Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to work with an expert in the field?
Although visually similar, natural stone varies considerably in material qualities (makeup)are often difficult to identify. including color, hardness, and crystal formation. . created over millions of years by the earth's formative processes; they vary considerably in their color, hardness, and crystal formation. The wide array of these minerals are often difficult to identify. It is imperative to know the exact type of stone that is to be maintained. Stone is natural and may have adverse reactions to certain cleaning chemicals and procedures. Most stones are also natural alkalis as are dirt and soil; therefore, stone and dirt are attracted to each other which often makes cleaning very difficult. This makes the proper selection of cleaning procedures and chemicals for stone very complex.

Why does stone shine, and how can a lost shine be recovered?
The deep shine we see on polished stone is achieved by rubbing the stone with a series of abrasive materials. The process is very similar to sanding a piece of wood. The stone is rubbed with a coarse abrasive grit, followed by finer and finer grits until the stone becomes smooth. The scratches left behind from one grit are removed by the next, creating finer and finer scratches. The process continues until the scratches are microscopic. The shine on the stone is achieved by abrading the surface to the point at which it becomes extremely smooth and starts to develop some reflectivity. The techniques employed to achieve this degree of smoothness require special knowledge and training. This is not friendly territory for the do-it-yourselfer.

What is grinding?
Grinding is the process by which the surface is aggressively sanded to remove large stocks of the stone. This process is usually recommended when stone tiles are uneven. Lippage is the term given to uneven tiles that are set higher than one another. Grinding is recommended when the lippage exceeds 1/8 inch or if one desires to have a completely flat floor. There are some very good reasons for grinding a stone floor flat.

What are the advantages of grinding?
A flat floor is easier to maintain; since there will be no lips where dirt can accumulate. The grinding process, if performed correctly, will also eliminate depressed grout jointsÑthe grout will be even with the tile's surface so that dirt and grime can't accumulate. A completely flat floor eliminates all unevenness, giving the floor the illusion of being monolithic (one piece). Note: a stone floor does not necessarily have to be ground to remove scratching. A skilled craftsmen can repair it without grinding.

What are the disadvantages of grinding?
Grinding is very time-consuming and expensive; with some hard stones, like granite, it can take an entire day to grind 50 square feet. The grinding process is also very messy. Copious amounts of water are needed to grind a stone floor and produce a heavy slurry of stone and water. If adjacent areas such carpet, wallpaper, baseboards, etc., are not protected properly, water damage may occur. Before deciding on grinding, all the above considerations must be carefully weighed. Discuss the options with the stone specialist.

What is honing?
Honing is the process of smoothing the stone 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, and will not remove lippage (uneven tiles). It can, however, round the edges of the stone, giving a smoother finish to the edge. Honing can leave a stone floor with very little shine, although some stones will acquire a satin-like luster at very high hones. What is polishing? The high shine observed on stone is the result of smoothing it with fine abrasives. Most craftsmen will use diamond abrasives to hone the stone, then switch to a powdered abrasive to achieve the final polish. Powdered abrasives contain superfine crystals of aluminum oxide or tin oxide. These powders are usually white, but can be yellow, brown gray or black. The abrasive powder is worked into the stone with a floor machine(buffer) using water and cloth or polyester fiber pads. The powder is worked into a slurry until a polish is achieved. The craftsman removes the slurry with a wet-vac or mop and rinses the floor to remove excess powder.