What to Know Before you go Shopping for your New Flooring

 

What to Know Before you go Shopping for your New Flooring

By Frederick M. Hueston, www.stoneforensics.com

Buying a new floor can be a frustrating and confusing process. Here’s a list of things to keep in mind before heading out to purchase your new floor.

1. Take note of the room layout.

– Draw an outline of the room or rooms. Indicate where the entrances are placed.

– Measure the room carefully and accurately with a measuring tape. Write down the width and length of a room. Remember to include closets and other areas that need the new flooring. Smaller print patterns can make the room seem a lot bigger.

– Take into account adjoining rooms and the flooring on those rooms.

– Make a note in which direction the room is facing and if there is a sliding door. Determine how much natural light enters the room. You might want to consider a laminated floor, ceramic tile or porcelain tile.

– Bring along swatches of fabrics from your furniture, curtains and wallpaper. These will help you decide on the color and style of your flooring.

2. Answer these questions to help you out in selecting the right floor for your room:

– How much foot traffic does the room get in any given day? The number of people passing or using the room would indicate the level of wear and tear the room would take. This would help you in deciding the type of flooring to get. A room with a high volume of traffic needs more durable flooring.

– What is the main function of the room? A room used mainly for leisurely activities will have less wear and tear. Delicate flooring materials can be chosen in this case.

– How many pets do you have? Pets tend to abuse the surroundings they are in, floorings maybe damage from scratching.

– How many kids do you have in the house? All the roughhousing and playing that the kids do tend to abuse the flooring. The more kids you have in the house, the more abuse your flooring will get.

– What color do you want? Remember that lighter colors make rooms seem bigger.

– How long do you want the flooring to last? We would of course like the flooring to last forever but wear and tear damages the flooring.

Eventually, it will need to be replaced or you may want to simply change the look of the room after a certain period of time.

3. How much is the flooring going to cost?

– Are the subfloor preparation part of the quoted price?

– Is the quoted price inclusive of the installation or is that a separate fee? This is a budgeting concern, you would want to know the actual amount youre going to spend.

– Is the removal of pre-existing flooring included in the quoted price.

– Is the quoted price inclusive of the moving of all appliances and furniture in the room.

– Are all the necessary materials included in the quoted price? You wouldnt want to find out during the installation that some materials are not included and that you still need to purchase more materials. That could be extremely annoying and frustrating.

4. Questions to ask the installers and the store:

– Are the installers independent, or are they store employees?

– Whose insurance will pay for installation errors?

– Are all of the materials recommended by the manufacturer so warranty will not be voided?

– Discuss with the salesperson the warranty information of the manufacturer. Keep a copy of the warranty.

– Discuss the maintenance procedure and keep a copy of the manual or brochure.

– Have everything documented including the diagram of the installation. Also, the amount of flooring needed in the room

– Ask who will be responsible for the removal of fixed features in the room, e.g. toilet.

– Always check the website of the store, if any, to give you an idea of the store. Take note of the affiliations to groups or other organizations.

It would be best to email the store in advance to have some questions answered before going there. It saves a lot of time.

– Have all the product information documented. The document should include the name of the manufacturer, product name, color, style and the installation procedure.

 

How to clean your stone shower floor

 

How to Clean Your Shower Floor

 

By Frederick M. Hueston

Chief Technical Director, SurpHaces

 

 

You just stepped in your shower and looked down and can’t believe what you see. The stone on your shower floor just doesn’t look as good as it used to. It may have a white deposit which is build-up of minerals, or it could just be scummy from body oils, skin cells, and soap and shampoo products. It’s time to break out the cleaning products and finally clean all that gunk…But which cleaner do you use that won’t harm the stone? The following is a general guide that should help you choose the proper cleaning products/solutions.

The type of cleaner you can use will depend on the type of stone you have. If your shower floor is marble or limestone (travertine is a limestone), you will want to avoid acidic cleaners. Toilet bowl cleaners, grout cleaners, vinegar, etc. are all acidic and could damage the marble surface. If you are unsure the product is acidic, read the label carefully. Most acid products will have a warning label to avoid use on marble and limestone. Granite on the other hand can tolerate mild acids without harm.

Before you start bombarding your shower floor with an arsenal of chemicals it is best to first identify the type of build-up you are dealing with.

