Natural stone restoration isn’t just for old stone. In fact, the majority of our clients have stone that is less than 5 years old. Often you will find the words restoration and resurfacing being used interchangeably. Stone might need resurfacing due to chemical damage, scratching or just because it has become dull over time. Occasionally even brand-new stone will need treating to bring out its true beauty. We take a look at a case study of a limestone floor.
Natural stone is an investment, this is a mantra that you have heard us say time and time again. If you have chosen to use natural stone in your home, then investing in it from day one will ensure its longevity. Prior to installation, your natural stone will have been sealed. This is one of the most important parts of the installation process as inadequate sealing can lead to a phenomenon known as picture framing. This is caused by moisture and colour pigments from the adhesive and grout bleeding into the sides of the tiles. If you notice marking like this on a new stone floor then it is advised to have this rectified as soon as possible. By resurfacing the stone and importantly re-sealing it, this issue will usually be easily solved.
A new floor has to be laid early on in any project. This means that the stone will either have to be covered, or subjected to heavy footfall from other trades. Many post-build cleaning specialists will be able to lift the surface dirt, but they may not be able to return the stone to its original beauty. Being a natural product, the process used to restore or clean stone need to be carefully considered.
Our client Richard had a limestone floor installed as part of his kitchen renovation. As with many, his floor was left with marks caused by tape and protection that had been down whilst the kitchen was fitted. The semi-honed Wexford limestone had been chosen as a real feature of the property and Richard was keen to maintain this finish.
Using a flexible 60, 120 and 220 grit diamond pads we lightly resurfaced the floor tiles to remove all marks and scratches. The final stage in all of the restoration processes is to seal the floor to protect. Our impregnating sealants, penetrate the pours of the stone and protect from within. This leaves the surface of the stone exposed. In order to maintain the stunning beauty of the stone, we then added a wax. This enhanced the finish and Richard summarised the results with his feedback below:
We are really pleased with the finished result.
Although the initial challenge was to remove the marks, gouges and stains, the impregnator and wax finish have really brought the floor to live.
The overall effect is exactly what we were looking for and lifts the whole area.
Ahead of Decorex 2024, we are exploring the hot topics of the show that so naturally throw stone into the limelight.
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