Basket Weave Marble Polishing & Refinishing in Chatham NJ
Last week we were called to Chatham NJ to restore and polish a basket weave marble floor. The marble was located in the entry way of the house. The homeowners were looking to sell their home and wanted to restore the marble before they made an open house. There were many scratches on the marble and it was dull with no shine. It had obviously been well used and was quite worn from the constant foot traffic. However the installation of it was good. There were no loose or cracking tiles. This made it the perfect candidate for a grind in place job. Without grinding it would have been difficult to properly restore and polish the marble properly. Since there were so many little tiles there were a number of places that were uneven with some tiles higher or lower than the one next to it. this is called lippage or lips. Grinding with diamonds levels the floor so that everything is uniform. Afterward we can diamond hone the stone to remove milder scratches. We use coarser to finer grits in order until the stone has clarity and begins to shine. After the honing process we can use a polishing compound to further polish the stone. See attached before and after pictures. Notice the beautiful reflection of the stone due to the crystal clear polished finish. You can clearly see the outline of the trees outside on the floor. This clarity in polishing can only be achieved by using progressive diamond grits. Shortcuts taken by many to polish marble like crystallizing or using pads will not yield this clarity. Grind...How To Polish Marble and Make Marble Shine ?
Many people desire the elegant look of polished marble. However many times homeowners are unaware of how to maintain marble and soon their marble starts to dull and lose its shine and luster. In this article we will explore why marble shines, how it loses its shine and how to restore it. Marble is a form of limestone and I can assure you does not shine in the ground of the quarry. However due to its chemical makeup by using heat, pressure, diamond abrasives and certain chemical compounds it can react in a way that will cause the particles of the marble’s surface to tighten and create a very smooth dense surface which naturally produces a mirror like shine. This is how the factory and stone fabricator create what you see in the tile store. This process can also generally be replicated on an existing floor to restore marble and polish it to a high luster. Many people mistakenly think that the shine of marble is some sort of finish put on top by the factory and it can be removed. Even worse some companies offer marble polishing services and merely apply a wax or coating to the surface to attempt to make it look shiny. The truth is a genuine polished marble is a natural crystal clear shine from the stone itself not from some coating or finish applied to it. If maintained properly, the shine of marble and other natural stone will not wear off for many years. However a coating will need to be redone quite often. Grout Works of Central NJ provides complete natural stone...Is Shower Grout Waterproof ? Does it Leak ? Does Grout Need to be Sealed ?
I copied and pasted below an email exchange I had with a potential customer that I think may contain some helpful information for everyone regarding shower maintenance, shower issues, waterproofing, leak prevention and an understanding in to grout and caulk. ( I just removed any identifying details of customer) hello here are the pics of my bath- looking to have the grout cleaned and resealed – the shower is 32.5 x 60 inch. Depending on the quote would like to get the work done by 3/7 if possible. Thanks let me know- Jennifer, Your shower looks like its in good condition and does not need any work. Although not necessary if you want we can remove your caulking and making the seam a bit smaller and aesthetically pleasing although again it is not necessary. Regards, David Hi David- thanks for the quick response, what Im worried about is the seal on the grout deteriorating, the condo was built in 89 and water leaks are a big problem when they happen. Im on the third floor and have had like 4 water issues, the last one I had to pay was 3k (I have a large deductible because of a major water claim 40k 8 yrs ago). Also we had an email for the HOA about improper grouting causing water leaks so wanted to get it taken care of. I think that I was under the impression that grout is porous and after a while even though it looks ok it isn’t? Is this me just being over anxious ? Also I figured the caulking does need to be...Can Tiles have No Grout Lines ? Groutless & Seamless Flooring Options
Floors Without Grout ? Some people prefer floors without grout. There is no question that a floor that is completely level is easier to clean than a floor that has a ridges and indentations (ie grout lines) throughout the floor. Two popular choices are wood and vinyl flooring. However both wood and vinyl do not do well when exposed to water and they scratch and wear easily due to their softness. Is their an option that has durability like tile but has no grout lines ? Their actually is. A very popular floor both in high end homes and in showrooms is polished concrete and epoxy flooring. These floors are actually poured and spread creating a durable seamless floor. They have the durability for high traffic and are completely waterproof. I believe that in the future most schools, malls, stores and a large number of homes will have poured floors as this flooring is becoming extremely popular in modern building. In future articles we will discuss various benefits and downsides of poured flooring. Grout Works Specializes in all aspects of Tile, Grout & Stone Restoration,Cleaning, Sealing, Polishing & in Installation of Poured Seamless Flooring. Grout Works can be reached at (732)...Is there Truly A Stain Proof Grout ?
Does their exist stain proof grout ? Many grout manufacturers have come out in recent years with what they claim is stain proof grout. These grouts are made of materials like acrylic and urethane as opposed to regular cement. In fact they are much less absorbent than regular grout. However they are not completely stainproof. I have seen these grouts stain as well and could not be restored by cleaning. Although they seem superior to regular grout there has been a serious issue with their installation. Tile installers have been having tremendous difficulty in removing the grout residue from tile floors even smooth tiles. Grout Works has been hired a number of times to remove the residue and haze left on the tiles from these grouts. Home owners have expressed frustration that after paying a lot more money for “better” grout they ended up with a mess. There are various types of grouts and sometimes it is worth investing the money in a specific type of grout for specific settings and environments. Some grouts perform better in certain environments than others. One example would be using a quality epoxy grout like Laticrete Spectralock for wet environments like pools, showers and steam rooms. However, for cleaning purposes the sealer we use on gout makes grout easier to clean than any “stain proof” grout we have come across. We encourage everyone to do your proper due diligence and research before purchasing a more expensive...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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