Hard Water Deposits
These deposits are generally white and are hard to remove. They may start as a white film but over time can build up into a crusty layer. They are usually caused by the build-up of minerals in your water. The best way to remove them is with a little elbow grease at first. Try scrubbing the floor with a nylon scrub brush and a mild detergent or neutral cleaner. These cleaners are available from most home centers and grocery stores. If this doesn’t work, you will need to get more aggressive. If the floor is granite try an acidic cleaner. If marble or limestone, a heavy-duty stone cleaner or alkaline cleaner is best. If the hard water deposits are especially stubborn, I would recommend you call a PRO for a professional cleaning.

Soap Scum
Soap scum build-up can accumulate on your shower floor and can not only look unsightly but can also cause the floor to be slippery. Many store-bought scum removers are acidic and will damage marble and limestone surfaces. On granite they should be safe to use. There are several alkaline soap scum removers that are safe for marble and limestone. Check the label carefully.

Mold and Mildew
These biological growths are unsightly and can cause all kinds of problems in a shower of any type. To remove them you will need to use a mild bleach solution. Care must be taken when using bleach around stone such as marble and limestone, so it’s important to not overdo it and rinse the shower thoroughly after cleaning with any bleach or products containing bleach. A good alternative to bleach is a commercial peroxide cleaner such as any of the oxy products. They take a while to work so you may have to let the cleaner dwell for several hours to be effective.

The best way to avoid any build-up is to clean the shower floor on a regular basis. When done showering, rinse the floor with clean hot water, then squeegee the excess water. This helps a lot.

A good quality stone impregnator can help but it’s best to consult a PRO as sealing stone in wet environments could result in other issues. Avoid topical coatings which can make the floor slippery.

 

Can I Steam Clean my Stone Flooring

 

Can I use a steam cleaner on my natural stone floors?

By Frederick M. Hueston, www.stoneforensics.com

I am often asked if I can use a steam cleaner on my natural stone floors. Steam cleaning is a very effective cleaner removing soil and containments without harsh chemicals. However, on natural stone such as marble, granite and other natural stone it can be harmful.

Since most stone is porous, the high temperature of steam cleaning can cause pressure within the stone which can lead to a condition known as spalling. Spalling is pitting and/or flaking of the stone. In addition if the stone is sealed it can remove any sealer present.  If the stone has any cracks the steam can cause them to expand and open up. Grout can also be damaged by continued use of steam cleaning if used regularly.

If your using a home type steam cleaner it may be ok to use on natural stone since these steam cleaners do not reach the temperature that a commercial steam cleaner. Home style steam cleaner range in temperature about 250 degrees F whereas commercial steam cleaners can reach temperature o f over 300 degrees F. However, these steam cleaners should not be used regularly.

There are several types of steam cleaners

Vapor steam cleaners

These cleaners look like a canister vacuum. They emit a fog of steam vapor to the surface with a wand. The temperature can reach over 200 degrees F

Steam Mops

Steam mops inject steam into a cloth mop that is used to mop the floor. Generally these are safer to use on natural stone since the temperature on the mop are less than the vapor types. They are also a good alternative to harsh chemicals.

Handheld Steam Cleaner

Handheld steam cleaners are simple to use and are good for spot cleanup and for other areas. I really don’t see a need to use these type cleaners on stone countertops or shower walls.

I would recommend that you use a neutral stone cleaner or have them professional cleaned to be on the safe side.

Natural Stone Tiles the Confusion Surrounding Sealing

 

Natural Stone Tiles the Confusion Surrounding Sealing

By Frederick M. Hueston, StoneForensics.com

 

There would seem based my own experience that there is a lot of confusion amongst the general public and some builders as to what sealing natural stone actually means.

When we talk about sealing a surface we normally mean that an impenetrable barrier is painted on or applied in some way. For example, tiled floors are often sealed to give them added protection and make them shine. To do this a series of coats of emulsion polish are applied to the surface and allowed to dry. This seals the floor and gives it protection. Other surfaces such as wood are often sealed with a coating of a polyurethane product. This adds strength to the surface and protects it. Many other normally porous surfaces can be sealed with a layer that sits on the surface acting as a barrier to penetrative agents and gives protection also.

