Watchung NJ Marble, Travertine & Limestone Refinishing
Marble, Travertine & Limestone as well as other natural stones require proper maintenance. Carrara Marble is definitely one of the classics and very popular marbles we come across and polish. Other common marbles such as crema marfil, brown emperador, rojo alicante, botticino all require the same maintenance as well. Usage of cleaning products that are compatible with natural stone is very important. Just because a product is all natural or “green” does not mean it is suitable for marble, limestone or travertine. In fact vinegar is extremely harmful for use on calcite stones such as marble, limestone and travertine. They also require professional refinishing occasionally by a Professional Natural Stone Restoration company since these stones are soft and scratch easily. The first step in professional restoration is to hone the stone with diamonds to remove scratches and marks. After that the stone could be polished with polishing compounds just like the factory to produce a shine from the stone itself. Some stones look nicer unpolished with a more natural matted look which is called a “honed finish.” We offer to polish or hone the stone as well as various customized finishes like a muted polish or a high hone where there is a subtle shine. Generally our customers ask to have their stone sealed. However many do do not realize the limitations of a sealer. In fact a sealer only helps prevent colored stains on stone not the more common etches from improper cleaning products or scratches. We do offer to seal marble, travertine and limestone when necessary but educate our customers on the benefits and limitations of sealers and sealing natural stone....Why do grout colors sometimes come out wrong ?
Why Does a Grout Color Not Always Look Like the Color You Chose ? Many times grout colors do not come out as expected. There are a number of reasons for this. 1. The most common reason is that many times grout colors do not look exactly like the sample grout stick. Many times the color is lighter or bolder than expected. Especially with medium and darker grouts the color will usually be a shade lighter. You can always take a little bit of grout mix in to water to a thick paste and let it dry overnight and see if you like the color before you have your tile installer come to grout the floor. 2. Sometimes dark grouts can be slightly uneven in color. Since dark grouts have a lot of pigment in them it can be difficult to wipe and clean the residue properly and at the same time not wash out some of the color as well. Even veteran tile installers can have color issues on some occasions with dark grout. Certain grout types are better with color uniformity and many experienced tile installers have their preferences. Ask for their recommendation on choosing a grout type. 3. A much more common reason dark grouts can be discolored and have white or light spots in them is due to construction dust. Most construction dust is light and can settle in to the grout. When the grout is wet or still fresh this white dust can bleed in to the darker grout and many times cannot be restored by cleaning alone. However the grout color can be...Travertine Refinishing Serving Long Beach Island, Watchung, Tenafly & all in between
Travertine Flooring has been popular for a number of years. However the trend today seems to be the natural look as opposed to the high gloss and shine finish. In many upscale homes that we have serviced both in new homes and old homes the desired appearance is a natural honed look. We have found this in many places from Long beach Island up through Monmouth & Mercer county area and further north as well. Even when some shine is desired it is just a soft sheen and satin finish as oposed to the glass mirror reflection of a true polished finish. We have seen many variations of travertine. Travertine comes in various sizes colors and grades. Some have many unfilled holes while some have surfaces that require no fill. In general travertine is a soft stone like limestone so it does scratch easily. However it can also be refinished with diamonds more easily than other stones like harder marbles due to its softness. Travertine can be polished or have a honed finish. Honed finishes tend to hide scratches and imperfections making it more practical for an area that is used more. Many times travertine will also look nicer with a honed finish as opposed to a polished finish due to the factory fill typically found in travertine. Typically we will show our customers some samples of different finishes on their travertine floor or other surface like a shower, vanity or table to see what their preferences are. We can then restore their travertine surface to their liking. For more information you can check out our natural stone care page or...How to pick the right grout color ?
How do you choose the right grout color ? Generally when grout blends in to the tile there is a nicer flow and cleaner appearance to the floor. Especially nowadays with large tiles and thin grout lines in style, the goal is to create as seamless a floor as possible. The best way to match a grout color is to compare a grout sample to the base color of the tile not the design in the tile. If you are unsure which color to choose go a bit lighter because if the grout is darker than the tiles it will not blend at all. If the grout color is slightly lighter it can still look decent. However keep in mind actual grout looks a shade lighter than the grout sample sticks. There are a few exceptions where a contrasting grout can look very nice. When there is a pattern of different color tiles a contrasting color can add to that “busy” effect. When the tile has an irregular shape like a hexagon the contrasting grout can accent that shape. When the tiles are not laid straight rather in a pattern like a brick lay or basket weave the contrasting grout can accentuate that design. Sometimes small tiles or mosaics can look good with a contrasting grout. If you cannot find the grout color that goes with your tiles grout colors can be customized either by mixing pigments into the grout before installing. After the grout was installed the color can be changed as well. Even if your grout color did not come out as you had thought the color...Stone Refinishing & Marble Polishing & Grout Cleaning Services in Bergen County NJ
Skilled and meticulous professionals are necessary to properly restore natural stone like marble, limestone, travertine, granite, quartz, quartzite, onyx, terracotta, slate, flagstone, terrazzo and other natural stone surfaces. Proper refinishing is an art and can be done with a variety of methods depending on the type of restoration necessary and the type of stone. Methods can vary from using diamond grits to polishing compounds to proper fills and sometimes various chemicals to remove coatings. Refinishing can produce various finishes both matte, satin and natural appearances commonly referred to as honed. Another method of refinishing can produce a polished finish and high shine. A natural stone professional can customize the desired finish according to the taste of the customer and decor of their home. In this picture a dull spot occurred on the marble counter top in the kitchen of this beachfront home in Long Beach Island NJ. Some wine had spilled on the counter and caused an etched mark which looked like a ring mark or water mark on the counter. Since the island was subject to sunlight streaming in through the window the mark was very noticeable and disturbed the homeowners greatly. In this case we were able to hand polish the counter in just those areas and match the finish to the rest of the counter. However sometimes more work can be necessary to restore a stone surface. Grout Works of Central NJ specializes in restoring all types of stone as well as grout cleaning, stone and grout sealing, grout color changes and repairs. Check out our legendary before and after pictures on instagram or in the gallery...Who We Service
Grout Works of Central NJ provides service to businesses and consumers in Ocean County, Monmouth County and beyond.
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