When Does Your Natural Stone Surface Require Restoration?

Do you own a commercial or residential building? Are you planning to renovate your building? If yes, then you need to search for specific natural stones for floors, walls, benchtops etc. Selecting the stone material is indeed a tedious job, because there are several types of tiles and stones available in the market. Choosing one which suits your budget and purpose is confusing and overwhelming too. It’s better to take useful tips from a stone care specialist in Australia.

How can stone restoration make your homes beautiful?

We all know that things become dull and worn out as years pass by. Stone floors and tiles also undergo wear and tear after some years. Floor tiles, table tops, bathroom tiles and other stone surfaces may start cracking when they are used repeatedly. Stone restoration is the process of restoring or repairing the worn out tiles of marble and other natural stones to a brand new condition. The result is amazing! After stone restoration, your old surface will look like a brand new one.

Stone restoration services require proper equipment, training and qualified professionals. You should always choose a stone restoration specialist service in the QLD and NSW regions which has the latest equipment, well trained technicians and supporting staff.

Stone restoration involves one or more of the following processes: 

• Tile repairs
• Stone resurfacing
• Polishing
• Cleaning using chemicals or steam
• Repairing the grouts and washing
• Chip repairing
• Sealing the tiles to prevent them from further damage 

How is stone restoration done?

Restoration of natural stone or marble involves the removal of scratches or damages to the surface by means of mechanical abrasion. It is popularly known as diamond grinding.

Restoration process may differ from surface to surface. Normally, natural stones reflect light and do not need much coating to achieve the desired finish. After restoration, polishing is done to give the surface the desired look.

What is stone resurfacing? ­­­­­

Floors may become damaged after years of repeated use. If you want to rejuvenate your floor tiles, stone resurfacing can give you the desired result. In this process, an epoxy stone coat is applied over the damaged stone surface. One of the biggest advantages of stone resurfacing is that you can get a beautiful surface without removing the existing one.

The glamour of your home decor greatly depends on natural stone surfaces. They are to be handled delicately. If you are on the lookout for natural stone restoration, you should always choose a reliable company that offers affordable stone repair services in Australia. 

How to Restore Chipped, Cracked, Dull, or Stained Stone Floors?

Chips, cracks, scratches, grout issues, stains, etching etc. can spoil the look of marble and other natural stone surfaces in your home, office, or commercial building.

Hiring a reputed stone restoration company is the only way to bring back the shine and sheen on your countertop, floor tile or marble shower. Timely care and maintenance is the key to preserving your natural stone for many years to come.

The latest in technology repairs kits for chipping of stone benchtop involves using a UV epoxy glue. Once the glue is applied, the affected area will be colour matched, levelled and polished so that it becomes unnoticeable. The Marble Man is the market leader by far with regards to these types of repairs on chipped stone floors.

To repair the scratches on marble or stone floors, The Marble Man employs resin bonded diamond pads and special wet polishing machines that will bring back the original new reflection on the stone surface.

For cracks on marble or other natural stone floors, The Marble Man applies a special coloured epoxy resin. After the repair, you'll get back a glossy surface!

Professional stone cleaning, and specific stone restoration procedures, and inspections performed on a daily, weekly, or other regular basis are required to keep the natural stone looking its best and lasting a lifetime.

Care and Maintenance of Natural Stone Countertops and Floors

Natural stones can be broadly categorised as siliceous and calcareous stones. The following general guidelines and precautions are applicable for both the types of stones:

When distributing alcohol or citrus juices to guests, you’re advised to use coasters under the glasses before placing them on stone countertops. Same way hot items directly from the stove or out of an oven should not be placed on the countertops unless there are trivets or mats under hot dishes. Also ensure to put placemats under china, ceramics, silver, or other objects that can scratch the surface of your costly countertop.

Blot up spills as soon as you see it. And remember not to wipe the spills, only blot it with a clean cloth. Place non-slip mats or area rugs on your natural stone floors to protect them from scratches and staining.

Abstain from using the following cleaners on natural stone surfaces such as marble, limestone, travertine, or onyx:
1. Vinegar, lemon juice, or other cleaners containing acids.
2. Cleaners that contain acidic components like bathroom cleaners, tile & grout cleaners, bath tub cleaners etc.
3. Abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers, soft cleansers etc. 

