Worrying about Damaged or Dull Granite Countertops? There are Better Options than Replacing!

Granite countertops add a beautiful look and finish to your home. Granite is highly durable and does not easily get inclined to burn or scratch. However, like any other material, granite also gets wear and tear after long usage. The daily usance of the counter tops in the kitchen can cause stains, cracks, chips and loss of lustre. You may be worrying that one day you'll have to incur huge expenses in replacing these countertops or may be wondering if any other alternative exists than replacing!

No matter the intensity of the damages, it is always much cheaper and possible to repair, restore and polish the granite counter tops instead of replacing them with a new one. How to proceed with granite counter tops repairing? Re-sealing of the countertops should be done once in every 2 to 4 years. According to the quality of maintenance and the level of use, the granite countertops can undergo restoration process from 5 to 15 years.

If you use home cleaners for maintenance, the countertops will become extremely dull after few years. To restore the beautiful lustre, you should not attempt to clean or buff on your own and it is highly advisable to hire professionals to carry out the restoration process. Professional people dedicated to stone restoration work such as ‘The Marble Man’ can provide ultimate solutions at an affordable cost.

In general, commonly used acids and household cleaners will not etch granite like they react with marble, but granite countertops can get etched by getting contact with strong acids or by the repeated use of harsh cleaners. Most common brand name cleaners are too strong for marble or granite countertop maintenance. It is advisable to use safe products for cleaning granite.

Restoring the granite countertops is not a simple matter of cleaning and buffing. The corroded and damaged surface of the granite has to be restored with good finishing. There are number of options to pursue depending on the condition of your granite countertops, viz. grinding and restoration, chip filling and honing or polishing. Restoration and Refinishing remove the scratches, stains and etch marks while the polishing work helps in restoring the lustre and shine of the extremely dulled granite countertops.

The refinishing and restoration work involve sanding the damaged granite, filling the cracks with epoxy and well ground granite chips and sealing with impregnators made of silicon. The process of Polishing involves with good quality professional polishing material and buffing pad yielding the restoration to a beautiful finish. The most important aspect to be dealt with the porous nature of the granite is sealing properly with silicon based impregnators that prevents frequent countertop repair and restoration.

Hiring a stone restoration professional is the best solution and only viable option to have beautiful, long lasting stone surfaces. The professionals have the expertise to remove the gunk stuck on the granite surface because of the hard water build up and they have specialized diamond abrasive tools to re-polish the surface. The knowledge, skills and the experience of the professionals in working with these stones can actually deliver an even, mirror-like, levelled shiny finish on your granite counter tops. The shiny finishing of the countertops is created by precise and large appropriate machines which you cannot get with DIY.

Bring excellent finishing to your granite countertops by handing it over to expertise genuine craftsman dedicated to stone like ‘The Marble man’. The Marble Man is the leading marble, granite, travertine Stone Bench tops and Tile Restoration Specialist in Australia who can provide professional 5 star service and effective solutions for all your stone care needs. The expert team of The Marble man can provide excellent service in Marble floor restoration, Stone repair, Stone Maintenance and all natural store restoration. Contact for a free stone restoration quote: 1300 627 626.

More Stone Restoration Tips - Protecting Granite and Quartz Benchtops

Granite Benchtop

Granite is a very sturdy stone and it is impossible to scratch under normal circumstances. This stone will not be damaged by hot standing vessels or sharp knives. Now, this does not mean that you can keep hot utensils on it, but even if you do the damage is not as much as any other natural stone surface. However, granite is susceptible to diamond and tungsten and scratches can be seen from them.

Granite is a hot favourite for kitchens as it is spill resistant even from alcohol and acids. However, there are specific substances like wine, beetroot and cooking oil, especially when hot that can cause stains on your granite benchtop if you leave them there for a long time. If you find spills, immediately clean them with a kitchen roll. If you have a lighter coloured granite surface, you will experience a slight darkening in the colour where water is permitted to stand out. However, this generally fades when the water dries.