The sealing of natural stone such as marble, granite, limestone and slate is very different. Natural stone is made up of crystals that interlock together. The actual minerals that are present as crystals in the stone give it its color and striations. However, there are spaces between the crystal and the smaller these spaces are and the more the crystals have been compacted together the less porous the stone is. So, these spaces will determine the porosity of the stone. A combination of pore size and mineral content of the stone will also determine its hardness and thus its durability. These spaces in the stone are air filled when the stone is dry and water filled when the stone is wet. Bacteria inhabit these spaces, and these are often vital for the maintenance of the stone. Very little research has been carried out into these bacteria but what has been done would suggest that they are essential in maintaining the integrity of the stone.

Consequently, we have the picture of stone as quite a complex mix of minerals, bacteria and spaces. You must imagine the stone to be something akin to a very hard sponge! If you drop a liquid onto the stone it will be absorbed and spread through the spaces. This is why what initially looked like a small spillage can end up as quite a large stain in the stone. To remove the stain it has to be flushed out of these spaces. All a stone sealer does it fill up these spaces. Many of the stone sealants in use are based on fatty acids rather than synthetic sealants. These natural sealants are better because they do not destroy the bacteria but often enhance them. Synthetic sealants will destroy these bacteria that has longer-term consequences on the stones makeup. Sealants based on fat however have a shorter lifespan and must be renewed periodically.

Whatever sealant is used it simply fills up the spaces between the crystals it does not cover the surface of the stone. Its purpose is simply to delay the penetration of liquids into the stone. So if corrosive materials get onto the stone then it will be damaged. Stone sealants do not form a protective seal on the surface of the stone. Consequently stone is only protected from absorbing liquids. It is not protected from surface damage.

 

Materials for Kitchen Backsplash Designs

 

Materials for Kitchen Backsplash Designs

By Frederick M. Hueston   StoneForensics.com

 

Your kitchen backsplash can accent your kitchen and it can be both functional as well as beautiful since it can be crafted from such easy to clean materials as ceramic and stainless steel which are two of the most popular types of kitchen backsplashes.. Whether you are changing the look of the backsplash or adding one this can be a quick and easy way to brighten up an existing kitchen

When selecting a backsplash, it is important to have it match the fixtures in your kitchen, but not the appliances, since they will change over time. The fixtures however are more permanent items in the kitchen.

The most popular materials for kitchen backsplashes are ceramic or porcelain tiles, natural stone tiles, glass or metal tiles, and faux painting or wall paper.

Kitchen Backsplash Materials to Consider

When you are creating a kitchen backsplash consider these materials:

Ceramic or porcelain tiles
Natural stone tiles
Glass tiles
Metal tiles
Faux painting or durable wall paper
Stainless Steel

Tile Backsplashes

The nice thing about using tile as a backsplash is that it comes is a huge variety of sizes, colors, textures and shapes. It is even possible to have custom painted tiles to match any theme of design. In addition, a tile backsplash can be easy to install, as well as easy to clean. Many design experts say that you should consider keeping it simple by choosing the same tile for your kitchen backsplash as you have chosen for the floor – just in a smaller size.

Natural Stone Tiles

The most popular natural stone tiles are marble and granite. Of the natural stones marble captures more detail than granite and since it is a softer stone it is good for applications like kitchen backsplashes.

Metal Tiles

This material can work very well for use in country kitchen style backsplashes. The tiles can be installed as the entire surface from counter to the bottom of the cabinets. Brushed aluminum tiles are good for modern or 1950’s retro design kitchens. Metal tiles should match the color of the faucets and lighting.

Glass Tiles

A new design trend in kitchen backsplashes is glass. Textured glass tiles are usually installed between the cabinets and counters. Glass is easy to clean and scratch resistant.

Wallpapering Kitchen Backsplashes

Wallpapering kitchen backslashes can dress up a kitchen with very little work especially with pre-pasted wallpaper this will be a lot easier to apply. You will find that with a small area for the backsplash the job shouldn’t take very much time to complete. Just make sure that you choose wallpaper that is washable so that spattering from cooking and splashes can be removed.

Stainless Steel Kitchen Backsplashes

Stainless steel backsplashes are coming back in style because they can create a modern streamlined look to your kitchen. These types of kitchen backsplashes are able to blend in well with stainless steel kitchen appliances like the stove, refrigerator and dishwasher. Other advantages to stainless steel kitchen backsplashes include being easy to clean and durability.

 

Advantages of Kitchen Granite Countertops

 

Advantages of Kitchen Granite Countertops

By Frederick M. Hueston, StoneForensics.com

 

Kitchen granite countertops are created by nature and fashioned by man are a beautiful, durable and cost-effective choice for kitchens and baths. The term granite comes from the Latin root word granum, which means “grain.”

