Protecting Natural Stone - Plymouth Stone Care

Protecting natural stone

So why protect natural stone?

Have you ever looked at exterior stone? driveways, balconies, pathways, patios?

Noticed all the damage? cracks, stains, algae growth?

Well this is because the stone has not been protected and water and dirt has penetrated the stone.

Cleaning the stone

First of all the stone is given a deep clean. We use only the very best cleaning products to remove stains, dirt and algae growth. Once the cleaning process is complete we let the stone fully dry.

The impregnating process.

The impregnating process is similar to sealing a stone. A sealer is applied and stays on the surface of the tile creating a barrier. We can make this barrier a shiny one giving the stone a high gloss reflective appearance. Sealer will wear off with repeated foot traffic.

Impregnation does not stay on the surface of the stone but does what it says. It soaks into the stone filling it up with protectant that will protect the stone from anything penetrating it. The product is breathable so the stone is not damaged in any way at all.

The photos below show how the impregnator works once it has dried. The first photo shows stone that has been protected and the water beads on top of the stone tile.

The second photo shows that the stone tile has not been protected, this shows the water soaking straight into the tile.

This tile has been impregnated

This tile has not been impregnated

Cleaning exterior stone - Plymouth Stone Care

Cleaning Exterior Stone

The job.

The stone is granite and was  laid on a balcony that overlooked Dartmouth in Devon. It had been laid for a few years and had not been cleaned or protected against the weather.

The cleaning.

We selected the best cleaner to use on granite stone. We applied the solution onto the tiles, agitating it into the dirty areas and the stains with our scrubbing machine. We used our grout brushes to clean all the grout lines. We then rinsed the dirty water away with our extractor machine.

Following this we inspected the flooring and repeated the process, removing all the dirt. This process can happen several times, until as much dirt has come out as possible.

Protecting the stone.

Once the stone floor dries we then apply our amazing stone protector, our impregnator.

This solution is applied to the stone by hand. Several coats are applied.

The benefits of protecting stone is amazing, It stops the water penetrating into the stone and helps protect it against staining, water damage and algae growth.

Exterior Stone Cleaning Plymouth

How we dealt with rust on an exterior stone patio

What the job was.
We were called out to a property in Plymouth to help the owners tackle a problem they had with their exterior stone patio.

What cause the damage to the stone.
The patio is open to the elements of the sea, being right on the front of the Hoe. They have patio furniture that had left terrible patches of rust on the tile floor due to heavy rain, flooding and the salt water.

The cleaning process.
We gave the area a good deep cleaning with our specialist rust removing cleaning solution, which is designed to draw the rust out of the stone. Once we gave it its first deep clean we gave it a second clean, rinsing away all the cleaning solution and dirt and grime.

Protecting the stone.
After the cleaning process, to ensure that the same damage did not occur again, we impregnated the stone. This impregnation soaks into the stone and protecting the stone deep down. If this problem was to happen again then the rust would not have a chance to soak its way into the stone. Preventing a lot of damage.

The final results.
As a result of our deep cleaning and impregnating of the area the results came out great. Have a look at the photos and see for yourself.

www.plymouthstonecare.co.uk

How and why I care for your natural stone

Natural stone in your home is such a beautiful addition, whether its on the floor, wall, fireplace or worktop surfaces. Like with anything though it needs to be cared for and looked after properly.

The main thing that upsets me is improper cleaning and maintenance of stone in the home. A lot of products you buy off the shelf are damaging to your stone. Also improper installation of stone can have a huge affect on the final finish and over use of the stone surface.

We always recommend having your stone impregnated before the tiles/surfaces are installed ( before grouting is carried out)  and then we recommend that they are impregnated after the floor is installed.
This will stop any staining or dirt affecting the overall finish the surface. Sometimes these damages done during installation are irreversible when it comes to cleaning.

Why is impregnation important?
Impregnation is very important for natural stone surfaces. Impregnation, unlike a seal, soaks into the stone tile which enables the stone to still breath. A seal is a layer that sits on top of the stone and does not let the stone naturally breathe. The seal will wear out quicker and the area will need to be stripped and re-sealed more often then with an impregnated surface.


How do we clean natural stone flooring?

When carrying out a natural stone cleaning job, we follow these guidelines,

* Job preparation
* During the job
* Completion of the job

Job preparation.
First of all we carry out a quote to let you know what the best method of cleaning will be. We will advise you on what stains we think will come out and what staining we think will be permanent. We will also inform you on the best final finish on the floor whether you require it impregnated, sealed or highly glossed.
We then protect all the cupboards, doors, skirting boards and carpeting with protective plastics and tarpaulins.
If there are any loose tiles or grouting work that needs to be carried out, we will get a tiler we wok closely with to come out and fix the area before any cleaning can take place.

During the job
During the job we get rid of all the loose dirt by using brushes and vacuums. We then clean the area using hand brushes and machine brushes with our cleaning solution, paying close attention to any staining as we go. We then use another piece of machinery to rinse and extract away all the dirty water. We can do the cleaning process sometimes 2-3 times. We then remove all the protective plastic sheeting and tarpaulins that we have put done and we clean up if needs be.
We will then treat the floor with what ever finishing treatment you require.

Job completion
On completion of the job we will advise you on the best maintenance plan for your flooring to keep it in pristine condition all year round, we leave you with a bottle of cleaning maintenance solution and an application flat mop.

We do offer a free demonstrations of our natural stone cleaning services. This will include cleaning an area of your dirtiest stone surface, so you can see the results we can get for you.

Please visit us at Plymouth Stone Care

The Latest News From PSC

Hey everyone, well its been extremely busy this year, hence the lack of blog posts.

We have been busy with both our commercial and domestic clients cleaning a wide variety of stone from slate to polishing granite.

We have been playing around with stone cleaning and polishing products. And we think we have final got the best products on the market. We have been involved in cleaning and polishing white marble onboard luxury yachts, Domestic black granite worktops, Limestone flooring throughout peoples homes. To be honest the list is endless. We are very grateful for all the stone work we are getting.

Unfortunately many people are getting disappointed because we simply cant fit them in. So im trying to get the message out to people who want their natural stone surfaces cleaned or polished, to please book early to avoid disappointment.

Have a look below at a small selection of photos from jobs we have carried out this year.
Natural Stone Cleaning In Devon

Cleaning Slate

These following photos are of a slate floor that I restored in Heybrook Bay, Plymouth, Devon.

My client had had carpet down in her cottage for so many years that she forgot that there was this beautiful stone floor underneath. It was possible the original at 150-200 years old.

There was alot of adhesive, tape and paint on the flooring, So it was up to us to make it look beautiful again. Not a problem... we gave the floor a deep clean and them impregnated it to help protect it. The floor came up beautifully and our client was over the moon.

The photos below show the stages of cleaning, before, during and after. There is also a photo of me, very dirty but very happy.

Cleaning natural stone in Plymouth

If this video is not working on my blog, please pop over to our YouTube channel at Philhill19, thank you