Reseal intervals printed on a data sheet assume ideal cleaning. Real floors in retail, schools and warehouses need a number derived from traffic and cleaning, checked with measurements rather than with a calendar.

Baseline intervals

Environment	Typical interval	Key driver
Office, light traffic	24-36 months	Cleaning chemistry
Retail, main floor	12-18 months	Grit and trolley traffic
School corridor	12 months	Abrasive grit, boots
Food service	9-12 months	Daily degreasing
Warehouse, forklifts	6-12 months	Rubber scrub and load

Read the floor, not the calendar

1. Measure gloss at fixed points each quarter, same angle and same light.
2. Drop of more than 10 units on the same area signals sealer wear, not dirt.
3. Check water absorption in a 100 mm test patch: fast darkening means the sealer is thin.
4. Inspect edges and joints first; wear starts where cleaning is weakest.

What shortens sealer life

• High-alkaline or acidic cleaners used regularly.
• Steam mopping and hot water.
• Abrasive grit without entrance mats.
• Buffing with an aggressive pad at high pressure.
• Resealing over a dirty floor, which traps the contamination.

Reseal procedure that lasts

Deep clean and strip residue first, let the floor dry fully, then apply the sealer at the manufacturer rate in two thin coats rather than one heavy coat. Heavy single coats fail at the edges and turn white in traffic lanes. Buff after full cure, not before.

Cost framing for the client

Present resealing as part of the maintenance budget: a 12-month reseal on a 500 m2 retail floor is a fraction of a full restoration, and skipping it typically doubles the restoration cost two years later. Put the interval, the products and the trigger readings in the handover document, so the decision is data-driven.