Marble, Travertine, Terrazzo & Other Natural Stones

New or old, the appearance of your stone will be improved by polishing, as this step removes fine scratches, etches and minor stains. We use the same methods as the original factory and fabrication shops resulting in a high gloss finish or semi-gloss finish. Some stones can become so highly polished that you can read the wattage on a light bulb in the reflection on the stone.

This process begins with wet sanding the stone with diamond abrasives to remove scratches and smooth out uneven tiles and signs of wear. Then we polish the stone to a high gloss factory finish or hone the stone to a uniform satin finish.

Grinding

Grinding is the process by which the surface is sanded by the use of abrasives (diamond discs) to remove large stocks of the stone. This process is usually recommended when stone tiles contain lippage (uneven tiles). It is also recommended when deep stains and scratches occur or when one desires a completely floor.

Honing

Honing is the process of smoothing the stone with the use of abrasives (diamond discs). Honing is performed to remove scratches but will not remove lippage (uneven tiles). It can, however, round the edges of the stone, giving a smoother finish to the edge.

Polishing

The high shine observed on stone is the result of smoothing it with fine abrasives. Most craftsmen will use diamond abrasives to hone the stone, then switch to a powdered abrasive to achieve the final polish.
The abrasive powder is worked into the stone with a floor machine using water and cloth or polyester fiber pads. The powder is worked into a slurry until a polish is achieved. The craftsman removes the slurry with a wet-vac or mop and rinses the floor to remove excess powder. It is a relatively simple procedure, but requires a great deal of practice.

Crystallization

The term crystallization has entered the language of the marble polishing field to describe a process used polish and maintain a shine on marble surfaces. The crystallization process consists of spraying a fluid onto the marble floor and buffing it in with steel wool under a buffing machine. The steel wool generates heat through abrasion and the chemical reacts with the marble, producing a new compound on the surface of the stone. This procedure protects the surface of the stone, adds shine and may even harden the stone, increasing its wear.
It is extremely important that this process be carried out only by trained craftsmen who are thoroughly familiar with it.

Our 5-Step System for Obtaining & Maintaining Beautiful Stone

Step #1 Consultation / Evaluation
First, we inspect your stone and perform a number of tests to determine type of stone. We will inspect the wear patterns and damage on the stone. After reviewing this data, we can restore a sample area for a nominal charge. This will allow us to be very precise in our diagnosis of the problem and give you a snapshot of what your stone surface should look like. We can also determine if your stone should be sealed.

Step #2 Stone Restoration
Through the use of trained stone technicians, state-of the-art equipment and materials, we will restore your marble, travertine, limestone, granite, or terrazzo surface to its original beauty. All work will be completed in a professional and timely manner.

Step #3 Impregnation / Protection (Sealing)
Many stones are susceptible to stains from spills of coffee, soft drinks, soiling from normal foot traffic, oils and many other things. It can be protected against these stains by the use of an impregnator / sealer. An impregnator is an integral part of an ongoing, proactive stone care program. We use only the best, sometimes most expensive impregnators available on the market. Impregnators facilitate an easier, cost effective maintenance program for all natural stone by offering long term protection against stains and dirt penetration.

Step #4 Daily Maintenance Training
Most people use what they consider to be "safe" techniques and chemicals on their stone to care for it on a daily basis. What may be safe for tile or ceramic, can be damaging to natural stone. After we restore your stone surface to its original beauty, we will train you or your cleaning people on how to maintain a restored appearance on a routine basis. We can even leave you with our recommended daily stone cleaner to use.

Step #5 Periodic Follow-Up Restoration
Even after stone has been restored and impregnated (sealed), its new beautiful appearance is not permanent. Proper daily care will greatly extend the beautiful appearance, but on-going foot-traffic and other factors will always be wearing away at the bright, clean appearance. A periodic maintenance program will mean additional expense, but it will ensure a beautiful floor at all times and prevent the need for a complete restoration in the future. After restoration, we can design a periodic restoration schedule. The frequency will be determined by both the needs of your specific stone and the appearance level that you would like to maintain.

Slate Polishing

Before	After

Resurfacing process by honing and polishing

Clean, Polish and Seal on a Marble entryway

 Polish and Seal-tile shower stall

Cleaning and Sealing-kitchen tile grout

MARBLE - a hard metamorphic limestone which may be crystalline or granular. Great heat, pressure and the influence of other minerals over the millennia have created hundreds of types of marble in a kaleidoscope of colors and vein patterns. Marble is generally defined as that type of limestone which can take a polish (shine), although there are some stones which can't be polished, that are officially designated limestone.

TRAVERTINE - Similar to limestone in composition, but exhibits small, pock-marked holes and cavities which are the result of subterranean water percolating through the rock. These holes and cavities are usually filled-in before the stone is polished. Found in shades of ivory to golden brown.

ONYX - Translucent or semi-translucent calcite in parallel layers of different colors. Containing beautiful colors and patterns, it tends to be soft and best used for tabletops and decorative objects.

SLATE - Dense, fine-grained metamorphic rock formed through the compression of various sediments (clays and shale's). This recrystallized structure produces a stone that is strong, has low porosity and cleaves naturally.

LIMESTONE - For the most part Calcium Carbonate, and often contains the skeletal remains of polyps, shells and other fossilized minutia. Much of the limestone we use today comes from the Jurassic period, having been formed in ocean beds from that time.

TERRAZZOS AND AGGLOMERATES - Pieces or chips of marble bound together by resin or cementitious material.

GRANITE - crystalline igneous or metamorphic rock, predominantly consisting of feldspar and quartz with small amounts of other minerals. Granite appears to consist of small crystals compacted together without the veining seen in marble, travertine, onyx, slate and fossil shells found in limestone.

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