9/29/2017
You may see the word “guard” in many reports of SilTanium projects. For example, when we employ our DFE system on terrazzo, we top off the job with SentryGuard. Since the word appears so often, perhaps you would like a little history on the subject.
Many early craftsmen who developed the diamond polishing business did not like the use of guards, which originally were promoted as stain blockers. The early guard formulas, however, acted more like a coating, helping to hide poor workmanship such as blemishes and scratches from diamonds. The coating-like features of guards allowed relatively untrained and unskilled polishers to hide poor performance — at least until after they cashed the check. Problems appearing later, however, could stain the reputations not only of poor-performing workers, but also of hardworking craftsmen who took their time and did the job right.
Eventually, as the industry learned from its mistakes, guard technology and methods of application improved. Low-cost, poor-quality guards remain on the market, but there also are exceptional ones. The good ones not only reduce staining but also increase coefficient of friction and create a wear surface that, with proper maintenance, negates the need to re-polish. Cleaning, burnishing and adding more guard as necessary keeps those floors looking great.
SilTanium uses SentryGuard, the top-quality product for terrazzo. Two years ago, we employed the SilTanium DFE system on a floor and recently, that customer asked us to check the floor and re-polish it if necessary. Our examination showed that the only action needed was to auto-scrub the floor with a red pad and mild cleaning solution (ReVitalize), then burnish it with a diamond pad. After two years, the SentryGuard was still hard at work, so there was no need to re-polish.
To learn more about the advantages of using SentryGuard, contact your sales and service representative. If you do not yet have a representative, please call 770.387.2728 or email [email protected].