Easy to spot signs that your stone floor is in need of restoration
You are looking at your stone floor and you might be wondering: does it need a bit of a restoration or is it good enough? Well, there is no need to panic. Thankfully, we have a list of easy-to-spot-signs that can showcase to you when your stone floor might need some restoration. Take a read below to see if you need it.
- Do you see any cracks or chips?
Cracks or chips can happen for several different reasons. Either the installation was done incorrectly, something heavy could have fallen on the corner of a loose tile, or a lot of movements, such as shaking or tremors have occurred. - Has your floor lost its shine?
Daily use will wear down stone floors. Walking in with muddy or dirty shoes can cause friction and can tear away the shiny surface of the floor and if untreated the polish will wear off. This can be treated by several different procedures. - Noticeable stains?
Accidents happen and we, as humans, are naturally prone to spills, especially food, oil and drink related spills. If you enjoy cooking and eating in, as most people of Melbourne do, the risk of a stained floor increases, and if not sealed correctly, stone floors will become stained. - Do you see the colour yellow?
Depending on the stone, it may turn yellow over time. But this may not be the only reason. Certain waxes used on stone floors can cause the colour to change. If you tend to walk on the floor with shoes that you also wear outside, that can track in dirt and other soils and over time it can build up and start to have a yellowish and almost dirty look. Especially in Melbourne where most people like spending their long summer days outside on the beach, in nature, or tiring their feet in the streets of the city, dirt has a way of making its way onto your stone floors. - Looking a little uneven?
During installation, sometimes tiles are not placed or sized properly, giving your tiles an uneven and unprofessional look. This is the most noticeable sign if your floor is in need of restoration, because if uneven, it can look like you are in the CBD of Melbourne, with all its skyscrapers.
Important read before hiring a stone restoration professional
Before you bring in any stone restoration professionals, make sure to do your homework. But how do you do your homework to make sure you get the best professional for your stone floor work? We have compiled a list of some key points to look out for when hiring a professional in Melbourne:
- Make sure to look at their credentials, and see if you can find any reviews of their work. You can go about this by asking the company directly if they could get you in contact with some of their previous clients, or do your research and search the company online.
- Do not always choose the cheapest professionals. Sometimes avoiding certain costs now will set you up for further and more expensive costs in the future.
- Make sure they aren’t trying to upsell you. This means that they should not be trying to sell you extra coatings or extra waxing. Stone floors have a natural glow about them and any extra waxes or coatings will not make the stone floors “shine” or “glow” any better.
- If you have surrounding carpet or wood that they protect any uncovered surface. You should also ask any questions if you are unsure, for example, if you think they are not taking the proper precautions to protect your floors, make sure to let them know.
- Make sure they are experienced in whatever stone needs restoration. Different stones mean different techniques, for example, if you have a marble stone, but you hire someone with experience in granite, they will not be able to give you the results that you deserve.
- Look for experienced stone restoration professionals in Melbourne. If they have years experience they will have better knowledge of the stone over time, for example, if a professional comes in with less experience and puts on a coat of a certain solution, it might wear over time and start to get a “yellowish”, worn out tint.