Limestone floor restoration doesn’t have to be part of a renovation project. Refreshing your limestone can lift the entire room and help the floor to last longer too.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock which means that it is formed on or near the earths surface from the accumulation of other rock and organic matter. Limestone is primarily made up of calcium carbonate but will also often contain other minerals. This accounts for the array of colours that you’ll see when sourcing limestone for your home. Usually, limestone is formed in shallow water where the skeletons of organisms settle. The debris left behind you can see scattered throughout limestone as beautiful fossils.
The formation of limestone is what accounts for the properties of the stone. Being highly alkaline with its calcium carbonate base means that limestone is very sensitive to acids. As a sedimentary rock, limestone is also porous. This means that it will readily absorb liquids that come into contact with it. With the correct maintenance regime, limestone will last many years. It is a durable stone and its natural beauty creates both homely warmth and a classic elegance.
Part of all limestone floor restoration and cleaning services is the application of a sealant. This is an important part of ensuring the longevity of your floor. Being porous, means that your limestone will readily absorb liquids that are spilled. When it installed your limestone floor will have been sealed. This helps to prevent anything that comes into contact with your stone from penetrating and causing irreversible damage and staining. You can read a little more about the different types of sealant here. One of the benefits of any limestone floor restoration service is that it will include the reapplication of a sealant. This will help to add back in that protection your floor had when it was first laid.
If you are considering undertaking a limestone floor restoration, it is important to understand the different level of services available. For some, a deep clean might offer the refresh that the stone requires. Professional cleaning gets deep into the pores of your limestone floor. No matter how well you maintain your limestone, over time dirt can build up in the grout lines and this can be difficult to remove with household products. A limestone cleaning treatment will lift this and bring the surface of your stone back to life again.
The first stage before deep cleaning is to strip the existing sealant (if any) that may have worn away or degraded. This ensures an even finish and longer, cleaner life. The product used for this will depend on the stone origin and finish and the previous sealant type used. This is a dust-free process using fresh water, alkaline cleaning solutions and abrasive powders. This method of limestone cleaning will not only return your floor and grout to their former glory but is mess free.
Whilst a stone cleaning service will remove surface dirt, it is often worth considering the additional benefits of a restoration service. Limestone polishing or resurfacing will not only restore the beauty of your floor but also ensure a longer-lasting finish.
When we resurface a stone floor in this way, a fresh layer of stone will be revealed. This means that not only will you have a clean floor, but the stone will have a look a lot closer to when it was first laid. Resurfacing in this way will remove surface scratches, dulling and etch marks on the surface of the stone. It will regain the colours and properties of that initial stone. This means that once sealed, it will retain its finish for a lot longer than a floor that has been simply cleaned.
For stone that is more deeply scratched, or shows uneven heights at the grout joint (lippage), we can offer deeper limestone floor restoration. Diamond grinding and resurfacing of stone is our main area of specialism. We use the world’s leading diamond grinding and polishing technology to restore the surface of your limestone. As a chemical free process, limestone restoration using this method is an eco-friendly way to enjoy natural stone for many years.
The full restoration process involves up to 8 stages beginning with a grinding phase to even out poorly laid tiles and remove scratches or etch marks from your limestone floor. This initial phase is essential to ensure that the floor is flat, to allow the finer grit diamond abrasives to work most effectively. Limestone restoration is a service that is suitable for floors that are in need of renovating after years of wear and tear but is also applicable to correct damage at any point from installation.
If you are considering a limestone floor restoration service you can arrange a visit by calling 01494 438 294. Alternatively you can fill out our Virtual Quote Form here.
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