Contact The Marble Man Company today on 1300 627 626 for an obligation free stone assessment and restoration quote.  

How to Remove Grout Burn from Marble Walls and Other Natural Stone Surfaces

The Marble Man services include Cleaning, Sealing, Stain Removal, Repairs, Restoration, Grouting, Grinding and Polishing of Ceramic, Sandstone, Terracotta, Granite, Marble, Travertine, Onyx or Terrazzo surfaces.

Polished natural stone walls can be left after installation quite patchy and dull from excess grout being left on the surface.  These areas will not clean off and require polishing to return their natural reflection.

Repolishing Marble Walls or Natural Stone Walls (Removing grout burn)

Repolishing the marble walls involves using a light abrasive on the surface of the tiles. This removes the dull etches (dull marks) on the surface of the tiles. We then use a diamond-cutting compound on the surface of the tiles to remove small swirl marks left from our polishing abrasive. The walls are then cleaned using a special detergent, which will return the tiles surface back to their original finish.

Benefits:

• Removes etching and excess grout off the surface in the grinding process.
• Returns a natural gloss to the dull and etched surface again.
• We give you a natural glossy reflection without the use of waxes.
• We provide an eight point guarantee on our stone restoration works. 

Why us? – The Marble Man

Many products available in the market for removing grout haze contain acidic ingredients, which will etch or burn your costly natural stone surfaces. At The Marble Man Company, we use tested and safe products for stone restoration and maintenance.

If you have questions about repair or maintenance issues with natural stone such as the following, we can answer them and provide the best stone care service.

How to remove ring marks and other stains from natural stone surface?

How do I remove hard water spots from marble, granite and other stone surfaces?

Do my granite, marble and other natural stones require Polishing?

Contact us on 1300 627 626 for an obligation free stone repair and restoration quote. Also visit our Website to get the A to Z of natural stone care and maintenance tips.

Avail Marble Man's 8-Point Guarantee on Natural Stone Restoration Works

With over 30 years of combined experience in the field of natural stone repair and restoration, we’re proud to give you an 8-point guarantee on stone care. This way it’s assured that your marble, granite and other natural stone surfaces get the best Polishing, Sealing, Professional Cleaning, Repair and Refinishing when our technicians take up the stone restoration works.

The following are the summary of eight points in our natural stone maintenance guarantee agreement to our customers:

• We will improve your stone surface or your money back.
• You will not be left waiting around, as we will arrive on time.
• Our tradesmen will be tidy and clean up after themselves.
• Your stone surface will be easier to clean and maintain.
• You will get the right advice for the long-term enjoyment of your stone surfaces.
• We will provide you with a complete service, and offer you a full range of products for maintaining your stone surfaces.
• You will have a finished product that you will love to look at, walk on and use.
• We will answer your questions about the care maintenance and restoration or your stone surfaces drawing from our 30-years of combined experience.

Do you have dull, stained or worn marble or other stone floors in your home or business? No more frustrations – our stone care experts can regain the original beauty of your stone floors. Call us now on 1300 627 626 to get an obligation free stone care evaluation.

Our stone restoration team has the expertise to polish your marble or other natural stone Floor, Counters or Bathroom tiles so that all the stain spots and traces of stubborn dirt are removed and your stone surface will look like new again. Timely maintenance of your costly stone surfaces will preserve their beauty for many years to come.

Natural stone surfaces, especially Marble, are delicate and porous too. They can be affected by staining when come in contact with acidic materials you handle in your kitchen like wine, lemon and other citric juices. You can protect your stone surfaces from staining by professional Sealing which helps to protect their natural beauty and elegance.

The Marble Man stone care technicians are given adequate training as per latest stone restoration techniques available in the world. They can Repair almost all damages occurred on your marble, granite or other natural stone surfaces such as floor tiles, counter tops, and pillars or any other stone structure. Many people think repair is not possible and go for replacement which is costlier. So next time when you see cracked, broken or torn out natural stone surface in your home or business establishment, contact the Marble Man to see if they can be repaired.

We’ll discuss the appropriate stone restoration method such as polishing, sealing, or repairing for your marble or other natural stone floors. You may also visit The Marble Man website to get all the stone care and maintenance information.