Granite is often imported from Europe, Africa, Brazil, and other regions of the world rich in natural stone. Granite is an attractive natural stone that will add color and warmth to your kitchen. Granite is an extremely hard material that will not blister, scratch or crack.
The hardness of granite is rivaled only be the hardness of diamonds. In fact, diamonds are used to cut and polish granite.

Over the last 10 years kitchen granite countertops have become popular with homeowners, after first being popular with designers for decades. Granite is available in hundreds of colors, from various shades of white to browns, reds, greens, blues, and black. The most popular tones are brown and beige.

As well as being hard kitchen granite countertops can take hot items, like pots and pans, and is very stain resistant to hot grease and oil if it is sealed with a good quality impregnator. It can easily be cleaned and cut for a basin. Granite has a cool polished surface that makes it an excellent surface for rolling out pastry dough. The polished finish of granite will not wear off easily.

Kitchen granite countertops are unique because no two pieces of granite are exactly the same, therefore granite provides an interesting design element and adds certain richness and texture to your kitchen not found in other surfaces. Kitchen granite countertops can create a brilliance and elegance that is only found in nature. Granite adds a personality and character to kitchen countertops that is unsurpassed. Kitchen granite countertops have a natural beauty that can complement any tone of wood or style of cabinets.

It does not matter if you are planning a new home or remodeling an existing kitchen, with granite kitchen countertops you can be sure that you will add to value of your home.

Kitchen remodelers and home builders have experienced a boom in the demand for kitchen granite countertops. Although it can be more expensive to put in granite countertops, they remain the odds-on favorite choice for more upscale homes, since they keep their value better than most home improvements

The investment you make in kitchen granite countertops should pay you back at least three times what you invested. If you are selling your home, you will find that home buyers wanting kitchen granite countertops will be willing to pay more for your home than if you have ceramic tile or plastic laminate.

Planning out your kitchen granite countertop first involves selecting the right granite color. You should concentrate on the most popular colors. Even though granite tones are usually neutral, you may find that a certain color goes well for your kitchen design.

If you are replacing the old countertop material in your kitchen with granite, carefully diagram all the measurements for the granite installer. If installing new cabinets is part of your kitchen remodel, ask the granite fabricator what they recommend for cabinetry.

Since you are using such a superior product as granite, you should think about the right type of sink to go with your new kitchen granite countertop. You should definitely consider going with an undermount stainless steel sink, as opposed to an overmount sink that would be difficult to clean around.

In addition to getting the right kind of sink installed, it is also important to select the just the right faucet to go with the sink. A stainless-steel faucet would go well with the looks of a rich kitchen granite countertop.

The next important area is upgrading your cabinet hardware. The handles and knobs should also be of high quality to provide good accent to the overall look of the kitchen. Even if you are not replacing the cabinetry having high quality hardware with make those cabinets and the whole kitchen stand out.

So, in planning your kitchen remodeling, just remember that kitchen granite countertops will make a provide a world-class addition and increase the re-sale value of your home.

 

Marble is a Glittering Stone

 

Marble is a Glittering Stone

By Frederick M. Hueston, StoneForensics.com

 

Marble’s name speaks for itself (marmaros, Gr. – glittering stone). During several thousand years it has preserved the right to be considered a decoration material, shiny in every way. Artists noticed that it is a unique material for sculpture as long ago as ancient times. The Venus of Milo, Parthenon, Zeus of Olympus temple, columns of Artemis temple in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, were created of soft white marble.

Owing to moderate hardness, this stone is polished perfectly well, and gives soft glitter coming from the inside. Under the rays of light penetrating into the stone, marble comes to life – light shining aureole appears around it. It glitters with pink, yellow, grey, blue, greenish, reddish, brown, black tones and amazes with their various combinations. Colored marble usually has many “stone veins”, which are splits filled with natural admixtures. On the shears of Verona, Fossile Marrone, Jura, Rosso marble, an attentive eye will distinguish shapes of ancient shellfish, corals, petrified algae, shells. Some types of marble having quartz and pyrite admixtures glitter with crystal and golden tinges.

Variety in texture and color (from deep black to milkwhite, which, by the way, was worshipped by Michelangelo) allows to make the brightest ideas come true. Subject to chosen colors, the “stone” interior can be warm or cold, massive or airy, luxurious or simple, dark or light.

