Guide dentretien du beton cire Cleaning renovation

Maintenance guide for waxed concrete, lime, stain and varnish surfaces | Cleaning, repair & renovation

Introduction

Thank you for choosing Marius Aurenti waxed concrete.

You have chosen to carry out your project with the waxed concrete Thank you, Marius Aurenti! We share your passion for beautiful materials.

Essentially mineral, our materials have a warm appearance and a depth of color that bring a feeling of well-being. You've been impressed by the quality of their rendering and the special contact they provide...

A unique work...

Far from standard, your Marius Aurenti creation is the work of a human being. It resembles no other. Its hue and application effects are unique to the hand of the person who applied the material.

That's what makes your work so special.

Just like the floors of old houses made of stone, terracotta or parquet, your concrete will take shape over time and be enriched by your history.

Foolproof?

Drawing on over 35 years' experience, this use and care guide will help you care for your materials, avoid damaging them and maintain them properly.

We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your confidence. We hope you enjoy the sensations of these materials, which are so pleasant to live with.

Lionel Ballet,
President of Matières Marius Aurenti

Tips for maintaining waxed concrete

The nature of the materials and MA's system

MA's coatings consist of a primer, the material itself and a topcoat.

Primers interface with the substrate. It regulates porosity, ensures adhesion, levels the surface... These are the key points that ensure bonding and good preparation.

Many primers are available in the MA's range, and craftsmen and professionals can identify the right solution for each case.

Once the primer has been applied, the material is laid. The mineral nature of our materials will express all their beauty and become the key product of your coating, both in terms of performance and beauty!

These materials are made of several components and set in water (concrete), limeclay, plaster, silicate...)

Once set, some of the water evaporates, resulting in different porosity levels depending on the binder. Concrete, for example, is more closed than lime.

Finally, a protective layer is applied to limit porosity, protect against dirt and most stains, and facilitate cleaning.

As a finishing touch, you can choose to apply a wax to obtain a natural, soft material, or a water-based or solvent-based varnish for greater stress and intensive use. Once again, it's a question of choice, depending on your lifestyle and the way you maintain your home.

When the work is finished, how long will I have to wait before I can walk on my floor or use the waxed concrete areas?

The fact that the concrete, varnish or wax is dry to the touch does not guarantee complete drying. Under optimum conditions (20°C and 65% humidity) :

Waxed concrete is dry after 2 days. It reaches maximum mechanical strength after 28 days.
The varnish is generally dry after 7 days (see data sheets). It then reaches its maximum performance (mechanical and chemical resistance).
Oil-repellent impregnation for exterior use is dry after 24 hours.

After varnish application :

Indoors: Ventilation is important to allow moisture to escape from the room and the varnish to dry. If work is still in progress, floors can be protected with breathable tarpaulins (Landolt type) for short periods (a few hours). It is important to let the coating dry in the open air. Blocking the product's drying process may lead to whitening and/or softening of the covered surface.

Outdoors: It is important that the weather conditions are favorable. Water on the untreated surface or just after application of the oil-repellent impregnation will cause whitening.

After 2 days: Light circulation with care. Wear socks or bare feet. Do not expose to water. Do not place anything on the surface.

After 7 days: Carpets and furniture can be installed, and the coating can be exposed to water.

After 28 days: The concrete will have acquired full mechanical strength for everyday use. See performance data in the product data sheet (section materials).

What precautions should be taken during the first 7 days?

If the material is dry and hard to the touch, waxed concrete, varnish or protective wax take time to harden and develop all their qualities. It may take up to a week before the material can be put to normal use.

The first few days are therefore decisive for the future of your work.

To ensure proper drying, it's important to keep the rooms ventilated and heated. This allows any varnish solvents or water naturally contained in the materials to evaporate. Water rooms or sinks can also be recirculated after a week's drying at room temperature.

It is important not to cover surfaces with carpets, objects, plastic sheeting, protective tape... This would prevent drying and could damage them.

You should also take care not to drop or place any objects or furniture that could puncture the surface (i.e. put a lot of load on a small surface). For example: very heavy furniture legs, stiletto heels or other pointed objects that could sink into a surface. Finally, we advise you not to pull objects or furniture without protective felts. Metal feet, small pebbles or other hard objects could scratch your varnish or your concrete in depth.

