Let's Learn something about Stone Maintenance
Surface Finishing
Surface finishing is the treatment that brings out the material’s esthetic features. The surface finish applied to the product strongly influences the ornamental function and some technical characteristics (e.g., its resistance to wear and weather conditions or its slipperiness). We can divide the finishing into mechanical, impact, and chemical methods depending on the treatment.
Mechanical Finishing
- Rough
- Polished
- Honed
Impact Finishing
- Brushed
- Brush Hammered
- Tooled
- Sandblasted
- Flamed
- Water Finishing
- Antique Finishing-Tumbled
Chemical Finishing
- Acid Wash
- Epoxy Treated
- Meshed
- Protective Treatment
Mechanical Finishing
In mechanical finishing, the Stone is brushed against an abrasive to reduce the original surface roughness somewhat.
Rough
Though infrequent, sometimes the sawn or even just-quarried material is ready for installation and must only be cut to size. In this case, the surface is generally rough, with an uneven face. Rough Stone is predominantly used outdoors, where it is appreciated for its non-slip quality. It is often used with slate and with some kinds of sandstone.
Polished
Polishing is the main and the most frequently applied finish. It follows the finest honing and employs polishing abrasives that add brilliance with a mirror effect to the stone surface. A glossy surface that wears away with time due to heavy foot traffic and improper maintenance procedures. This surface is very smooth and not very porous. The reflectivity of polished crystals brings out the brilliant colours and grains of natural Stone. The shine comes from the natural reflection of the Stone’s crystals. The polish is provided by polishing bricks and polishing powders used during fabrication. The shine is not from a coating.
Honed
This finishing aims to produce a smooth surface by using abrasives of ever finer grain on the surface, so there is not a single honing but a series of progressive degrees. A honed finish is not reflective and makes the colour tones slightly dull, but the treatment preserves the material’s natural esthetic characteristics. This surface is very smooth but often very porous. This texture is typical in high-traffic buildings. Honed floors should always be protected with a Penetrating Sealer because it has wide-open pores. Honed stone colours are not as vibrant as polished Stone.
Impact Finishing
In impact finishing, a strong external force is applied to the stone surface to alter and enhance the original surface roughness. Because they produce surface unevenness, these finishes are usually not slippery but get dirty quickly.
Brushed
Brushed finishes are obtained by applying hard plastic or metal brushes to the stone surface. The brush action removes the softer part of the Stone and wears out the surface, giving it a look similar to antique finishing.
Brush Hammered
Brush hammering is obtained by hitting the material surface mechanically or by hand with a specific multi-pointed tool. This method creates a rugged surface with little grazes at the impact points, modifies the colour, makes it lighter, and makes the surface non-slip. This technique has been replaced by flaming and pressure water finishing because they are faster and less costly.
Tooled
Tooling is similar to bush hammering but is obtained with a more significant, single-pointed steel tool. The chromatic and non-slip effects are identical to those obtained with bush hammering, but tooling can applied only to a chosen part of the surface, thus leaving some rough areas. The effect it produces helps give Stone a medieval character.
Sandblasted
In sandblasting, a high-pressure jet of siliceous sand, carborundum, or steel shots is applied to the area to be treated. It produces a smooth abrasion, leaving the material slightly scratched on the surface but not rugged. The colour tones and the veins are a bit dull.
Flamed
They were passing a blowpipe that emits a high-temperature flame over the surface to be treated. The heat acts by blowing the crystals out as they suffer thermal shock, with an effect that is particularly evident in materials composed of minerals with various degrees of expansion, e.g., the vast majority of granites. The surface produced is rough and non-slip, and the colour is generally faded, hiding defects and tone variations. Because of oxidation, yellow materials become orange or red. This surface is very porous and must be treated with Sealers.
Water Finishing
This process involves passing a pipe emitting a high-pressure water jet over the surface to be treated. The effect is the negative of what happens with thermal finishing. While with flaming, the hardest part of the material bursts and is removed, and the softest part is removed by water finishing. But the result looks the same; the surface is similarly rough. The colours of the material and the veining pattern are not affected by water finishing, and the esthetic effects are comparable even to those obtained by polishing. As water finishing does not induce oxidation, it is the usual finish employees for making yellow material non-slip.
Antique Finishing-Tumbled
Special machinery that looks like industrial washing machines is used to obtain an antique finish. The pieces to be treated are put in the machine with abrasive elements (small pieces of marble, limestone, and sometimes granite ); the cylinder revolves around tumbling small pieces and achieving an archaic/worn appearance. In a short time, the impact of the Stone on the abrasives produces an effect similar to aging caused by use and wear. The impact method is unsuitable for large pieces, for which brushing or acid washing is the choice. It often requires an application of Stone Color Enhancer to bring out the colours.
