What Speeds To Use When Buffing?

Users typically inquire what should be the speed of the buffer while polishing their floors.

Once you get used to handling your floor buffing machine and have become familiar with its controls and achieved satisfactory results, you are likely to question what should be speed of the machine for different applications. Speed plays a crucial role in giving the expected results.

Low speed buffers have color coded cleaning pads to facilitate identification. The color indicates how fast the buffer should go with a particular cleaning pad. The thumb rule is the darker the pad, the slower should be the speed of the buffer.

For example, pads in black color are abrasive pads meant for getting rid of stubborn dirt and for stripping the floors. Suppose you apply stripping agent to the floor, plug in the buffer and switch on the supply and adjust the speed to maximum. As you glide it on the floor in a professional manner, you’ll splash small amounts of stripper all around. In case the floor buffer is really able to break into the dirt, most likely you would have scratched and damaged the floor. However, the buffer is expected to just glide over the surface and remove negligible amount of polish. The design and functioning of the cleaning pad calls for a slower speed to do an effective work. You should be maintaining a speed of 175 rpm.

Floor pads in red color are most often sufficient for daily cleaning jobs. The ideal speed for such pads is 250-275 rpm. The said speed suffices to remove dirt and scuffmarks without causing any damage to the finishing of the floor. If you run the machine at higher speed, it will most likely damage the finish and cause scratches on the floor.

For speeds of 350 rpm or more, use pink or pale colored pads. Here’s a chance to demonstrate your skills as an operator. Start buffing at the speed of 300 rpm with buffing agent applied on the floor and then change over to higher speed that you can handle. The higher the speed, the brighter is the finish.

The suggested speeds of the buffer are not intended to slow you down but to help you getting the best results while using the machine with floor pads. For getting brilliant and shining floors you should conform to these speeds, else the floors may look dull and yellowish.