These precautions are important at the outset, as not all resistances are yet optimal. However, they also help preserve the integrity of your surfaces over time.

What precautions should be taken in daily use of waxed concrete or lime surfaces?

There are certain precautions you can take to avoid damaging your surface on a daily basis. Here is a non-exhaustive list, the rest being a matter of common sense:

Water and finishing

Varnishes and waxes are waterproof. However, they're polyurethane-based, so they're not made for standing water. For this reason, be sure to :

Do not leave permanently damp objects on varnishes and waxes. For example, don't leave a damp mop or doormat in the same place all the time.
Do not place flower pots in porous saucers or pet bowls in the same place every time.
Monitor appliances for water leaks and condensation.
Do not leave hygiene or beauty products (soap, make-up, etc.) in permanent contact with varnish or concrete without intermediate support.
Over time, renew the joints between your various materials to ensure impermeability and prevent water penetration.
For spas and steam rooms, do not expose the material to water or steam temperatures in excess of 80°C.

Chemical aggression

Even when protected, the surface will remain sensitive to chemical attack for varying lengths of time. In the event of an incident, be sure to clean the stain as soon as possible.

If varnishes are chemically resistant, prolonged contact with a staining or aggressive agent can damage the surface. As it's all a question of exposure time before cleaning, we recommend that you clean the surface immediately by absorbing the product concerned and then cleaning with water.

Avoid prolonged contact with concentrated or corrosive chemicals. The products most at risk are :

Solvents
Cleaning agents (bleach, etc.)
Chlorine
Pure acids
Acetone
Vinegar
Dyes (hair or other)
Reprographic inks
Earth and wood tannins
Oils, especially hot oils
Rust
Spices

Do not place hot objects directly on the surface. Example: dish coming out of the oven, saucepan coming out of the fire.

Permanent stagnant water is also unsuitable for waxes and varnishes, which can whiten over time. Ponds are treated with untreated concrete, without any finishing coatings. Avoid leaving flower pots with saucers filled with water, or cosmetic bottles in the pool. shower.

MA's varnishes are tested to European standards and offer excellent results against chemical aggression, making us the benchmark in mineral materials protection for over 35 years.

Physical and mechanical aggression

Even the most resistant mineral materials, such as high-performance concrete (UHPC) have their limits when it comes to impacts, scratches, etc. Wear scratches and micro-scratches can be anticipated, and surfaces must be protected against repetitive aggression:

Protect the entrance to a room, especially the entrance to a house or store (doormat)
Avoid repetitive rubbing of chairs and armchairs with feet or castors on the surface if it is not protected by a mat or glides.

Avoid physical damage to the coating:

Do not cut directly on the surface. Beware of knocks and shocks.
Beware of direct flames, embers or cigarettes, which can burn, stain or bubble the varnish.
Do not place hot objects directly on the surface. For example: dish coming out of the oven, saucepan coming out of the fire...
Do not rub with abrasive objects. For example: steel wool, sandpaper, scouring sponges...
Do not drag objects or furniture across the floor.

Scratches on finishes can be repaired or renovated without leaving the material exposed.

It should be noted that mineral materials are insensitive to UV rays.

How do I maintain a waxed concrete surface?

Prevent soiling!

For example, a floor mat will limit stains, especially on garden floors. Good concrete maintenance involves cleaning in several stages.

For your varnished concrete interiors

Vacuum up dust with a vacuum cleaner fitted with brushes.
Clean with Floor Cleaner and water.
Make sure you use the correct quantity, as these are highly effective professional products.
Don't hesitate to scrub the floor with your mop. A scrubber-dryer or single-brush machine with a suitable disc can be used on larger surfaces.
Renew wash water (warm or hot water).
Do not expose the coating to water or steam temperatures in excess of 80°C.
Rinsing with water eliminates deposits of cleaning products that can eventually clog the floor.
Clean white traces of limescale with Antibacterial Limescale Cleaner and rinse with water.
Clean the greasiest areas (work plankitchen floor...) with the
Multi-purpose degreasing cleaner diluted from 1 to 2% and rinse with water.
Clean persistent surface marks, such as black shoe marks, with a scraping sponge (red) or a sponge specifically for enamel or glass-ceramics. Green sponges can scratch varnish.
Do not add black soap, linseed oil or other nourishing products to surfaces to avoid clogging.