Common Maintenance Issues with Natural Stone and Their Repair or Restoration Methods

Need to fix a damaged or defective part of marble tile? Want to remove a stain on your lovely stone surface that doesn’t get properly cleaned...? Known for its sleek surface and lasting stability, marble remains a preferred natural stone material in households. But it also needs routine inspection and maintenance to keep the shine and sheen on marble and other natural stone surfaces in your home.

Here’s a query found in a forum: “There was really nice marble tile installed in the house that I live in about a year ago. It doesn't get much traffic. Since it was put in, I noticed an odd-shaped spot that gets darker with wear. Once I clean it, it lightens up again - but it's right in a walkway where I come in the house, so I have to clean it rather often. I'm wondering what caused it and how to fix it. May be a defect with the tile coating? Anyway, I want to fix it, and I know there must be some sealant that I can put on it to restore the gloss and keep it from getting dirty. I'd prefer that, obviously, to having to replace that one tile. Any advice would be appreciated!”

This seems to be a case of etching on marble, which is a common issue. Severe etch marks where the spot is noticeably rough to the touch may need professional restoration. It's all a matter of degree of damage and marble is a natural product so you can never know for sure until you start to repair the area.

Floor sealing normally stops liquids and dirt from staining them. But once your stone has been etched, you may now go for re-polishing, which will completely restore the beautiful natural look and feel of your damaged tile. You can get more professional and precise information from The Marble Man team who has over 24yrs of stone care service in QLD, NSW and other regions. Here is the particular link to their site which will solve your etching issue!

Do you want to professionally clean the tiles (marble, granite, Travertine etc.) or grout in your kitchen or bath? It’s not complicated anymore! Sealing the marble or limestone floors involves thoroughly cleaning the stone to remove all in-ground dirt and excess materials on the surface. This is achieved by using special detergents and rotary scrubbers with all materials wet vacuumed dry. The floor is then left to dry overnight. The following day two coats of penetrating sealant are applied which soak into the stone and dry, thereby sealing the pores from foreign materials.

Exclusive cleaning (Tile and Grout) and stone restoration services are available in Northern NSW, the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Newcastle, Canberra and other areas throughout QLD and NSW. Restore, refinish, and repair (repairing chips, nicks, scratches, gouges, cracks and holes): Granite, Marble countertops, tile, columns, Tubs, Sinks etc. 

Get your free stone restoration quote now by contacting us on 1300 627 626. Visit The Marble Man today for comprehensive stone restoration and maintenance ideas.

Kitchen Benchtop Selection- Important Guidelines

Selecting kitchen bench tops is one of the most crucial decisions that homeowners have to make as the choice has to pass the durability test for at least 10-15 years before the homeowner can think of its replacement. Natural stone has been flawless in passing the test of durability and reliability. 

Architects have been choosing stone as a superior kitchen bench top option for years now. Even today, the grace of stone is still continuing and with an increased momentum of adoption.

What are the Stone Options that You Can Use for Your Kitchen?

Today, there are wide varieties of natural stones that people are choosing for giving their kitchen tops an awe-striking look. Some of them are:

• Granite
• Marble
• Limestone
• Slate
• Onyx
• Sandstone
• Travertine

Most of these stones, especially Granite and Marble are available in a number of colours and patterns which give homeowners a good number of choices for making this long-timed decision.

Size is Important

Get the Perfect Fit Size: Generally, the kitchen tops run from 600 to 900 meters in size. However, if your kitchen top requires greater length or width, it doesn't look good if you have some joints in the middle. It is thus better to ask the stone surface provider to measure your kitchen top size and provide you with a single stone piece custom-made for your needs.

Material, Pattern and Colour

For making this decision, keep aside your biasing a little and think about the perfect colour and material that can go well with the look of rest of your house. First decide what stone would be perfect depending upon the type of usage. Don’t think about maintenance at this time since every stone requires the same amount of maintenance to preserve its lustre. 

Next, look for the colour. Try to imagine the fit with the rest of your home including floor, wall paint and furniture and then make a choice. In the end, make the choice of pattern. Striped pattern with varying shades of the chosen colour is quite in trend.

Why Stone Surfaces Last Longer?

Here are 3 reasons as to why stone surfaces last longer and better in comparison to other options: 

• Robustness

As compared to the other surfaces like timber, concrete and stainless steel, stone surfaces are quite robust. This property makes them last longer with grace when compared to other options.

