Having natural stone polishing features, such as flooring, countertops, backsplashes, and showers, in your home gives the residence a sense of luxury and charm. Depending on the stone surfaces you have, they could have a smooth or textured finish.
If you prefer the stone features in your home to have a refined, glossy appearance, stone polishing will make that possible. Perhaps you desire a polished stone surface to convey an attractive sense of cleanliness and newness.
Not only will stone polishing improve the appearance of the material, but it also enhances its durability by making it less porous.
Stone tiles and slabs are durable but not impervious to damage, including wear and tear. Natural stones polishing and restoration will breathe new life into your surfaces.
Here, you can explore the natural stone polishing process.
Natural Stone Polishing Process
Polishing natural stone is a process that may require a combination of the following steps based on the stone’s type, condition, and desired sheen.
Pre-Inspection
The first step in the stone polishing process is pre-inspecting the surface. Not all natural stone tiles will require the same treatment. For instance, a qualified stone polishing company should polish a stone floor to ensure that the surface does not become excessively slippery, but you could give countertops and shower walls a high gloss with no worry.
Area Preparation
Polishing and cleaning stone floors, countertops, and other surfaces can get messy. So, it is a good idea to take a moment to prepare the area for the task. Covering the areas around your natural stone tiles with a plastic tarp and blue tape will protect your home from unintentional damage or mess.
Clean Natural Stone
Cleaning stone surfaces is a must before polishing can occur. Without proper cleaning, stone surfaces can develop a patina that reduces their luster.
Floors will require thorough sweeping and mopping. You can clean showers, countertops, and other stone tiles and slabs with stone and tile cleaners designed for your material type.
Apply the natural stone cleaner and wipe everything down with a microfiber cloth to remove soap scum, crumbs, and other debris. The best natural stone cleaner is one that is sprayable so that you can wipe things down by hand with a lint-free cloth without worrying about damaging the stone.
Diamond Grinding
Stone surfaces with scratches, scuffing, and etching will need restoration before a polish. Using diamond abrasive pads on a rotary machine will quickly remove a small layer of stone to eliminate unsightly damage to the stone without affecting its overall integrity. Diamond grinding requires water to prevent dust from getting everywhere.
Honing
Mechanically resurfacing a natural stone surface is honing. It consists of diamond abrasive pads and water, similar to diamond grinding. However, honing helps create a uniform sheen to a stone surface by removing micro-sized stone particles. The process may be ideal for removing a pre-existing polish from travertine, polished marble, limestone, or granite.
Polishing
Buffing stone with nano abrasive powders or compounds will remove minor stains and scratches from its surface. Using the stone polish in conjunction with polishing pads with superfine abrasive properties will give the surface a highly reflective finish.
There are different polishing pads for polishing engineered stone, natural stone, quartz, marble, and dark and light materials.
Sealing
The final step in the stone polishing process is sealing. Since natural stone is porous and can absorb liquids, bacteria, and food particles, sealing the surface will protect the surface against foreign materials. The sealant will need at least 24 hours to cure.
Why Choose California Marble?
California Marble in Irvine, CA, is an industry-leading natural stone and concrete restoration company for the West Coast. As a trusted family-owned and -operated business, California Marble has been providing world-class stone polishing services that bring out the beauty of stone surfaces for over 20 years.
The restoration experts at California Marble have the skills to turn return worn stone and concrete to like-new conditions. The team only uses quality materials, tools, and modern equipment to get the job done quickly without disrupting the client’s home or business.
Other services California Marble offers include commercial epoxy floor coatings, marble polishing, garage floor coatings, and concrete coatings.
If you are interested in a professional stone polishing experience to improve the appearance and durability of your natural stone, contact the team at California Marble today.
Get Your Free Quote Today
Are you ready to improve your natural stone features with professional stone polishing? If so, do not hesitate to reach out to the professionals at California Marble. The polishing and restoration experts at California Marble are ready to transform your surfaces, so contact us today for your free quote.