Marble Floor Care
Marble Resurfacing and Polishing
Many marble floors over time will become scratched and will need to be resurfaced. The following is a brief introduction into this process. Refinishing of a marble floor is difficult and will require the services of a professional stone or marble contractor.
Grinding is the process by which the surface is aggressively sanded to remove large stocks of the marble. This process is usually recommended when marble tiles are uneven. Lippage is the term given to uneven tiles that are higher than one another. Grinding is recommended when the lippage exceeds 1/8” inch or if one desires to have a completely flat floor.
Advantages to Grinding
– Giving the floor the illusion of being monolithic (one piece)
– Eliminates depressed grout joints – so that dirt and grime can’t accumulate in the joints
– Eliminates unevenness
Dis-advantages to Griding
– Messy
– Time consuming
– Expensive
Repairing a scratched marble floor
Honing is the process of smoothing the marble floor with the use of abrasives. Although not as aggressive as grinding, it does require the use of water, and can also be quite messy. Honing is performed to remove scratches. The honing process we typically use is achieved with the use of diamond abrasives. Some contractors may choose to use silicon-carbide bricks or screens as their tool of choice but what really matters is the skill level of the craftsmen. Honing can leave a marble floor with very little shine, although some marble will acquire a satin-like luster at very high hones.
Polishing with diamond abrasives to the highest grit, producing a very high polish.
For more information give us a call at 207-767-1359.