For waxed interiors

Use the same cleaning method as for your varnished concrete interiors.

However, we recommend that you renew the wax after cleaning by applying a coat of spray wax and spreading it with an applicator broom or paint glove.

This operation can be carried out using a polisher or a single-brush machine with a suitable disc.

On worktops and in showers

to remove grease and soap, use Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner diluted 1 to 2 % and rinse with water.
To remove limescale and disinfect, use Antibacterial Limescale Cleaner and rinse with water.

For your exteriors and terraces

On a outdoor floor :

Vacuum, blow or sweep the surface.
Rinse with water and scrub with a broom or hand brush. You can also use a single-brush or high-pressure cleaner (maximum 150 bar, with the nozzle at least 3 cm from the surface) with care, depending on the power of the equipment.

How to deep-clean and scour?

If your surface has become clogged over time, you can carry out a thorough descaling.

For varnished interior concrete surfaces and oil-repellent exterior floors

Use Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner at a dilution of 10% in warm or hot water.
Leave for a few minutes before scrubbing with a broom or single-brush machine (rental available).
Repeat the operation if necessary, preferably sucking up the water or pulling with a squeegee to a drainage point. This can also be done locally on heavily stressed areas.
Rinse thoroughly with clean water, the result is always astonishingly effective!

For waxed interior surfaces

Use the same cleaning method as for your varnished concrete interiors, and renew the wax after degreasing by applying a coat of spray wax and spreading it with an applicator broom and/or single brush.

How do I renovate my waxed concrete?

With the passage of time, traffic and abrasion, top coats can wear away and the surface can become dirty or damaged. In many cases, a thorough cleaning and polishing of micro-scratches is all that's needed to avoid having to renew top coats.

However, if the substrate has numerous micro-scratches or is starting to become porous, it's time to renew the top coats.

Varnished concrete interior surface

Use Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner diluted to 10 % and rinse with water.
A soft brush can be used to clean the pores of the concrete.
Lightly sand the surface with 120-grit sandpaper, remove dust with water and, after drying, apply 1 to 3 coats of varnish.

Waxed interior surface

Approximately every 5 years (depending on the desired appearance and patina of the floor)
Strip with Cleaner Stripper for greasy and waxed floors or Wax Remover.
On a dry, clean surface, apply 1 to 2 coats of Wax with an applicator broom or spray and single brush to work in the wax.

Varnished surface (floor, shower, worktop)

Approximately every 4 to 7 years (depending on wear)
Use Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner diluted to 10% and rinse with water.
Lightly sand the surface, clean thoroughly and apply new coats of Varnish.

Exterior floor

Every year or every 2 years
Apply Multi-Purpose Degreaser Cleaner 10 % and rinse with water.
On the dry surface, apply 2 coats of oil-repellent impregnation or solvent-based oil-repellent impregnation.

How can I repair my surface after a heavy object has fallen?

On micro concrete, dropping a heavy object usually causes the material to sink. This can sometimes damage the varnish film. This can be remedied by applying several coats of varnish.

Rarely, this may cause the material to shatter. A local application of micro concrete may be considered. To avoid the "patching" effect, a tinted product (e.g. repair cream / wax) is recommended. mineral woodstain) can be applied to effectively mask the repair.

In the event of heavy objects being dropped, impact, deep scratches, shocks, or indelible or deep surface stains, we advise you to contact your installer, who will propose a repair on a case-by-case basis.

Three special waxed concrete cleaning products

Find all our maintenance products for waxed concrete, lime, varnish and wood stain on this page : Maintenance products

Floor cleaner

Special cleaner for waxed concrete floorIt is also suitable for cleaning resins, plastics, PVC, linoleum, tiles and natural stone.
It allows the protective surface to be respected and cleaned without altering the protection.

Anti-bacterial limescale cleaner

Derived from the sanitary and medical sectors, it is a powerful bactericidal and anti-scaling cleaner for regular cleaning of worktops, taps, showers, shower glazing and sanitary installations. It is non-aggressive on waxed concrete.

Multi-purpose degreasing cleaner

Concentrated maintenance product with high degreasing and biodegrading power at over 95%. Thoroughly cleans waxed concrete, marble, terracotta, tiles, plastics and aluminum and stainless steel containers.