Get the Shine Back on Your Natural Stone Surfaces

                            

You thought your granite countertop is almost indestructible, but some years after installation you observe that it has lost its shine and sheen. What could be the possible cause?

Granite countertops are very robust and are not easily damaged due to breakage or scratches. However, they are vulnerable to etching and dulling (chemical damage). Now, the question is how to get back the original beauty of the granite countertop when you purchased it.

How to fix your damaged granite countertop

Sometimes, build-up of soap film due to regular use of dish soap or other soap-based cleaners might have caused the dullness. Using a quality soap film remover as advised by stone restoration specialists will do the trick.

Hard water, which has high mineral content, can also be the villain causing a dulling build up on stone countertops. Try a combination of soap build up plus mineral deposit removers that can effectively address dullness due to both problems.

The necessity for resealing

Natural stone countertops are to be sealed to protect them from daily wear and tear. Just sealing the countertops during installation will not give lifelong protection. They need to be resealed every year or two depending on the amount of use.

Your dull countertop will regain its natural looks after a reseal by stone restoration specialists like The Marble Man. They will advise which type of sealer to be used for your particular stone out of the several varieties of sealers available in the market.

If you’ve tried everything else and you still have dull granite countertops, The Marble Man suggests opting for Resurfacing. Remember that the shine on your countertops comes from the finish on the stone itself. If the finish is damaged, no amount of cleaning, buffing, and polishing can get it back. It will need to be resurfaced.

Resealing and resurfacing are sophisticated stone restoration procedures which are to be done by a professional stone care specialist. For more information, visit The Marble Man website or call a stone restorer now on 1300 627 626. They Polish, Repair and Seal All Marble & Stone Surfaces and currently service: Gold Coast | Brisbane | Sunshine Coast | Northern NSW | Toowoomba | Sydney | Canberra.

When to Contact Natural Stone Repair & Restoration Professionals in Australia

Limestone- after polishing by The Marble Man

Natural stone surfaces in your home, office or commercial establishment provide beautiful floors, countertops, fireplace etc. all the way enhancing the look and feel of the interior decor. You have made a costly investment with marble, granite or other natural stones; now what’s needed is to maintain those stones properly so as to get many years of amazing cuteness and style. A maintenance schedule has to be in place for cleaning and regular inspections of the stones to check stubborn stains, hard water spots, and cracks etc.           

The attractive appearance and durability of marble and many other natural stone tiles will remain for a lifetime if you follow standard maintenance practices. Ensure to completely remove sand, dirt, and grit which cause maximum damage to your natural stone tiles.

There are plenty of do-it-yourself methods described in the internet world to clean stones, and remove stains, mould & mildew etc., but many of them may eventually spoil the beauty of natural stone. For example, we have seen many stone care articles recommending the use of bleach, but actually bleach can damage your stone and grout lines, causing fading or discoloration. Use only quality products as recommended by authorised stone care professionals.

For daily cleaning of natural stone, add a few drops of liquid stone soap (PH neutral cleaner) into warm water and apply that cleaning solution using a soft cloth to remove stubborn dirt from the stone surfaces. Never use harsh chemicals to clean grout and caulk. It’s also advisable not to try any sophisticated cleaning or repair procedures by yourself or with the help of an unskilled person. What you can do is dust mop the floors and other stone surfaces regularly. 

And always call stone restoration specialists in Australia to do weekly or fortnightly stone cleaning. These stone professionals will check for stains, mould, cracks etc. while doing the routine cleaning and inspection of stone surfaces. They will do wax removal, grout cleaning, sealing, polishing etc. in a professional way as and when required.

For cleaning stone floors, professional stone restoration providers use chemical cleaning, abrasion based cleaning and heat based cleaning- sometimes these specialised cleaning processes are also used in conjunction to get the desired result. So, when they use such specialist procedures to clean dirt and stain marks, it’s clear that your daily dust mopping or DIY tactics are not sufficient to keep the stone surfaces in good shape.

The Marble Man, started in 1992 by Shaun Roberts, current owner & MD, provides professional stone restoration services in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle, Northern NSW and other areas throughout QLD, NSW and Victoria. The company has individual home owners to big brand hotels and commercial buildings as its clients.

The Marble Man stone professionals use latest technology and only branded equipment and products for stone restoration works. Call the MM team today on 1300 627 626- They will send a police checked and verified technician to inspect your stone tiles at your convenient time and give you a free stone restoration quote. Visit the website to know their comprehensive portfolio and customer feedback.  

The Marble Man- Should Marble and Natural Stone Be Sealed?

