Our clients were renovating a property to transform into their dream home. The marble floors throughout the property had seen better days and they asked Athena Stonecare if there was anything that could be done to return them to their former glory.
At the initial site survey, it was noted that there was significant lippage across the floor. This is the name given to uneven height of tiles at the grout joints due to the floor tiles not being laid flat.
To repolish a scratched or etched floor, diamond segments must be used to grind the surface. If tile edges are uneven then the solid diamond segments will bounce over the lips and will be ineffective. To use this method of polishing on a lipped floor would run the risk of ‘picture framing’ whereby the lower section of the tiles shows up as shinier than the rest. There are hybrid options available to bring back the shine, but the finish is never as crisp. This is usually visible by the wavy lines seen in the reflection of light from the floor.
In order to achieve the best possible finish when a client requests a high polish, it is usually recommended to grind the floor completely flat first. This is a lengthier process, but is the only way to ensure the perfect polish and avoid an uneven finish.
With the entrance being a focal point of the renovation with natural light flooding in and reflecting off the floor, it was decided that the investment in a full restoration was well worth it.
Due to the ongoing works, we attended the site initially to complete the grinding and resurfacing to the edges before the decorating took place and the skirting boards were installed. This is always our preference when grinding floors as it gives the best finish possible to the edges and corners.
Following the completion of the remaining decorating work, the team returned to complete the rest of the work.
Using the Hypergrinder Titan and Levighetor machines, the marble floor tiles were ground flush with the grout line. This removed all lippage as well as surface damage.
After this, 7 stages of diamond abrasives (metal bonds, copper bonds and resin bonds) were used to remove the scratch pattern created by the grinding process and smooth the marble to tighten the surface of the floor. The floor was then polished to high shine with natural polishing powder before rinsing and sealing.
When the main contractor Ben returned to the site he immediately contacted the team “ Cannot get over how good the floor looks at south hill! Amazing job”.
Great company and team. Easy to deal with and discuss requirements. The quality of work and attention to detail is exceptional. I strongly recommend this company.
The professional who inspected the floor was clearly most knowledgeable and he also actioned the work subsequently. A date was agreed and the work was carried out with care and attention and minimum disruption. The floor now looks exactly as it did when initially installed. I have no hesitation recommending Athena Stone and will call them myself when another part of the floor needs refreshing.
Dealing with Athena has been seamless throughout. I have been impressed by Athena’s professionalism and customer focus from the beginning and this applies to everyone involved from reception, to administration to the actual treatment of the floor.
Just wanted to say thank you . The floor looks amazing. Love love it! Thank you so much!
I wanted to leave a review for Danielle. She went above and beyond to help find alternative solutions so I could get my worktops/ tiles restored in the timeframe I need to, even following up afterwards to see how things panned out. Excellent communication!
The only company I trust to restore flooring in my role at Humphrey Munson. Athena Stonecare are an amazing company with a true understanding of excellent customer service and endlessly helpful.
