When renting a floor scraper machine, matching equipment rental choice to the job at hand improves efficiency and safety. The size and scope of a job are key factors when selecting equipment, but there are other considerations both the rental company and contractor should be aware of in order to reduce the risk of costly mistakes.

Usually, a contractor is renting a scraper for a specific job, but they may not always be sure of the exact equipment they require. In order to recommend the appropriate machine, the rental company should establish the exact details of the job the contractor will be performing.

The customer service or sales representative can point the contractor in the right direction by advising what each machine is capable of. The rental company should establish the basic job specifications in terms of square footage and what material is to be taken up. If it is a particularly large and open square footage, the rental company would usually recommend a ride-on scraper.

The contractor should be made aware that a ride-on scraper is not appropriate for every large job—especially if the job is divided into smaller units or is above ground level with no elevator access. Additionally, the structure of the building should be established; for example is it built on slab-on-grade foundations, is the building raised or is there a crawl space? The contractor must establish how many pounds per square inch the floor can handle, or they may risk damaging the surface.

In tougher applications, such as hardwood floors or ceramic, torque should be prioritized over speed for removal efficiency. In less challenging applications such as carpet removal, the contractor can use a quicker machine with less torque for maximum efficiency.

The rental company should also establish the location the job will occur. If the floor removal is inside, an electric or battery-powered scraper is better suited. This is particularly relevant when performing surface preparation jobs in public buildings such as hospitals or schools.

A scraper is only as good as the blade attached. The rental company should work with the contractor to ensure the right blades and shanks are used. Not all companies are aware of the impact of blade choice, and different surface preparation machines use different blade technologies. The best way for rental companies to gain a knowledge bank to pass on to customers is through tailored equipment training.

The more knowledgeable the rental company is on the equipment, the better founded it is to provide customer advice, which saves the contractor from learning through mistakes on the job. National Flooring Equipment offers tailored machine training to both existing and potential customers. For more information, visit nationalequipment.com.

Ultimately, the better the recommendation the rental company gives the better service to the customer. This will help build long-term relationships by improving the contractor’s efficiency, labor costs and return on investment.