If you are looking for ways to prolong the life of marble and natural stone, you can do so with the aid of professional sealing or coating techniques. Sealing/coating reduces the porosity of the material and makes it repellant to water, oil and stains. 

When you are looking for sealing professionals of natural stone, you will see that they will inform you on both the pros and cons of acrylic and topical sealers.  The right kind of sealant for your natural stone and marble will be determined by these professionals only after inspection of the stone surface. They will be the right guides to recommend the ideal sealant for your natural stone or marble surface.

Major Concerns with sealants

Some home owners have concerns about marble and natural stone sealants. Their concerns are obvious and the right professionals will address them effectively. Let us take a look at the major concerns that they face and how professionals handle them-

• Removal of coating- It is simple to coat a marble or a natural stone surface. However, the removal of the coating is very challenging.  It is important for all type of coating sealants to be removed and later replaced.  When you are replacing the sealant completely from the stone, it is very important that stripping should be thorough.

• Slips- Here professionals are called in to fix the problem. This slip issue in natural stone and marble is found mostly in flooring, bathrooms and pool decks.  When this issue is being rectified, professionals look into water features, climate and irrigation.

• Damage- There is cases where the marble or natural stone flooring is damaged and starts to flake and thin.  Here, you need to call in professionals to strip and replace the sealer on the whole floor.  This is a time consuming and costly affair most of the time.  There may be a possibility of a partial or localized replacement but most of the time it is not possible.

• Breathability- If the marble or natural stone has to be replaced, it is always prudent for you to call in a stone professional to check whether the stone is breathable or not. The stone should be able to permeate gas.

Protective Marble & Natural Stone Sealing with The Marble Man

It is very important for you to call in professional aid when you are considering natural stone or marble sealing.  Expert advice is needed to determine the time and the costs of sealing.  

In Australia, The Marble Man is the most reliable stone sealing expert that ensures your natural stone and marble surfaces are sealed in a professional way.  The Company takes into consideration the long term benefits and advises you on the costs involved. The Marble Man is a trusted name in and around Queensland and New South Wales and its professionals are friendly and customer-oriented. To contact them today, please visit (website) or call them on phone at 1300-627-626.

Install and Properly Maintain Natural Stone without Believing in Myths

The uses and abuses of natural stones are not unknown. While uses are manifold, the only disadvantage with natural stone is the difficulty in maintenance. There are some common problems of maintenance associated with all types of natural stones which we have discussed in the previous articles. 

The problems related to stone restoration are inevitable but can be prevented to some extent or completely resolved if proper maintenance procedures are followed. Besides, there are certain myths relating to installation and maintenance of natural stones which deter us from using them in our houses or workplaces. While few regarding specific stones have already been discussed, here are the rest regarding stone installation and stone maintenance you need to know before choosing the perfect stone to suit your purpose.

Sealing, needless to say, is the most important part of stone restoration work. However, people believe that stone installation and maintenance gets expensive as sealers need to be applied after every few months. To be precise, the frequency of application of sealers depends on the type of stone, the purpose for which it is used, the level of traffic and how often the stone is cleaned. Sealers which cost less are generally thin and therefore needs to be reapplied frequently. But if good quality sealer is applied, it provides 2-3 years of superior protection. So, professional natural stone restoration companies recommend application of high quality sealer during installation to save the cost of frequent application in the long run.

Vinegar is considered an effective cleaner and is believed to disinfect any and every surface. But stones such as marble, travertine and limestone etch on coming in contact with vinegar. Application of acid such as vinegar makes the marble look dull and needs marble floor restoration to restore the previous shine.

Another harmful cleaning technique includes mopping the floor when it looks dirty. People often avoid sweeping the floor regularly and do away with mopping until the surface becomes visibly dirty. But sweeping tile surfaces is as important as mopping. Dirt accumulates within the grout lines daily which is not visible to naked eyes. Therefore, tile surfaces must be swept daily so as to prevent the surface from losing its color and finish.

Power washing is considered an excellent technique for removing dirt embedded deep into the stone surface. However, what most of us don’t know that power washing, if not used by professional stone cleaning company, is way too powerful for our stone. It can erode the surface of granite and remove fills in travertine. It pays to get sensible advice on what method of cleaning would work for your natural stone surface.

It is quite evident as to why choosing a stone or its maintenance technique is difficult. A number of things are to be considered to ensure the best result. The Marble Man, Australia’s most specialized stone restoration company, offers expert advice on choosing the perfect stone, applying the best cleaning technique and delivering a superior stone repair and restoration service.