Marble and Granite Polishing

Marble, Stone, Terrazzo and Granite Polishing

Marble, travertine, slate and granite are types of natural stone from the earth. They are unlike man made tile in a few ways. These stones have an outstanding look and appeal but have to be maintained and sealed. Natural stone tile can be softer than man made ceramic tile, so the products used to clean it have to be specifically designed for cleaning it. We offer many choices for stone care and maintenance.

Types of Stone

At Nadine Floor Company, we are able to steam clean stone, remove dirt from grout and leave you with clean and natural stone tile no matter what type of stone you have. However, it’s a good idea for you to know a bit about the type of stone you have — especially if you’re trying to figure out how to clean the stone in your home.

Types of stone that we clean and polish include:

Marble: Nadine Floor Company are skilled at all kinds of marble polishing and restoration, including marble bathroom polishing and kitchen countertop polishing. Marble is a veined, calcareous stone that is fine-textured and can come in a wide variety of colors. When cleaning marble, it’s important to avoid vinegar or any abrasive/acidic cleaning substances, as this can damage the marble.

Granite: Granite, unlike marble, is a siliceous stone. This means it is mostly silica or quartz rather than calcium carbonate. Granite has a distinctive crystal pattern and little or no veining. If you have granite in your kitchen, it’s important that you seal the granite countertop and backsplash to protect it from spills and stains and maximize the effectiveness of your granite polishing. Although granite is not as susceptible to vinegar and acidic cleaners as marble, these chemicals can break down the sealant over time.

Terrazzo: Terrazzo is a composite material consisting of a binding substance, like concrete, layered with chips of natural stone like marble or granite. Cleaning and polishing procedures for terrazzo will be similar to those you use for marble or granite.

Travertine: Travertine is another calcareous stone like marble. It is frequently used as flooring material. It is a durable and attractive substance that is much softer than granite. Like marble, it is sensitive to vinegar and other acidic substances, so you should approach cleaning and polishing travertine in the same manner as you would marble.

Slate: Slate is a siliceous stone like granite. It tends to be gray, dark red, black or dark green. It has a unique cleft texture and is often used for flooring and roofing. When you clean or polish slate, the surface can become very slippery, so you have to be careful when walking on it. If there is dirty wax buildup on top of your slate, you will have to remove it before cleaning, after which you will want to sweep away any leftover dirt or debris. Vacuuming slate is not recommended, as it can damage the surface. You are much better off using brooms or wet mops and natural stone cleaners to clean your slate.

Nadine Floor professionals steam clean stone with heavy duty truck mounted machines to remove all dirt from the pores and to clean the grout. Dirty grout and crevices can spoil the look of the entire surface. We then polish the stone using stone polishing pads and polishing machines. This will give the floor a smooth, even look. After that, the stone is sealed with commercial grade penetrating sealer.

For maintenance, always clean your stone with neutral PH cleaners. The wrong cleaning products can etch the stone, leaving marks or stains. Our technicians go over care procedures with you to best take care of your stone.

We also offer kitchen and bathroom countertop granite care. We highly recommend sealing your granite to protect it from pitting and stains. Nadine Floors offers granite polishing and sealing.

Benefits of Sealing Countertops and Stone

When designing the finishing touches of your kitchen, bathroom or home’s overall architectural style, you likely painstakingly evaluated the benefits and drawbacks of each available material you could choose for countertops, flooring and backsplash. Now, the stone elements throughout your home are stunning, and while they are naturally resilient against chemicals and other elements, they can’t permanently withstand damage caused by regular use.

To keep the marble, stone and granite features throughout your home in pristine condition, you need to have their surfaces regularly sealed. When you have your stone sealed, you can prolong the quality of the material, as well as:

Prevent Staining and Water Damage: By having your granite, marble or natural stone sealed, any water or other liquid accidentally spilled onto its surface will stay on the surface to be blotted up rather than being immediately absorbed into the stone. This will eventually cause unwanted and unattractive staining, especially in lighter colored materials.

Reduce Etches and Scratches: Knives, foods and cleaners can easily damage certain stones, like marble and onyx. Having a fresh seal will help protect the stone from etching and other damages these items can cause.

Easier Cleaning: After your stone has been freshly sealed, it’ll be easier to wipe away fingerprints and residue from the stone’s surface, reducing the amount of cleaner you’ll have to use to maintain your surfaces.

Less Chemical Exposure: Because you’ll have an easier time keeping your marble or stone countertops clean, you’ll have less need for harmful chemicals that can reduce your indoor air quality and harm the environment.

Preserve Natural Beauty: By keeping your granite, marble and stone sealed as needed, you’ll reduce damages and prevent the material from becoming dull and stained. Sealers also prevent water, oils and other liquids from leaving residue on the surface of the stone that can diminish the quality and appearance of your granite or marble.

When Should You Seal Your Marble and Stone

Each type of stone is different — presenting its own unique beauty, durability and appeal — and requires different maintenance efforts. Some materials like marble and onyx are more delicate and temperamental than sturdy granite and need more frequent care and maintenance to prevent damages and maintain their sturdy structure and stunning appearance. Part of this maintenance is having your marble and other pieces of stone regularly sealed.

The following stones require seal applications to ensure their lasting quality and look:

Granite: Reseal this stone every two to three years with normal use

Marble: Have your marble surfaces resealed at least two or three times per year with normal use

Slate: Like granite, slate is a sturdy material that only needs a seal reapplication every three years with normal use

Travertine: To keep your travertine in excellent condition, have it sealed every three to five years with normal use

Terrazzo: Because of its similarity to marble, terrazzo needs to be sealed a few times per year with normal use

While having a fresh seal applied to your marble or granite surfaces will help preserve the quality of the material, you’ll likely need to apply sealant more often than recommended if you have a lighter colored material.

You can quickly determine whether your stone needs a new coat of sealant by noticing if simple water drops are leaving a darker stain as it is absorbing into the stone. Then call a professional to clean, polish and seal the marble, granite or stone.

How To Polish and Seal Granite, Marble and Stone Countertops

Nadine Floor Company polish the stone using stone polishing pads that correspond to that particular stone and polishing machines. This will remove debris and give the countertops a smooth, even look. After the cleaning and polishing the stone is sealed with commercial grade penetrating sealer that helps stain prevention.

For maintenance, always clean your stone with neutral PH cleaners. The wrong cleaning products can etch the stone, leaving marks or stains.

Our technicians go over care procedures with you to best take care of your stone.

We offer floor, kitchen and bathroom countertop granite care. We highly recommend sealing your granite to protect it from pitting and stains. Nadine Floor Company offers granite polishing and sealing.