What is marble polishing? 

Marble polishing can be reffered to by a few differnt names; stone restoration, marble refinishing, marble restoration… and while we typically hear folks refer to this process by using the name marble, it can encompass all other natural stone including granite, travertine, limestone, slate, terrazzo, quartzite, onyx, etc…) and is the process by which we return your natural stone to the condition it was installed in (or in some cases, better condition)

How messy is marble polishing?

There is no dust created during our stone restoration process since all sanding, honeing and polishing is done using a wet method. We also use skirted floor machines to ensure even the wet process is contained. Adjoining surfaces are masked to keep them protected. For elevated surfaces (counter tops or vanities) we set up barriers to protect your property. We always ensure your property is left sparkling clean with no need to clean up after us.

Is marble polishing expensive?

Stone restoration is much more affordable than replacing your stone. It also takes much less time to restore your floors rather than replace them. So for a fraction of the cost of replacement you get brand new looking stone with less down time and no mess.

How do I care for my marble after it has been restored?

Regularly vacuum or dry sweep the floors to remove microscopic dust and debris. When required do a wet cleaning using either a pH neutral cleaner, or plain water to mop the floors.

How do you polish marble (or other natural stone like limestone, travertine, onyx or even terrazzo)?

Most of the time when folks say "polishing" what they mean is "restore". Polishing your stone will improve the shine but doesn't remove any damage. So scratches and etch marks just become shinier instead of being removed. 

Okay so how do you restore marble or other natural stone?

To restore marble, you would first start by sanding the stone to remove surface imperfections like scratches, etch marks, and light surface discolouration. The level of damage you are trying to remove will determine the sanding grit you start with. Once the initial sanding is completed, and the damages have been removed you would then begin to refine the finish by sanding the stone again using finer and finer grits. Once the sanding process is completed you then proceed with either honing the stone or polishing it to give the final finish that you are looking for. For a honed floor you can use honing powders or a honing pad. Polishing is done with a polishing pad and powers or gels. 

How often do I need to restore my marble floors (or walls, vanity tops, counters…)?

The short answer is, it depends. 

And what about the long answer?

Well it still depends. How often do you clean your stone and what do you use to clean it. How many people use the space the stone is installed in? Is it in a wet environment (shower, water fountain, pond…), is it exposed to harsh chemicals, is it exposed to the elements…? How particular are you about the way the stone looks etc…

Okay so what is the typical timeframe between restoration visits?

For commercial buildings (hotels, condos, office towers) you would likely do this work once a year (for busier buildings, or ones that require their buildings to look perfect year round this may be moved up to two or three times a year) For your home the timeline is typically in the one to five year range. Again this would be dependant on where the stone is located. For example a counter top, being a more intimate space, you may want to keep it looking more pristine, compared to a floor. So you may restore a counter top more often, say every two to three years, where you might do the floor once every three to five years. This is just an example, some folks like to have their floors, vanities and walls done each year, while others are good to let it go for ten years or more. So the short answer of, it depends, really is the most accurate answer, but you can use the timelines above as a guide.