• Trendiness

Stone has been in trend since ages, and now with new patterns and colours, it is becoming an elegant choice found in most of the households.

• Easy Maintenance & Longevity

Maintenance of stone surfaces is quite easy. Regular cleaning of deposited grime along with time-to-time polishing is sure to give your kitchen top a new look. With any other material, cleaning can only make the surface last but not with the same grace as new. Stone surfaces do require some pampering time with regular cleanup and polishing but they sure look wonderfully new when maintained properly. 

For natural stone polishing, sealing, cleaning and repair, you can contact the most experienced professionals in the town: The Marble Man. Headquartered on the Gold Coast, they service: SYDNEY | CANBERRA | NEWCASTLE | CENTRAL COAST | BRISBANE | GOLD COAST | SUNSHINE COAST. Contact their technicians today on 1300 627 626 to have your stone inspected and get a FREE Quote.

Get Your Stone Surfaces Restored to Look As Good As New with Professional Restoration

“We are absolutely delighted with the results you were able to achieve repairing the travertine crack and the final finish.” - P Tucker, Noosa

“I just wanted to write to tell you how fantastic it has been to deal with your team. I have dealt with many people in the seemingly never ending saga of building our house and your company has been by far the most friendly and professional, your "nothing is too much trouble" attitude has been greatly appreciated... Your professionalism, timely advice, constant communication and care are to be thoroughly commended. The house was always left tidy each day, I was told what was happening and you took the greatest care with all our belongings. Thanks for an incredibly fabulous result and expert customer service.”- J Masci, Gold Coast

These are some of the mails we get daily from satisfied customers after exceptional stone restoration jobs done for them. For us, natural stone repair and restoration is a way of life and we get energised to do it with state of the art technology and nature friendly products.

When there is a repair or polishing work on your costly stone, never go for cheap contractors; call a professional instead. We’re telling this from our experience where we had been contacted many times to rectify the damage caused by unskilled people who initially tried to restore the stone. Stone restoration or repair is a very skilled process which can be efficiently managed by experts only. While attempting a repair, all areas around the work spot are to be protected to prevent any further damage. Also, the work areas are to be kept clean, tidy, and stress free.

If you want to look into more such remarks before making a decision on selecting The Marble Man for your stone restoration job, please read these testimonials. If you need to directly talk to us, this our FREE Call No. 1300 627 626. Our administration and sales team are trained and available online and on the phone to answer your questions. We can also send an experienced team member to inspect your stone and advise on its repair or restoration, providing a no obligation, free quote.

We’re proficient to handle Travertine, Marble, Limestone, Onyx and Terrazzo types of stones and can carry out a wide range of stone and marble repair and restoration work. Because of the range of products that we use, we prefer to complete tests on the particular material you have and inform you about the results possible.

Always remember that a regular maintenance routine is required to keep the natural stone in your home or business place looking its best. 

If you have some doubts about what are the products to be used for bathroom cleaning, visit our website to read some professional bathroom cleaning tips. Similarly you can find information on the website about DIY techniques and professional methods to keep the sheen and shine on your marble and stone countertops, floor tiles etc. Be in touch with our blog and social media posts to get updates on marble, granite and other natural stone restoration.

How to Preserve Your Natural Stone Surfaces Polished & Shining for a Lifetime

Does your marble, granite or other natural stone Kitchen Bench top or Vanity look dull, stained, dirty and etched from acidic substances? You should go for marble and stone floor or benchtop polishing, sealing and restoration. If you follow the stone care tips provided by stone restoration technicians, and also call them for occasional natural stone stone cleaning, polishing and repair works, then you can preserve your stone becnhtops, floor tiles, marble vanity etc. for a lifetime in excellent condition.

The fine pores in the surface of the stone overtime accumulate dust, dirt and other liquids necessitating cleaning of natural stone by professional stone cleaners. If you clean the stone yourself or call unskilled service providers, you won’t get the desired result as the work requires cleaning with stronger cleaners and specialty scrubbing machines.

Marble, granite and other natural stone surfaces are subjected several instances of wear and tear and exposed to other damages.

Smoke & Fire Damage: It requires thorough cleaning to remove the smoke marks. Only trained stone restoration specialists can use commercial smoke removers effectively.