Chemical Finishing
Chemical finishes are applied to Stone to produce reactions that transform the material surface or are employed together with other types of treatment to improve their characteristics. These finishes can also be applied to cut or even installed materials.
Acid Wash
Acid washing has a corrosive effect on the Stone. It can be used to obtain different effects depending on the material, the chemical, and finally, the processing time. Finishes can range from simple superficial cleaning of the material to a more definite ruggedness, similar to water finishing. Acid washing is sometimes used to obtain an antique finish instead of the impact method. It is possible to acid wash already cut pieces or, with appropriate precautions, already installed ones. Some chemicals produce other results that affect the aspect of the Stone but not its roughness. Some acids remove oily or rust spots on the material, while others instead induce oxidation effects and are employed to change the material colour.
Epoxy Treated
This method consists of several steps:
- One face is honed to create a smooth surface on which the resin is applied.
- The slab is dried in a special oven to allow the resin to penetrate the material and set.
- Resin is poured and spread on the slab.
- The slab is put in the oven again to dry the resin.
- When the slab comes out of the oven, it is ready for polishing.
This complex process has two main goals: improving the material’s esthetic characteristics and mechanical resistance. The resin’s high fluidity allows it to penetrate the smallest interstices and fill defects in the material. Unlike resin treatment, cement filling, usually applied to travertine, is employed for purely aesthetic reasons.
Meshed
In addition to resin treatment, it is common to apply a thin fiberglass or plastic net on the back side of the most defective marble or stone slabs to strengthen them.
Protective Treatment
This category includes all treatments used to protect the material’s surface from external elements. Among them are hydro- and oil-repellent treatments used to seal kitchen countertops, anti-graffiti treatments to avoid damage caused by vandalism, and products that give a wet appearance to flamed Stone. These products are often the final protection given to finished and installed Stone.
Maintenance Cycle
Understanding the Stone Maintenance Cycle
Stone is a natural material that should be cared for with proper maintenance procedures. Once the stone is installed, it will always go through a natural life cycle. To prepare for this cycle, precise maintenance schedules must be developed for your type of stone.
Two main factors that should be considered when designing a maintenance program are the hardness and absorbency of the stone. These factors will help decide which chemicals, pads, brushes, and equipment are necessary to maintain the stone.
The Stone Maintenance Cycle is comprised of three segments:
- Preventive Maintenance
- Protecting the interior of the stone with a Penetrating Sealer.
- Proper walk-off entrance matting.
- Understanding your stone, chemicals, and procedures.
- Maintenance
- Dust Mopping with clean rayon mops.
- Properly laundering and caring for mops.
- Wet mopping
- Repairing pits and cracks with epoxy or glues.
- Prompt spill pick-ups to prevent etching and staining.
- Powder or liquid polishing to revive polished finishes.
- Reabsorbing stains with poultice powders.
- Restoration
- Resurfacing the stone with a diamond abrasive program to remove scratches, abrasions, and traffic patterns.
- Deep cleaning the pores of honed, flamed, or ground floors.
Maintenance Chemicals
Understanding Stone Maintenance Chemicals
In the stone maintenance industry, two main types of chemicals are utilized: water-based and solvent-based.
Solvent-based chemicals do not contain any water and do not register a pH balance. These ingredients are only soluble in other solvents. Some examples of solvent chemicals are paint thinners, most penetrating sealers(impregnators), D-limonene, and alcohol.
Water-based chemicals are chemicals that contain water and have a pH balance. Chemicals mixed in water are soluble in water. There are a variety of water-based chemicals, such as neutral cleaners, ammonia, bleach, and most chemicals that have a pH balance.
To determine the difference between solvent and water-based chemicals, read the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Most solvents have a flash point and can ignite. Most water-based chemicals do not have a flash point unless they contain a solvent ingredient to strengthen the product. For example, many degreasers contain D-limonene. In most stone care situations, if a stain or coating is water-based, water-based chemicals are needed to remove it.
Listed below are samples of the two types of chemicals:
Alkalis | D-limonene |
Acids | Alcohol |
Hydrogen peroxide | Siloxane |
All-purpose cleaners | Acetone |
Glycols | Mineral spirits |
WATER-BASED: | SOLVENT-BASED: |
Some product lines are derived of mainly water-based chemicals. The reason is due to the environmental concerns that solvent-based chemicals are harmful to our environment. Water-based chemicals are usually more user friendly. Remember to always wear proper protective gear when using any chemical and keep them all out of the reach of children.
Stone Care Tips
Marble, Granite, Slate and Limestone are products of nature and as such may have small cracks, blemishes, voids, different shadings and variations in colour, veining, pitting, and or surface textures, which are inherent properties of natural stones and their products and ARE NOT CONSIDERED DEFECTS.
