How to Fix Breakages or Cracks on Your Natural Stone Benchtop or Floor Tiles

Are you worried because of a cracked marble countertop or a granite tile? Once the stone surface has split apart, it’ll never regain the original shape even after repair. However, stone restoration professionals assure you that with the help of latest technology in stone repair they can do it the best possible way and avoid replacement of the cracked stone tile.

Guarantee on Natural Stone Repair

To give you assurance about quality work, The Marble Man in Australia offers a 7-point guarantee. They apply latest technology glues epoxies and diamond abrasives and use NANO treatments while repairing marble tiles, granite countertops, stone benchtop and vanity etc.

Whether it’s a hairline crack or breakages, stone experts can repair it with a touch of perfection. It’s true but you need to make the wise decision of selecting a stone repair company that has high reputation. If you call cheap service providers it may end up with spoiling the stone and then finally replacing it.  

The epoxy used for fixing marble or granite cracks is to be mixed with stone pigments in order to get ideal color matching and thus avoid easy detection of breakages after repair.  Sometimes the issue may be slab movement at the fireplace, countertop or other areas which requires repairing of seams expansion. This is sophisticated stone repair work and need to be handled by specialists only.

Now let’s discuss some tips to easily maintain your natural stone surfaces and extend their life period.

How to avoid the discolouration in the grout?

• Change the shampoo: Read the ingredients mentioned in the shampoo bottle. If it contains dyes and colourings mentioned in the bottle, then choose a new shampoo which is natural with no colourings in them. Dye is not good for your body health & family health and it also stains the bathroom.
• Prevent using harsh cleaning chemicals: Harsh chemicals would work well to remove the stains, grout may look cleaner, but they remove the water repellence property of the grout. Bleach is also bad for tile and grout.
• Mix vinegar with water in the ratio of 1:2 and use that solution to clean the grout. A soft brush with little elbow grease would give you excellent result with this solution.
• Use Squeegee: It is preferable to use a squeegee with the suction cup and mount it on your shower, so that it would be handier to use whenever you need it.  You can use it after each shower and this will allow minimum water to be on the grout, tile and doors and dry. Thus there will be very minimum deposit of salt from the water.

Find out if the damages to your stone surface can be repaired or not by taking a snapshot and sending it to The Marble Man stone repair team. You can also call them on 1300 627 626 and they’ll come to your place for inspection and give you an obligation-free stone restoration quote. 

Get the Best Natural Stone Repair & Restoration by The Marble Man

Who doesn't prefer marble over other natural stones when it comes to beautification of their dream house? In fact, it is the most widely used natural stone both at homes and offices where elegance and beauty is a major concern. Marble looks elegant and adds value to your home or office immediately on installation. But it’s good to remember that beauty comes with some hardships! Even though marble is hard as a stone, it’s softer than other natural stones like granite, and so the finish that we enjoy on our marble countertops and floors can be damaged over time. The greatest concern relating to marble is its proper cleaning and maintenance as well as timely restoration in case of severe damage. 

There is a popular misconception that being a stone, marble doesn't require any maintenance. This is far from the truth. Marble will scratch, etch and stain easily and also lose its shine and luster if not maintained properly. So, it’s clear that all marble surfaces need some type of care and maintenance. Your marble needs restoration techniques depending upon where it is used— floors, walls, countertops, vanities or shower walls. If you have a marble floor, wall, countertop vanity or shower that has become etched, lost its shine & beauty or is in need of repair, then it is probably time to call a professional stone restoration expert such as The Marble Man in Gold Coast. They extend stone care and repair service to several places in the QLD and NSW regions.

Now, the most important thing is to decide what exactly your marble surface requires once it suffered some damage. Should the floor be polished, crystallized or honed? In our previous articles we have discussed the difference between polishing, honing, grinding and crystallizing. So we do advise you to hire the services of a reputed marble floor restoration expert such as The Marble Man to ascertain the damage as natural stone restoration demands a great degree of skill and experience. 

The major difficulty with marble is that it is highly porous and soaks up any liquid spills immediately. It will also react with acidic and alkaline cleaners. Cleaners including vinegar, alcohol or any other lemon-based cleaners can be highly destructive and will etch the marble. The best way to maintain your marble floor, wall or countertop is to attend to the spills immediately using a soft cloth, mild liquid detergent and water premixed with baking soda.

At The Marble Man, Australia's top natural stone repair and restoration company, you not only get services according to your needs but also valuable advice and instructions from their expert technicians regarding periodical cleaning and maintenance of your natural stone. Their services are class apart and most importantly their after-care services and periodical follow up sessions give them an edge over the other marble care companies. For more information on marble polishing, cleaning and repair, give a call to this excellent stone restoration specialist on 1300 627 626 or visit their Website for a FREE quote.

Care and Maintenance Ideas for Marble Countertops and Floors

Nothing can express the elegance and luxury of natural stone surfaces. It has been used in homes and commercial establishments for more than thousands of years and is prized for its variety of colours, patterns, beauty and durability. Natural stone, however needs maintenance; knowing how to maintain can help to keep them long lasting and fresh looking.