Acid Spills on Granite and Marble: They cause etches or both etch and stain. After removing the stain, use clear water, wet the stone surface, sprinkle marble polishing powder, and rub with damp cloth or buffing pad attached with slow speed drill. Continue the process till the etch marks get disappear and the surface shines. It is better to contact the restoring company for removing the stains and etches.

Natural Stone and Efflorescence: It is the formation of powder on the stone surface caused by minerals in water. Use vacuum or dust mop the powder. Do not use water to remove as it may reappear. Contact the stone service people to restore it. The nicks and scratched on the surface may be buffed with dry steel wool and should be repaired and restored by professionals like The Marble Man who are experts in marble floor restoration.

                                                                                                                              

Contact The Marble Man stone restorers for top class marble restoration and repair, granite restoration and repair, limestone restoration and repair, travertine restoration and repair, and also the restoration and repair of onyx and terrazzo benchtops, bar tops and vanities. Their skilled and experienced technicians receive hands on, practical training on marble and granite polishing, stone cleaning and repair processes and are kept up to date with the latest techniques and technology.

Today The Marble Man team carry out more natural stone restoration and repair works in the QLD and NSW regions than any other stone care company in Australia. Once The Marble Man has finished the marble, granite and other natural stone restoration and repair processes, you’ll be excited to find that your stone surface has returned to its original beautiful condition. Call us for a free quote on 1300 627 626.  

Know Some of the Potential Damages to Natural Stone Surfaces, Their Causes and Remedies

Granite, Marble limestone and other valuable decorative stones are highly durable and last a life time. However, if they are not properly cared for or installed correctly, it’ll affect their beauty and durability.  

Following are the most common issues with natural stone surfaces that may occur in your floor tiles, kitchen counter tops, vanity tops and other stone surfaces:

• LOSS OF LUSTRE:  High polish in the marble and granite gets lost due to wear of the stone surface by dirt and sand that are tracked by the shoes. They act like sandpaper on the stone surface and wear the polish off. This can be restored by stone repair and restoration professionals like The Marble Man.
• ETCHING: It is caused by spilling of liquids that contain acids, resulting in white spots formation on the stone surface. As granite is acid resistant, it will rarely etch, but marble and other stone surfaces are prone to etching.  Use cleaners that do not contain acids to avoid etching. Deep or large etching requires professional stone restoration services.  
• STAINS: If the stones are not properly sealed, stains can occur due to spilling of food, drinks, oil, and ink etc. Mostly they can be removed but tough stains need professional stone care services. Permanent stains can also occur but not often.
• EFFLORESCENCE: This is the white powdery residue which appears on stone installations where the presence of water is high. It is formed when water carrying the mineral salt inside the stone structure reaches the surface and gets evaporated, leaving the salt on the stone surface.  Remove extra moisture or water presence, buff the stone and leave it to dry. Seal the stone after all the efflorescence have gone.
•  SPALL, PITT AND FLAKE: Like efflorescence, mineral salts are the cause of this deformation. Instead of depositing salt on the surface, it deposits salt below the stone surface, and puts pressure on the stone making it to flake, pit and spall.
• YELLOWING: There are several reasons for a stone to turn yellow.  Embedded grime and dirt, waxes and other coatings may be the cause. Oxidation of the iron in the stone also causes yellowing of the stone. Only professional stone restoration specialists can set right this problem perfectly.
• LIPPAGE OR UNEVEN TILES: Lippage occurs when the edge of a tile is in higher level than that of the next one due to poor installation. The restoration professionals ground the tiles to flatten the floor.
• CRACKS AND CHIPS: Cracks and chips can occur because of poor installation and due to fall of heavy objects on the vulnerable corners. This can be restored by The Marble Man professionals using epoxy or color matched polyester.

Stone Restoration

Generally speaking, it is the process of restoring the worn out stone to its newly installed state. Stone restoration is a delicate process that can be done perfectly only by well experienced stone restoration company like The Marble Man.  It involves removal of any damages, scratches, cracks etc. from the stone surface using various processes such as stone grinding, honing, polishing and sealing as per the type of damage.   

The Marble Man is Australia's leading Marble, Granite, Travertine and other stone bench top and tiles restoration specialist. The team of professionals will provide you 5 star stone restoration services at affordable price. Call now: 1300 627 626.