People love natural stone. It’s a fact that homes with natural stone sell for more and sell faster. And rightfully so! What we know, as stone care professionals, is that people DO love stone, and they like it clean and easy to use, they like it smooth and care-free, and they really like it to look amazing. Stone can be all things, sturdy, beautiful, modern, fresh…but it can also be difficult to maintain.
We find that stone pros are important at two distinct points in property ownership and management. First is when new surfaces are installed. Second is when you have stone that is new to you (new home, new building, etc.) or was damaged, or otherwise loved too much.
Hiring a Stone Restoration Pro After a New Stone Installation
- Lippage: This is when the tiles don’t lie flat or flush. This uneven surface is not only uncomfortable to walk on but it is aesthetically displeasing. It is usually the result of an inexperienced installer or an uneven subfloor. The only way to correct lippage is to grind down the uneven tiles until they are flush and uniform.
- Sealing: Some countertops come pre-sealed, but if yours did not (or you’re not sure) don’t delay giving it the protection it needs. Improper cleaning, forgotten spills, and other issues of everyday use could easily mar the surface otherwise. The proper penetrating sealer will soak into the stone, filling the pores, to keep staining at a minimum.
- Coating: Acid-sensitive stones like marble, limestone, travertine, and onyx are prone to etching. This proprietary product does not change the look of your stone, but instead protects it by forming a durable, ultra-low visibility, super-thin, coating that prevents the toughest stains and caustic solutions from coming in contact with your marble countertop surface! Additionally, we provide a 10-year warranty against acid etching and staining and most applications take only a day to install.
- Change or Correct Your Stone Finish: Stones can have many finishes, from glossy, to non-glossy, honed, antiqued, leathered, brushed, satin, or just natural – don’t like what you had installed? We can change it.
Hiring a Stone Restoration Pro For Antique, Vintage, Worn or Damaged Stone Surfaces
- Clean: Stone endures a lot, stains, mold, built up dirt, soap residue, you name it, a stone pro can clean most stone.
- Hone: A stone pro can remove scratches, imperfections and minor discolorations by honing or grinding the very top layer of stone with abrasive pads so that the surface is smooth, flat and consistent.
- Polish & Shine: The shiny polish seen on marble slabs, countertops, tile, and other stones is achieved by high friction using polishing machines. Again, a finish is selected from glossy, to matte, honed, antiqued, leathered, brushed, satin, or natural employing special abrasives, tools and the skill of an experienced stone restoration professional.
- Protect: Stone restoration professionals can work with you to discuss what stone protection strategies owners can take based on where the stone is installed, how it will be used and what kind of maintenance you want to be responsible for after the work is done. Then they can apply or install just the right solution.
- Chip repair: Counters tend to get chipped on the edges. Stone professionals can fix most chips to be nearly invisible!
If you find you need a stone restoration professional for any of the issues we’ve outlined, don’t hesitate to call Boston Stone Restoration for services throughout Greater Boston and the Providence to Nashua, NH corridor.