The Marble Man in Australia recommends regular cleaning of your granite surface with warm soap water and a good quality damp cloth. You may also use a wipe cleaner or spray to keep the surface clean. Granite may be polished with aerosol polishes available in the market.

Quartz Benchtops

When you are taking care of quartz benchtops, you will find they are hard wearing and resistant to acid, heat, alkalis, chemicals, stains, solvents, mildew and mould. This makes the stone very easy to maintain and clean. In case, you accidentally spill something on the benchtop like liquid food colouring, nail polish, paints, permanent markers etc, you can easily remove the marks with a multi-purpose detergent or cleaner.

For stubborn marks, you should repeat the process many times and use a scouring pad if necessary. There is a possibility that some stains may result in discolouration. You should keep the benchtop away from direct sunlight. Exposure causes discolouration. For cleaning the quartz benchtop, we recommend you wiping the benchtop with warm and soap water. It is also important to use a damp cloth and a good quality spray for keeping the surface clean daily and free from stains.

About The Marble Man, Australia

Notwithstanding their hard nature, granite and quartz stone surfaces also need periodic maintenance to keep them fresh and dirt free. You’ll have to call in the stone restoration professionals to check that the stones are in good condition.

The Marble Man is a trusted marble and natural stone polishing and restoration company in Australia. It provides affordable cleaning, polishing and restoration services for marble and other natural stone across Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast and Sydney. For more details and assistance, please visit their Website or talk to a friendly stone specialist on 1300 627 626.

Pre-Sealing of Marble and Other Natural Stone

As a homeowner, you always would like to retain the sheen and colour of your marble and natural stone floors and tiles. However, frequent cleaning is not enough. Marble and natural stone can be best maintained with pre-sealing. Trusted and professional marble maintenance companies in Australia like The Marble Man recommend the pre-sealing of marble and natural stone.

An Insight into Pre-Sealing…

Pre-sealing is a technical term used to describe sealing of marble tile or stone before laying. Pre-sealing has a number of benefits. It diminishes the porosity of the tile or the stone and works as a release for grout.

The main purpose of pre-sealing is to stop the instances of water marking. Once water marks appear on the stone, it is an irreversible staining process. Chemicals with cements and highly alkaline fixing materials also stain the marble and natural stone. The moisture thus created is generally absorbed into the dry stone. Chemicals add minerals that dissolve the existing minerals in the stone. When the moisture dissolves, it migrates via the stone and has the ability to work its way to the surface of the stone for drying. The minerals are later left behind in an uneven manner.

As a result of the above chemical reaction, the colour of the stone gets changed. The contaminants in the stone display a much darker colour, while rest of the original stone colour stays. This type of stain is practically impossible to remove even with the best possible cleaning efforts. The stain is generally seen on the edge of the stone where the grouting takes place. The mark surrounds the tile and often gives the illusion of a picture frame. There are other stains that leave blotches on the stone and it’s difficult to remove them completely even with the best cleaning methods. Pre-sealing by professionals will help you prevent the occurrence of such marble stains.

The Marble Man's Professionalism & Pre-Sealing

The Marble Man is a trusted marble and natural stone restoration company in Australia. It enjoys the patronage and trust of several residents in the region. The professionals are experts in natural stone maintenance and restoration. They give you valuable tips on how to retain the original shine and sheen of marble and natural stone. Pre-sealing services are also provided by this trusted Company. By sealing the floors and tiles of your home, you effectively can prevent the occurrence of stains. There are different sealants used by these professionals to prevent staining.  

The Marble Man provides you top quality sealing and this is why it is one of the widely sought after marble stone restoration and maintenance companies in the nation today. For more information and assistance on marble and natural stone maintenance, please visit their Website or talk to a friendly staff member on 1300 627 626.

Residential As Well As Commercial Stone Restoration Professionals

At The Marble Man, we do professional stone restoration, cleaning and sealing of marble, granite, travertine and other natural stone surfaces in the QLD and NSW region. We help both home owners and businesses like hotels, offices etc. to preserve and maintain their investment of lasting beauty in natural stone.

