When choosing a floor finish, one of most important attributes to assess is the durability of the finish. Durability consists of several factors, one of which (and probably the most noticable) being black mark resistance (BMR). Black mark resistance refers to a floor finish’s ability to resist marking when objects, such as shoes, wheels, and furniture, move across it. By understanding black mark resistance and how it works, you can more effectively compare one floor finish to another and choose the correct finish for your facility.

There are two main factors that attribute to black mark resistance in floor finish: hardness and slip resistance.

Hardness – The hardness of a floor finish affects durability in many ways. Harder floor finishes generally have better soil resistance and resist scuffs and black marks much better. The reason harder finishes resist black marks better is because the finish is harder than the material moving across it, meaning that the material (shoes, for example) will not scratch or scuff it. The softer the finish, the more likely it is to come in contact with a material that is harder, resulting a black mark being left behind. Shoe heels may leave some black marks on hard finishes, but they are generally much easier to wipe away than on softer finishes.

Slip Resistance – Another factor that affects the black mark resistance of a floor finish is the slip resistance, or coefficient of friction. A higher slip resistance means a higher coefficient of friction, more friction is generated between the floor and the object moving across it, and the object is less likely to slip or slide. All floor finishes have a required range of slip resistance, because a coefficient of friction that is either too high or too low will result in an unsafe walking surface. Generally, floor finishes with lower slip resistance, that cause objects to slide more, will have better black mark resistance. This is because objects will slide more smoothly across the surface instead of generating large amounts of friction, which would make scuffs, scratches, and black marks more likely to occur.

Multi-Clean offers a full line of floor finishes with BMR or black mark resistant technology. Our finishes combine hardness and durability with superb, long-lasting gloss, and finishes are available for use with any maintenance program. For superb black mark resistance, look for the Multi-Clean BMR logo.