Natural Stones, and products made thereof, are susceptible to the penetration of liquids and other staining agents if the surface is not sealed, but even if the countertops have been sealed, the material remains porous. Sealer acts as a temporary barrier to keep the stone from staining, allowing you a short period of time to clean the surface of the countertop. Wipe up spills immediately using a clean cloth, clean water, and a mild detergent. Do not use abrasive cleaners, which may cause damage to the stone. To further reduce the chance for a countertop to be stained, it is also recommended that the homeowner re-seal the countertop periodically after the initial sealing.
Granite differ in their texture but they all have similar properties such as resistance to the invasive action of most substances found in the house. Unlike marble and limestone, granite is the least affected by acids or alcohol. It shouldn’t be damaged from standing hot utensils on it or by sharp knives. Please read below some of our recommended stone care tips. For further information please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Stones Are Porous – Sealing
All stones, due to their granular construction, are porous to a greater or lesser extent and most granites fall into the latter category. To reduce the slight ability of granite to absorb liquids, the surface is treated with a proprietary sealer that penetrates the surface and fills the microscopic voids between the crystals. This process is done in the factory at the completion of manufacture and again when installed. We recommend that you re-seal granite every 6 month to 1 year, depending on the use and porosity of the stone. Marble, Limestone and other natural stones will also have to be re-sealed every year.
Staining
With the lighter coloured granite you may notice a slight darkening of the stone in areas where water has been allowed to stand, but this should fade away as it dries out. While Granite is highly stain resistant, substances such as oils, grease, and products that contain these substances can stain or darken your granite if not wiped up quickly. Other natural stones other than granite have a much higher chance of staining. Please use the utmost care and wipe up spills immediately.
STAIN REMOVAL
Most stains can be removed using standard household products. If the stain is particularly difficult to handle, a commercial stain remover can be used. Stains of every kind can affect tiles and grout joints.
The list that follows provides some of the most common staining problems and potential solutions:
Problem | Remover(s) |
Blood | Baking soda, bleach, hydrogen peroxide |
Chewing gum | Ice cubes, paint remover |
Coffee | Baking soda, bleach, household cleaners, hydrogen peroxide |
Dyes | Bleach |
Fats | Detergent, salt soda |
Fruit juices | Baking soda, bleach, household cleaners, hydrogen peroxide, oxalic acid |
Grease | Detergent, plaster of paris, salt soda |
Ink | Baking soda, bleach |
Iodine | Ammonia |
Lipstick | Bleach, household cleaners, hydrogen peroxide |
Mildew | Ammonia, baking soda, bleach |
Motor oil | Plaster of paris |
Mustard | Bleach |
Nail polish | Bleach, nail polish remover |
Paint | Paint remover |
Rust | Baking soda, scouring powders |
Tar | Ice cubes, paint remover |
Tea | Bleach, household cleaners, hydrogen peroxide |
Tough stains | Oxalic acid |
Vegetable oil | Baking soda, detergent |
Water/mineral stains | White vinegar |
Wax | Ice cubes, paint remover |
Wet paper | Bleach |
Wine | Baking soda |
Most of the following items are regarded as household cleaning products and may be purchased at local supermarkets. Please review the packaged directions before using any products for efficacy and safety.
Acids and Alcohol
Marble and Limestone are susceptible to the aggressive action of acids and alcohol. Care should be taken to remove spillage of fruit juice, particularly lemon, wine and vinegar, beetroot etc., e.g. the residue of red wine on the base of wineglasses will leave its mark. Nail varnish and any other solvent or oil based products will stain if not wiped up immediately.
Materials not to be used on Granite: Formic acid, Hydrofluoric acid, Nitric acid, Sulphuric acid, Phosphoric acid, Hydrochloric acid.
Routine Care
We recommend that you clean your granite worktops with either a mild soap (or a non-abrasive light neutral detergent (PH7)) and water or a cleaner specifically made for stone surfaces. To dry your granite, you can use a chamois leather or similar. Drainer Grooves can be cleaned using a wire wool.
Do not use glass cleaner to clean marble, travertine, slate, limestone or onyx under any circumstances!
Scratching and Chipping
Under normal use Granite should not scratch or chip. It is safe to occasionally cut and slice on your worktops. However, we recommend using a cutting board to keep from dulling your cutlery. Dragging very heavy objects, such as a tool box with dirt, grit or sand on its bottom may cause the granite to scratch.
Heat Resistance
Pots and Pans taken directly from your oven or stove top can be places directly onto your granite worktops. Burning or marring will not occur. Natural stones other than granite are not heat resistant.
Marble, Travertine, Onyx and Limestone are highly porous materials that can stain, scratch, etch, chip and crack if not taken care of properly.
Important Notice to the Recipient:
Any advice, recommendation, information, assistance or service provided is given in good faith and is believed by us to be appropriate and reliable.
However, since conditions of use vary widely and are outside of our control, it is provided without liability or responsibility on our part.
It is the responsibility of the recipient to decide if the advice, recommendation, information, assistance or service provided is appropriate for their situation