Marble Grades: Marbles are installed as tiles. There are different kinds ranging from soft to much harder according to its composition. Some are very solid and some have sand veins running throughout the marbles which do not suit for flooring. The veins may add beauty to the marble floor, but after constant foot traffic for a long time, the veins will have a tendency to crack. They are suitable for walls where heavy pressure is not applied. 

Know your Stone: Marble is a mixture of limestone and sand. It is little harder than limestone but because of the lime content that reacts well with acids. So you have to be careful in cleaning with acid polishes and the way to use them on the marbles. 

Care and Maintenance for marble floors and countertops: Marble has aesthetic merits and though it has limitations with delicate varieties, marble is considered as a durable material. The frequency of maintenance and the type of maintenance depend on the location where it is installed, daily intensity of wear and tear it is subjected to and how far you want to keep it glossy.

Some of the dos and don’ts for Marble surface:

• Clean up the spills immediately to prevent stains.
• Use trivets or mats under hot cookware and hot dishes.
• Use place mats under scratching items like chine ceramics and silver utensils.
• Use coasters under glasses to prevent the contact of citrus juices or alcohol. 
• Clean surfaces with professional cleansers.
• Use professionals recommending sealants to protect the stone.
• It is good to keep the toiletry products in a tray to prevent the surface exposure to damaging chemicals.
• Dust mops the marble floors regularly.
• Use doormats inside and outside the marble floors and place area rugs on the marble floor.
• Do not leave the spills on the floor for longer time.
• Do not use cleaners containing acids such as grout cleaners, tub cleaners and bathroom cleaners.
• Do not use, bleach, vinegar, ammonia or any other general purpose cleaners.
• Do not use scouring powders and abrasive materials such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.
• Do not use alkaline cleansers that are not specifically formulated for stone.
• Do not place the toiletry products directly on the counter top surface.
  

Use marble cleaners with neutral pH as both acidic and alkaline materials have equal effect on the material. A highly polished marble tile is more likely to get scratched. If you want a shiny and clean appearance of the marble floors, stone benchtops and countertops, it is very much essential to have routine professional maintenance, viz. sanding, honing and polishing. This will help to maintain a polish mirror finish and buff out deep cracks. Usually marble and limestone requires maintenance at every quarter. The frequency may depend on the type of stone, its finish and the foot traffic it receives. In some season like winter, it requires more attention as the products we use for melting the snow truly damages the surface. 

If your marble surfaces are looking careworn because of neglecting for years, poor installation or misguided cleaning methods, you need not replace it. Inappropriate methods of installation and cleaning may lead to very expensive repairs. It is good to approach professionals like The Marble Man for marble floor restoration and maintenance guidelines. They can impart a new beautiful finish to old marble floors. They are well known for all types of stone maintenance, stone repair and natural stone restoration processes in the Queensland and New South Wales regions. 

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Get Rid of Dullness/Loss of Shine on Marble Surfaces

When installed, your marble looks beautiful and shiny, feels smooth and gives a heavenly feeling. But gradually, it starts showing scratches, stains and dullness. What was once the center of attraction of your home, becomes an eye sore. Time and again, professionals dealing with stone repair and restoration insist on timely repair and maintenance of marble which are installed with so much care and love. Particularly where certain parts of your house such as kitchen or bathroom are concerned, which show wear at a faster rate, restoration and sealing as and often you feel fit must be done. Stone restoration is generally needed once every few years though in case of high-traffic areas, some type of professional service is needed once every year.

Dullness is a common problem that marbles encounter with time. Actually, marble contains natural crystals which reflect light and provides shine on the stone surface. When these natural crystals break or become dull, light cannot be reflected evenly.  Dullness of polished marble stone is mainly attributed to heavy foot traffic along with sediments and grit which cause more damage. Marble is also highly affected by acidic substances such as food particles, fruit juices, and alcohol and gets easily stained unless properly sealed.

Often people assume that marble, after installation, doesn't require any care or maintenance. Either its cleanliness is ignored or wrong methods or chemicals are used for cleaning it. Due to ignorance about stone care, gradually the stone crystals get damaged and prevent uniform reflection of light, thereby giving a dull look. The best way to restore shine to the marble is to sharpen the crystals of the stone. This can be done by honing and polishing with the help of diamond abrasives.

Another grave problem associated with marble is etching which also makes the surface dull. When acidic food or drink comes in contact with the marble, it gets burnt or etched. White spots, spray marks and rings appear on the surface and is very hard to remove if immediate action is not taken. An etch mark is not stain and therefore sealing cannot prevent etching. To prevent your surface from etching and turning dull, make sure the stone does not come in contact with the reactive substances.

Yet another issue is dullness! It’s the most common problem associated with natural stones such as marble, granite and travertine. Whatever may be the source of it, dullness can make your stone damaged forever. The Marble Man, Australia’s finest natural stone restoration company, specializes in stone maintenance and restoration works. For any matter related to natural stone restoration or marble floor restoration in Sydney, call their experts right now: 1300 627 626.