Home » Tile & Stone » Programmed Maintenance
All stone is porous and absorbent. Modifying these characteristics by treating the stone with the correct stone-care product will greatly minimize the deteriorating effects associated with poor maintenance and environmental conditions and will vastly improve maintenance procedures.
Most stone-care is carried out by using general floor cleaning products and standard methodology used by the daily cleaning industry. Taking this approach has shown (as you may have already experienced) not to maintain the stone in all its natural glory but in fact to steadily diminish its attractiveness and in extreme case to actually damage the stone. In fact many of these methods and cleaners are the contributing causes to an unsuccessful stone maintenance program.
We unfortunately find that all to often stone is sold as a "no maintenance" product and this has caused unrealistic expectations with regard to its care.
CMG Maintenance Programme
Correct stone identification.
A survey of the installation and condition of the stone
The environmental conditions the stone is subjected too.
Interior, exterior, wet areas (showers, pool / spa)
Usage conditions, general purpose areas, areas
where foods or oils will be present, etc.
The finish of the stone whether textured, honed or polished
An impregnator (penetrating or subsurface sealer) or a
coating (sacrificial surface)
Service life of the treatment (time between retreating)
Present or previous maintenance history.
Proper stone identification
This will provide the essential information about the stones physical properties such as density / hardness...porosity and weathering characteristics.
A survey of the installation and condition of the stone
Does the installation contain "lippage", that is when one or more edges of a tile is higher than the tile adjoining it. An easy way to determine this is by using a coin and placing it next to the raised edge of a tile and if the tile is higher than the coin this can be considered "lippage". Are the gout joints wide, narrow or deep? Does the installation have any cracks, pitting, scratches, severe wear etc.?
What type of finish does the stone have
Polished - brilliant glass like finish. (factory finish)
Honed – any gloss level from a smooth matt no light reflective finish to a satiny sheen.
Textured - a rough surface, natural cleft (split-faced, like slate or sandstone), brushed,
flamed, bush hammered, or sandblasted to name just a few.
The environmental conditions the stone is subjected to
This refers to both interior and exterior installations. Areas where foods will be present, kitchens, banquet areas, patios, etc. Food acids can etch a stone work-top or floor.
Wet areas, bathrooms, showers, pool / spa areas, irrigated landscape areas and fountains etc. These areas can also be damaged by the acidity or alkalinity of the water.
Present or previous maintenance history
Are coatings, waxes, polishes etc. being used or have they been used in the past. What types of cleaners have been used to clean the stone. Type of equipment, pads, brushes or other method have been used.
What Next? - Find your Nearest CMG Supplier.
