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Commercial Floor Machines — Authorized Dealer
Twin City Vacuum in Crystal, Minneapolis, MN carries a full selection of commercial floor machines for polishing, scrubbing, spray buffing, and stripping hard floor surfaces. We are an authorized Tornado dealer — every machine is genuine OEM equipment backed by the full manufacturer warranty. Our in-house technicians service floor machines at our Crystal, MN location. Questions? Call us at 763-535-0770. Free shipping on orders over $30 to all 50 states.
Types of Commercial Floor Machines
Rotary Floor Machines — 175 RPM
Standard rotary floor machines operate at 175 RPM and are the workhorse of commercial hard floor maintenance. At 175 RPM, a rotary machine handles the full range of daily and periodic floor care tasks depending on the pad installed: red or white pads for daily spray buffing to restore shine, blue or green pads for scrubbing to remove soil buildup, and black stripping pads with chemical stripper to remove old floor finish before recoating. The Tornado Brute Force and Tornado M Series are both 175 RPM rotary floor machines available in 17″ and 20″ pad sizes.
Dual Speed Floor Machines — 175 / 320 RPM
Dual speed floor machines add a second speed setting — typically 175 RPM for scrubbing and stripping, and 320 RPM for spray buffing and light polishing. The higher speed at 320 RPM produces better gloss on spray buffing passes than single-speed machines at 175 RPM, without requiring a dedicated high-speed burnisher. The Tornado M Series Dual Speed is available in both 17″ and 20″ and provides this two-speed versatility at an accessible price point.
Orbital Floor Machines
Orbital floor machines use a rectangular pad that moves in an orbital pattern rather than rotating in a circle. This orbital motion cleans in multiple directions simultaneously, making orbital machines highly effective on grout lines, textured surfaces, and any floor where a circular rotating pad would skip over recessed areas. The Tornado OB 20 Orbital Floor Machine operates at 3,500 RPM orbital speed with 180 lbs of down pressure and a 14″×20″ rectangular pad — capable of deep cleaning and chemical-free finish removal across multiple hard floor types.
Floor Machine vs Floor Burnisher — What's the Difference?
Floor machines (175–320 RPM) and floor burnishers (1,200–2,000 RPM) are both used in commercial hard floor programs but serve different purposes. A floor machine at 175 RPM is a multi-task machine — it scrubs, strips, and spray buffs depending on the pad. A burnisher at 1,200–2,000 RPM does one thing: it polishes cured floor finish to a high gloss by generating friction heat at the pad-to-floor interface. Most commercial floor programs use both: a floor machine for scrubbing and stripping during periodic cleaning, and a burnisher for daily or weekly gloss maintenance between periodic programs. See our Floor Burnishers for the Tornado Brute Force 2000 and Battery Glazer 17.
Choosing the Right Floor Machine Pad Size
Floor machines are available in 17″ and 20″ pad sizes. The 17″ is the right choice for restrooms, tight service corridors, and spaces where a 20″ pad would contact walls or fixtures. The 20″ covers 18% more floor per pass and is more productive on open hallways, classrooms, lobbies, and large floor areas. Both sizes use the same motor and gear system — pad size is the only difference. When in doubt, call us at 763-535-0770 and we'll help you choose.
What floor types can a rotary floor machine handle?
VCT (vinyl composition tile), polished concrete, sealed concrete, ceramic tile, resilient flooring, and gymnasium hardwood with appropriate pads. The correct pad grade determines the application — polishing pads for buffing, scrubbing pads for soil removal, stripping pads for finish removal.
What is the difference between scrubbing and stripping?
Scrubbing removes surface soil and traffic film from the top of the floor finish using a scrubbing pad and cleaning solution — the finish stays intact. Stripping uses a black pad and chemical stripper to dissolve and remove the entire floor finish down to the bare floor in preparation for recoating. Scrubbing is a maintenance task done regularly; stripping is a periodic restoration task done when finish buildup requires a full recoat.
Can I use a floor machine on hardwood gymnasium floors?
Yes, with the correct pad — a soft white or red pad for buffing, never an abrasive scrubbing or stripping pad on hardwood. Always verify with your hardwood floor finish manufacturer before using any rotary machine on gym floors.
Is Twin City Vacuum an authorized Tornado dealer?
Yes. Twin City Vacuum in Crystal, Minneapolis, MN is an authorized Tornado dealer. All units are genuine Tornado equipment backed by the full manufacturer warranty. In-house service available. Call 763-535-0770.