The main stone restoration works we do are:

• Polishing
• Sealing
• Repairs (including grout repairs and chip repairs)
• Re-surfacing
• Stone Cleaning using steam or chemical washing. 

Decorative natural stone such as marble is not as hard as a rock. It’s beautiful and adds value to our home decor, but it’s very sensitive too, and so requires regular care and maintenance. Proper care means deep knowledge on different varieties of stone and how it's used, and then applying correct products and maintenance methods.

The Marble Man has been in the stone restoration industry for over 25 years and can advise you on the daily routine maintenance to keep your natural stone floors, counter tops and tables, stone tiles etc. looking amazingly fresh and beautiful. Natural Stone tiles are long lasting and will remain awesome for a lifetime if you routinely utilise the services of stone restoration specialists.

Even if you have not preserved your natural stone for a long time, we can use state-of-the-art technologies and efficient workmanship to revitalise your worn and damaged tiles. We make sure that your natural stone products give a lifetime of aesthetics and utility to your home or business establishment.

The Marble Man also has a collection of Cleaning Products that you can purchase for safe and effective maintenance of your natural stone surfaces. If you take stone cleaners from cheap providers, there are chances that your chemically delicate stones such as marble, travertine, and limestone may react with the cleaner. Check The Marble Man guidelines for stone maintenance.

Our stone restoration technicians are kept up to date with the latest techniques and technology on natural stone care. We cover the following areas:

• Sydney 
• Canberra 
• Newcastle 
• Central Coast 
• Brisbane 
• Gold Coast 
• Sunshine Coast. 

Visit The Marble Man website and blog for a treasure-trove of practical information on natural stone maintenance. Call our office today on 1300 627 626 to arrange an obligation free stone restoration quote.

Things to Know Before Sealing Your Natural Stone Surface

Installing natural stone as a means for decorating your home and giving it a rich and elegant look is very common but, it comes with a price. Natural stones namely marble, granite, limestone or travertine are so delicate that there is a huge risk of them getting stained, scratched and etched unless regular maintenance procedures are adopted. Besides, once you install natural stone in your house, you have to be very particular as to how fast it undergoes wear and how and when exactly you need to seal or reseal it. To ensure your natural stone products will provide you with a lifetime of aesthetics and utility, a suitable maintenance program is vital.

Before we approach the issue of sealing, it is very important to note the exact function of a sealer or why we need it at all. Sealers for stone are all below-surface products and will not change in any way, the shape or form of the original finish of the stone surface. Nor will they protect the surface of the stone. They will only go inside the stone by being absorbed by it provided that the stone is porous enough to allow this to happen and will block its pores, thus reducing its natural absorbency rate. This will help prevent the stone from absorbing the accidental spills of the staining substances like tea, wine, lemon juice etc.

You might be unaware of the fact that mercantile type marble, original quality granite and travertine are not very porous and therefore should be inspected by a stone restoration specialist to decide about their sealing requirements. However, many versions of marble and the lighter varieties of granite are more porous and are sure to get stained if not protected with a good-quality impregnator-type stone sealer. In this instance it should also be kept in mind that a vast majority of stones marketed as granite are not original granite. Stones, which are being sold as granite are denser than real granite and hence might not need sealing. Some may even develop problems related to the sealer once you seal it.

In case you have a doubt as to how many applications are needed, you may have to consult an expert stone restoration professional. For some stones that are more porous than others, one application of sealer/impregnator may not be enough. In case of mercantile granite, two applications are recommended. To find out if your stone is perfectly sealed, spill some water on it and wait for approximately half an hour, then wipe it dry. If the surface of the stone does not darken it means that the stone is perfectly sealed. You may use this same test to determine when it is time to reseal.

The Marble Man, Australia’s best natural stone restoration specialist, offers its esteemed clients expert advice on the choice of stones and the most appropriate stone maintenance and restoration procedures.

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