Natural stone floors
Stone floors are basically categorized in to two groups on how they need to be deep cleaned and maintained.
- sandstone/flagstone
- slate
These natural stones need to be deep cleaned with appropriate chemicals, which is then scrubbed in to the stone using a weighted rotary machine. The stone then needs to be rinsed and allowed to dry, before sealing. Seals can be an impregnating matt finish or a topical sheen finish. Seals would be dependant on the stone and customer choice, we would offer advice and guidance on this to offer the most suitable finish.
- marble
- limestone
- travertine
- terrazzo
These natural stone floors can look beautiful if maintained correctly. Customers will come to us saying that their floors are dull and stained, this is a common issue with this type of stone. What happens with natural stone like this is that the pores in the stone over time open up, this causes the natural sheen on the stone to become dull, which in turn will trap dirt. To rectify this the stone needs to be burnished, this is done by using a set of diamond encrusted pads on a rotary machine.
Usually, the floor will be burnished with 400/800/1500/3000 grit pads, which will add a natural sheen. Starting with the lower grit pads the floor will need to be rinsed off before commencing with the next pad. The process is quite laborious; however, it is the best way to maintain the stone. The stone is then sealed to protect from staining. A higher shine seal can also be worked in to the stone to give a higher sheen finish.
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