retailed specifically for brick floorings. You can use a painting brush to apply the sealant. Start in the opposite direction, i.e. move towards the entrance of the room. Allow the floor to dry for the duration mentioned in the packaged instructions. Buff the brick flooring with a piece of microfiber cloth.