Expert Answers in Stone Restoration

ANSWER - It is very difficult to find a qualified tile installer to fix problems caused by another installer or to get them to complete an incomplete tile installation. The qualified installer doesn't want to…

ANSWER - The only glue they should be using on a marble countertop is the resin adhesive to bond the section together or to bond the apron to the slab.  Sometimes if they have joints…

ANSWER - Marble isn't the safest material to use on a kitchen countertop because it is primarily comprised of calcium carbonate that is chemical sensitive and has a tendency to scratch.  Having a honed surface…

ANSWER - Limestone stone is a calcium carbonate sedimentary natural stone.  It contains various minerals such as ferrous oxide that when subjected to excessive moisture can develop mineral stains. Sometimes this is just minor staining…

ANSWER - Denatured alcohol is acidic and can act as a solvent to break down sealers or stains that could be on the stone.  They use oxalic acid in polishing stone because it breaks down…

ANSWER - First you need to determine what caused the smudges on the tile in order to determine how to remove them. If you have a polished porcelain tile there is a condition known as…

ANSWER - There are 3 subcategories of limestone per ASTM C568.   Their physical properties vary from being vary porous to very low absorbing. How fast the limestone will dry depends on how absorbing it is,…

ANSWER - Normally to remove a cementitious haze you use acid, but not just any acid as acid used wrong can cause etching problems.  Never use muriatic acid like what is added to pools.  Sulphamic…

ANSWER - If you have dark stains at the seams of the limestone fireplace, that suggests that the stone installer used a sealant or resin for those joints that bleed into the stone leaving a…

ANSWER - Quartz Stone is a man-made material that is about 90% natural quartz suspended in a resin base. Natural stone and quartz stone can be affected by various chemicals.  The chemicals whether very acidic…

ANSWER - Marble is made up mostly of calcium carbonate, which is a material that is sensitive to acid.  Lemon juice is acidic with a pH around 2; neutral is a pH of 7.   So…

ANSWER - Depending on whether the travertine tiles have been maintained properly or not over the years, it may require a more in-depth cleaning; particularly if there is staining in the stone. Generally speaking, on…

ANSWER - There are many different types of stains, so the trick is to try to determine what caused the stain, because if you know that, then you have a chance at figuring out how…

ANSWER - Urine is acidic.  Even though natural granite is very chemical resistant, if it is subjected to something acidic and it either isn't cleaned timely or properly, then it can etch the surface of…

ANSWER - Assuming when you say marble that it is a true calcium carbonate marble you can buy kits with diamond pads and a powder compound with water to re-polish a marble that has scratches…

ANSWER - The method you use to re-polish a tile surface depends on what kind of tile you have.  You can't use a chemical by itself to polish a tile.

If you have a polished…

ANSWER - The reason you will get mildew on the tile in a shower is because the water is not draining or drying properly.  This could be cause of the tile not being installed correctly…

ANSWER - Slate will wear from the exposure to the weather.  If it is spalling (flaking) it could be due to the stone be subjected to excessive moisture.  The white chalky spots could be efflorescence,…

ANSWER - First of all a hollow sounding marble floor is not considered a defect in itself.   It could be a symptom of a defect.  The only way to determine that is to see…