The Marble Man - Stone Restoration Specialist






Restoration and Repairs

A professional technician with the correct tools and stone care knowledge should always carry out restoration and repair. Technicians at The Marble Man receive specialised training so they understand the origins, limitations and potential of a wide variety of stones.

Restoration
(cleaning, sealing, honing, repolishing, resurfacing)

Benefits of professional cleaning

  • Gives the stone surface a fresh, clean look
  • Gives the stone surface a smooth feel
  • Reveals the stone’s true colour and shine
  • Removes stubborn grime, stains and soap scum
  • Leaves glass shower screens sparkling
  • Removes bacteria and mould from grout
  • Prepares the surface for regular cleaning

Before and after cleaning your stone surface

How we do it

  • Power scrubbers and special products are used to thoroughly clean surfaces
  • A wet vacuum cleaner is used to extract in-ground dirt from floors
  • Special detergents are used to remove built up soap scum from shower tiles
  • Special glass cleaners and polishes are used to remove the calcium build up from glass shower screens
  • A special scrubbing process and detergents are used to clean soiled grout (heavily soiled grout may need to be replaced)
  • Special polishes and equipment are used to clean
    stained and damaged benchtops, vanities and furniture

Remember! Have your stone professionally sealed after cleaning to prevent mould growth and to protect it from staining, especially in showers

Note:

  • Severe etching on shower screens, which appears as white bleaching between glass laminations usually at the bottom of the panels, cannot be removed by cleaning but may be prevented by regular cleaning. Replacement of glass may be required
  • Cleaning will not remove ‘Grout burn’ which is discoloured smears on the tiles however it can be removed by repolishing

The following guidelines apply for professional cleaning:

Commercial floor areas 6 months
Textured floor surfaces & showers 1 year
Honed floor surfaces 1- 2 years
Polished floor surfaces 2 - 5 years
Furniture As required

 

Before and after professional cleaning

Sealing

Sealing of any stone surface should be carried out immediately after installation by a professional then reapplied every 6 months to 15 years depending on the quality of the sealer, the maintenance products used, its location and level of wear. The Marble Man only uses high quality penetrating sealers that provide a conditional 15 year warranty.

  • Benefits of professional sealing (using a penetrating sealer)
  • Prevents liquids and dirt from penetrating and staining the stone and grout
  • Causes liquids to bead on the surface and not soak in
  • Prevents the build up of soap scum in showers
  • Prevents the growth of mould in wet areas
  • Allows the stone to breath
  • Allows the stone to retain its look and feel longer
  • The natural look sealer does not alter the colour of the stone
  • The wet look sealer gives an attractive wet look and enhances the colour
  • Special sandstone sealer prevents erosion of sandstone
  • Leaves the stone surface easier to clean
  • Will last up to 15 years if maintained correctly

How we do it

  • Prior to applying a sealer all types of stone are cleaned thoroughly to remove in-ground dirt
  • Special detergents and rotary scrubbers are used to clean marble, limestone and sandstone
  • A wet vacuum is used to extract excess water and dirt after cleaning
  • Marble, limestone and sandstone are left to dry overnight then 2 coats of a penetrating sealer are applied the next day using a special spray gun or applicator, then left to soak in and dry
  • Special spirit cleaners and scrapers are used to clean granite then 1 coat of penetrating sealer is applied
  • A second coat is applied to the granite the next day
  • If grouting needs to be carried out some porous stones will be pre-sealed before the grout is applied so the excess grout that is sometimes left behind during application does not mark the stone
  • Once the grout is dry and the excess has been removed the tiles and the grout are sealed together

Note:

  • Sealing with penetrating sealers will not prevent etching of marble and limestone

The following guidelines apply for re-application of a good quality penetrating sealer:

Showers and all stone where a wet look sealer has been used
and the stone has been maintained regularly using recommended products		 3 - 5 years
All stone where a natural look sealer has been used and the stone has
been maintained regularly using recommended products		 15 years

Why not a topical sealer?

  • A topical sealer rests on the surface and is not recommended by The Marble Man as it is usually softer than the stone itself and acts as a ‘sacrificial coating’
  • When the topical sealer is abraded or worn down from rubbing or friction ie when a scourer is used, it can appear that the surface of the stone is scratched when it is in fact only the surface coating that is scratched
  • Chemical cleaners can also break down topical sealers

Although a topical sealer is not recommended, if requested it will be applied using a roller or special applicator. The following guidelines apply for re-application of non-recommended sealers:

All stone where a topical sealer has been used 6 months
All stone where a cheap penetrating sealer has been used 6 mths - 2 years

 

Repolishing


Repolishing by a professional should be carried out between 6 months and 6 years depending on the type of stone, location, level of wear and maintenance. It must be remembered that granite is not easily repolished so good maintenance is essential. Original polishing of granite takes place at the manufacture stage using specialised machinery.

