The natural stone you have in your home, office, or commercial building is an investment that will give you many years of beautiful service.
Simple care and maintenance will help preserve your stone’s beauty for generations to come!
Natural stones are available in numerous colors, textures, patterns, and distinctive features. There is Granite, Marble, Onyx, Travertine, Slate, Sandstone, Limestone, Quartzite, and many more. Each of these stones has its own unique set of characteristics and that’s what makes natural stone so special.
Multitude of finishes
As stones are derived from nature, they need to be processed to be ready to use in homes. One of the most important processing is its finish. There is a polished finish that gives off a smooth shine and honed finish which is smooth but matte. There is also rough and rustic finishes, depending on the design theme and use of the stones.
They last a really long time
There are many historical monuments around the world that were made many years ago and still hold ground with the same level of beauty and honor. Natural stones are extremely durable and if properly maintained, can last for a long time.
Its surface can be modified and repaired
There are manually manufactured tiles made from other materials, which do not have many options to be repaired or modified at times but with natural stones, it’s not the same. They can be cleaned, sealed, re-surfaced, and honed. This pic below was after a fresh hone, cut, and fine polish method!
As they are derived directly from nature, each piece of natural stone is unique with all its veins, colors, and textures. There can be no exactly the same two pieces. That’s another beauty of it that attracts homeowners. And also allows for exquisite designs and the designer's imagination.
Natural stones are valuable, and they add value to a home or business. With all the wide range of options available, it will surely satisfy anyone by fulfilling their needs in a brilliant-looking way. come
Stone sealing is Very important!
Natural stone is porous, which means it has interconnected capillaries through which liquids and gases can move. In fact, porous materials act like a hard sponge and actually suck in liquids over time, along with any dissolved salts and other minerals or contaminants (stains). More porous stones, such as sandstone will absorb liquids relatively quickly, while denser volcanic stones such as basalt are significantly less porous and may take longer to absorb oils and water-based liquids. Natural stone should be protected against sub-surface staining, everyday dirt, and spills; this can be done by sealing the stone in 1 of 2 ways, a penetrating or topical sealer.
Topical sealers can alter the surface texture and finish, as well as build up on the surface creating a layer that is less durable than the stone. Penetrating (impregnating) sealers are carried into the stone by either solvent or water. The carrier then dissipates bonding the sealer resins with the stone. This process doesn’t alter the slip resistance or natural look of the stone. The deposited resins then create an oleophobic (oil-repelling) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) barrier which prevents sub-surface staining. These products are considered “breathable,” meaning they allow for vapor transmission. Spirit Water-Based Premium Seal is on the cutting edge of this type of technology and is the perfect product for both DIY applications & commercials.
Pre-Sealing
Pre-sealing is a term used to describe sealing the tile or stone prior to laying. The benefit of this is that is reduces the porosity of the tile/stone and works as a grout release. However, the main reason is to prevent the possibility of watermarking. Watermarking is reverse staining that occurs when a piece of stone is exposed to water and chemicals generally associated with high alkaline cement or other fixing materials. This moisture is absorbed into the dry stone which can add minerals and dissolve existing minerals in the stone. As this moisture dissolves and migrates through the stone then works its way to the surface to dry, the minerals are unevenly left behind and almost always alter the color of the stone. The problem with that is that the
contaminates show a much darker color than the balance of the stone and a resulting stain remains and can be impossible to remove through cleaning efforts. This stain is often on the edge of the stone where the grouting occurs, and the mark can surround the tile and look like picture framing. Another form of this type of staining is where areas of the stone will have a blotchy effect at any location on the tile. The same effect but random throughout the tile. The pictures below show a few examples of watermarking. The installation can be messy and potentially staining from moisture from the glue, this could be been prevented by pre-sealing the back of the tiles. It would be fair to note that up to the present, there is no known method for removing this type of marking. It is also fair to note that the use of the right Sealer will prevent this from occurring.
Maintenance is the key Once a natural stone has been sealed, maintaining the finish is very important, regular cleaning will allow you to keep the floor looking new. Sweeping and vacuuming the floor should be done as often as possible, this will help remove loose debris and reduce the amount of soil settling in the grout joints. A wet mop should be used afterward to remove the rest of the soil, it is very important that a ph neutral detergent such as Spirit Neutral Cleaner should be added to the mopping liquid. Acidic and strong alkaline cleaners should not be used on regular basis as these types of cleaners can damage the sealer and the natural stone. Heavy traffic areas will need a scrub on a more regular basis with either a nylon scouring pad or a bristled brush depending on the finish of the surface. For the Best stone cleaning and sealing and protection be sure to give us a call on 0424994922.
