How we look after your
Stone
We start by grinding away the stone's worn surface so that
fresh stone appears. Depending on what surface and character
you want to have on your stone floor, you can then choose one
of the following grind finishes: High gloss, Micro finish,
Satin matt.
These surfaces can be obtained without crystallisation. In
this case, we polish or we grind the floor so finely that it
becomes shiny without any treatment. Today's grinding methods
enable successive steps of surface treatment and are many
times faster than conventional techniques. In the first stage
of grinding, we often make use of a special cutting plate. We
then continue with a wide range of diamond tools that are
graded in different mesh ratios from, e.g. 44/60, 60/85 (green
with metal compounding CP 18), up to 1000/1800. To avoid
scraping and fraying, the machines work with special diamond
pads that treat the floor surface evenly under a constant
pressure. Water is used as a cooling and lubricating fluid.
The choice of diamond discs depends on the condition of the
floor. Is it newly laid, heavily worn or scoured away through
the use of too many alkaline substances? Or does the surface
just need polishing? These are just a few of the issues that
we have to address.
When we restore, the water and grind sludge remains within
the working area of the machine. This means that the floors
can regain their shine without your employees being disturbed
in the process.
Traditional floor grinding gives beautiful, almost
completely even surfaces. However, the method is complicated
and takes a long time. The traditional technique is most
appropriate when the floor lies uneven with level edges that
gather dirt.
The method of the future is called surface and cloth
grinding and will become increasingly common in the UK and the
USA. The technique is relatively fast. It ensures a very good
result and the stone obtains the same character as if it were
traditionally restored. The problems with marble or limestone
floors arise after a time when the floor has become worn and
the surface increasingly resembles sandpaper. To prevent this,
it is more economical to regularly grind the surface layer of
the floor than to invest lots of money in a total renovation.
After-treatment of stone floors often consists of
crystallisation or impregnation; alone or in combination.
Impregnation is a method that has had a big impact in the USA,
where it is used by the postal service and several large hotel
chains. Combining the methods gives many advantages:
crystallisation makes the floor hard and impregnation provides
stain-resistance and repels water. Impregnation can also be
used on all types of floors, including clinkers. The technique
is also effective on stonewalls to protect against graffiti.
Marble and Natural Stone Crystallisation
Crystallisation is a method of giving a stone floor
a harder and more beautiful surface. Today, it is popular to
have elegant, shiny surfaces that convey a luxurious
character. Chemically, the technique is based on the calcium
carbonate in the surface layer of the stone being transformed
into the considerably harder calcium fluoride. Other active
substances in the crystallisation solution are zinc and
magnesium fluorosilicate. Once the solution has had time to
take effect, we polish the hard surface to make it shiny using
different coarse steel wool-all according to your
requirements. The machine should weigh at least 65 kilograms
and have a rotation speed of 175 R.P.M. On the floor, a thin
film of extremely hard/dense micro crystals will now have
formed to become a part of the floor. To ensure that "walking
lanes" do not occur, the method requires regular maintenance.
With the right entrance solution and mopping up system, not
only will you reduce your cleaning costs, you will also
improve the quality of your beautiful, rediscovered floor! We
recommend the crystallisation method to everybody who wants a
shiny floor with a glossy finish and good cleanability.
The smoother your stone floor is, the easier it is to look
after it! Stone floors should generally be kept clean with dry
and damp cleaning methods. When, for example, you are wet
wiping, you should use an appropriate protective agent. Uneven
surfaces should preferably be machine cleaned using a combi-cleaner
or a mains-operated combination machine.
Call us for a free estimate and - or technical information
on telephone number 020 8807 8889.
International +44 208 807 8889
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