Benefits of professional repolishing

  • Removes small scratches, etching, stains and discolouration
  • Removes ‘grout burn’ and excess grout from tiles
  • Restores a high gloss, mirror like finish without the use of waxes
  • Provides a longer lasting gloss than a wax finish
  • Leaves the stone surface easier to clean

How we do it

  • Dry grinding with diamond abrasive pads is carried out first
  • The surface is then polished using water, diamond polishing compounds and a floor or hand polisher
  • A wet vacuum is used to remove excess water, dirt and product and leaves the surface dry and shining
  • A similar process is used in showers however a hand machine is used to polish both the walls and floor

Remember! Have your stone professionally sealed after repolishing to prevent mould growth and to protect it from staining, especially in showers

Note:

  • Repolishing will not remove deep scratches and lippage (the difference in height between tiles) or scratches on vitrified tiles (where the surface has been hardened)
  • Repolishing will not remove drip marks on shower walls left by non-recommended cleaning products
  • The above all require resurfacing
  • Repolishing will restore the reflective surface of a floor to around 90% of the shine of a new floor, a benchtop to around 70% and shower to around 50%

The following guidelines apply for repolishing:

High traffic floors – kitchen, public areas 6mths – 2 yrs
Showers 1 – 5 yrs
Moderate traffic floors – foyer 2 – 5 yrs
Low traffic floors – dining room 5 yrs
Furniture As required

After repolishing - leaves the surface easier to clean!

Honing

Honing of marble, limestone and sandstone should be carried out in a similar time frame to repolishing, depending on the condition of the stone. Honing is a process that leaves a dull shine or matt finish on the surface of the stone rather than a high gloss.

Benefits of professional honing

  • Removes small scratches, etching, stains and discolouration
  • Removes in-ground dirt
  • Gives the stone surface a fresh, clean look
  • No dust is created during the process so no need to cover furniture
  • Removes ‘grout burn’ and excess grout from tiles
  • An economical process that can be repeated often
  • Leaves the stone surface easier to clean

How we do it

  • A rotary floor scrubber is used with a honing paste and water to abrade the surface and give the floor a uniform finish
  • A wet vacuum is used to remove excess water, dirt and product and leaves the surface dry and shining (This is a vast improvement on the older process, where dry diamond abrasive pads were used causing dust)

The following guidelines apply for rehoning:

High traffic floors – kitchen, public areas 6mths – 2 yrs
Moderate traffic floors – foyer 2 – 5 yrs
Low traffic floors – dining room 5 yrs
Furniture As required

Remember! Have your stone professionally sealed after honing to prevent mould growth and to protect it from staining as a honed surface is quite porous

Note:

  • After honing some stones will show texture differences due to the sedimentary composition of the stone
  • Showers are not usually honed as they require a smooth surface with a glossy finish for easier cleaning and less water absorption

 

Resurfacing

Resurfacing of marble, limestone and sandstone should be carried out between 2 – 10 years depending on the type of surface, its location, level of wear and maintenance. It is a different process to repolishing and is the ultimate in stone restoration.

Benefits of professional resurfacing

  • Removes all large scratches, etching, stains and discolouration
  • Removes worn and dull areas, surface sealants and coatings
  • Leaves new clean grout level with the surface of the tiles
  • Removes lippage between tiles
  • Restores a like ‘NEW’ natural high gloss reflection without the use of waxes
  • Provides a longer lasting gloss than a wax coating
  • Leaves the stone surface easier to clean

Resurfacing is the ultimate in stone restoratation

How we do it

  • Prior to commencing this process technicians mask off adjacent carpets, walls and cupboards so that the slurry produced by the polishing machines does not damage those areas
  • Grout is also removed at this stage and replaced prior to resurfacing so it can be ground to the same level as the tiles or slabs
  • Diamond impregnated pads are used with a wet polishing machine to bring the stone back to its raw state. This is a gradual process, where a number of grits are used until the desired finish is achieved
  • Diamond polishing compounds, a floor polisher and a wet vacuum are then used to restore the high gloss, mirror like finish to the stone
  • Hand held polishers are used for showers and walls

The following guidelines apply for resurfacing:

High traffic floors – kitchen, public areas 2 – 5 years
Showers 2 – 5 years
Moderate traffic floors – foyer 4 – 7 years
Low traffic floors – dining room 7 – 10 years
Furniture As required

 

Fantastic results after resurfacing

Repairs
 (chip and crack repairs, scratch removal, stain removal, efflorescence removal, regrouting, grout recolouring, vitrification, cutting and reshaping)

Chip and crack repairs

  • Fast curing, special epoxy resins and colouring agents are used for repair
  • Colours can be mixed to match any stone colour so most chip repairs will blend in almost perfectly to the original stone
  • Once applied the resin is left to dry for approximately 5 minutes then ground back to an even surface
  • The surface of the stone is then polished to restore the original finish
  • Cracks may be slightly noticeable on close inspection but the surface will be smooth to touch
  • Chip repairs can usually only be detected by a trained eye
  • Repair of chips and cracks must be carried out as soon as possible so the integrity of the stone is not compromised
  • Liquid and dirt entering the chip or crack will discolour and stain the stone and could cause the stone to crack further
  • Cracked benchtops that are not repaired immediately may allow moisture to penetrate down to the level of cupboards underneath causing the timber to swell
  • Some cracked items such as tables or benchtops will require reinforcement so steel rods are secured to the underside of the stone. The rods strengthen and support the cracked area

 

Scratch removal

  • Requires honing, repolishing or resurfacing depending on the depth of the scratch
  • Special polishing equipment, diamond abrasives and polishing compounds are used
  • Lightly scratched areas may be improved using a polish restoring cream such as Renue
  • Scratch removal is difficult on granite and manufactured stone as these cannot be resurfaced or repolished

 

Stain removal

  • Special poultices are placed on the stain for varying periods depending on the stain and the stone
  • The ingredients used in each poultice paste will vary depending on the stain and the stone
  • A wet paste is applied to the stain then it is covered with plastic wrap to seal the moisture in
  • The stone absorbs the detergents in the paste then as the mixture dries it draws the stain back up into the paste
  • The success of a poultice is dependant on the age of the stain, the type of stain and the type of stone
  • Sometimes 2 applications are required to be successful

 

Efflorescence removal

  • Efflorescence is the white substance that can appear on the surface of any stone from time to time
  • It occurs when moisture in the stone causes the salt in the stone to liquefy and travel to the surface
  • It can also occur if washed river sand is not used under tiles before laying. The salt in the base can work its way up through the stone over time
  • Some stones are affected more than others depending on the salt content in the stone
  • Steel wool and a special detergent are used to remove efflorescence but this must only be attempted by a stone care professional
  • The special detergent soaks into the stone and produces a chemical reaction with the salt, causing it to solidify so it cannot travel to the surface
  • Efflorescence may return slowly or not at all, depending on the level of salt and moisture in the stone

 

Vitrification

  • Vitrification is the process of hardening the surface of marble with a thin layer of polish
  • The polish reacts with the stone and bonds to it making the hardened surface more resistant to wear
  • This is an excellent maintenance treatment for foyers, as the surface remains glossy without the constant use of wax polishes
    Initially 2 coats are applied with maintenance coats only applied to the worn areas
  • Depending on the traffic, a floor should only need to be recoated every 3 to 6 months
  • In a busy foyer the polish is applied one square metre at a time, reducing the need to close off the entire area during maintenance
    The surface does not need to be stripped between coats as new polish can be applied on top of the previous treatment
  • This process gives the marble a natural, glossy appearance and reduces the build up of dirt and marks.

 

Regrouting

  • New grout will enhance and lift the look of the entire area whereas cracked or stained grout can spoil the look of a tiled area, even if the stone is clean
  • Every piece of the old grout must be removed, even if it is not stained or cracked, so the new grout has a clean, fresh surface to adhere to
  • Special oscillating diamond tipped blades are used to remove old grout
  • Grout of an appropriate colour is then applied and left to dry

 

Grout recolouring

  • Recolouring is carried out on grout that needs a lift in appearance but is still intact and not cracked
  • The latest technology is used to colour the old grout without having to replace it
  • The colorant is non-porous and does not stain
  • The existing grout and tiles are cleaned using special detergents and a rotary scrubber, wet vacuumed dry then left overnight to dry thoroughly
  • The following day the colour is added to the clean grout and left to dry before final cleaning
  • The grout looks like ‘NEW’ and is easier to clean.

 

Cutting and reshaping

  • This is usually carried out on-site so a stone benchtop or vanity can remain intact
  • The area is marked out first then a diamond cutting saw is used to cut and reshape
  • Once the benchtop is adjusted the edge is smoothed using a special shaping stone
  • This is a dusty process therefore technicians will cover all furniture and fittings with sheets or plastic
  • Small items must be removed from the area prior to the work being carried out
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The Marble Man
Bundall - Gold Coast - Queensland
Tel +61 7 5563 3060 FREE CALL 1800 627 626 info@themarbleman.com.au