Marble processing.
Most of the stone working companies produce marble flag of standard size: 300 x 300, 305 x 305, 400 x 400, 600 x 300 mm. Thickness varies from 10-20mm and more, subject to purpose. Considering tile texture, there are not too many ways of marble surface treatment: polishing, grinding, bush-hammering, artificial ageing.

Polishing and grinding emphasize the natural beauty of the stone. Bush-hammering adds useful antiskid lines to the material. “Antique” becomes more and more popular being preferred by lovers of the antique in general and interior antique stylization. It is believed that the natural ageing imitation (artificial weathering) creates a special atmosphere of softness and warmness. Weathered marble is widely used for floor tiling in modern restaurants and saloons: with its help the designers try to add an air of authenticity to the interior. Artificially imitating this natural phenomenon one can get different degrees of ageing. This effect is achieved through special surface treatment technology, which may include mechanical (including manual) and chemical influence. For example, for producing tabletops, wall and floor decoration, stone mosaics is often used. It is put into a special barrel where stones rub themselves against one another acquiring rounded shapes.

Marble application.
This decoration material is applied for inner and outer decoration. Floors, walls, staircases, fireplaces, columns, tabletops, kitchen worktops, lamps, decorated with marble always look wonderful.

Marble properties.
Marble is lasting, firm, weather-resistant. Nevertheless, with all its firmness it remains a soft absorbing material. As is known, marble and shale are carbonate sediments that are vulnerable to acid, coloring agents, thermal impact. Marble surface should be protected from thermal impact – a cup of hot tee or coffee may turn out fatal for a tabletop. It is possible to make stairs or floor surface of marble, but one should prevent a possibility of dropping of such abrasive particles as sand on a marble surface, as they will scratch the stone.

Choosing a marble for wet premises one should remember that a long-during contact with water changes marble’s color. The reason of it is oxidation of ferruginous mineral admixtures. Nevertheless, this material is more preferable for bathrooms than granite, as its structure is more porous, which provides better binding.

It is important to make the right choice of binder material for marble laying. Using cement grout or adhesive leads in some period to appearance of irremovable spots on the marble surface – absorbed saline and coloring additives. That is why it is recommended to apply special adhesive solution and plaster. If you take into account these nuances and pay attention to them in future, then not only you, but also your children and grandchildren will be able to admire the stone beauty.

Marble treatment.
As to operations characteristics, marble is practically eternal. However, it needs care and protection from aggressive environment – dust, water, salt, sand and acid. Thereto special agents are used: reinforcers, polishes, stone impregnations, cleaning solutions, mastic and even beeswax.

It concerns first of all polished floors. The main enemy of the polished surface is dirt, that is why it is necessary to take care of multistage protection system and regular surface cleaning. Wax protection coating improves decorative appearance of the stone, protects it and allows to wash the stone surface with water. For unprotected stone floors there also exist special substances that clean the dirt and at the same time create a protective film. Besides that, compositions reducing sliding even on the wet stone surface have been developed.

If stone faults are so strong, that wax preparations do not help anymore radical agents are applied – grinding with subsequent polishing. Stone surface regrinding and repolishing is carried out with the help of special equipment. Consequently the stone gains original appearance.

Prices for marble.
The times, when only rich could afford decorating their houses with marble, have gone. Technical producing and treatment methods have reduced the cost price and the marble has turned from object of luxury to one of the available goods.

The main suppliers of the “glittering stone” are Italy, Greece, Turkey. China has recently become another active marble supplier. The stone quality does not depend on the place of origin. Environment, producing and treatment technology are much more important. On the other hand, origin influences its price as it includes value of labor, custom duties and transporting costs.

When buying marble facing slabs, it is necessary to pay attention to size and quality of the surface. For slabs with polished and grinded first-class surface finish visible faults are unacceptable. The second class may have some defects: not more than two or three small defects of the corners and chips on the edges. Colored first and second class marble intended for inner decoration may have one non-through crack of tectonic origin.

It is necessary to take into account the existence of difficult for color selection marble and practically homogeneous stones. Difference in slab color is a distinctive feature of natural material. That is why the buyer should specify the level of possible color divergence beforehand and check the maximum quantity of specimen.

Standard polished ten millimeter facing slab costs from 8 to 40 pounds per m2. The main influential parameters are originality, shape, color, firmness, type of treatment. Unique stone may excel the base line in price considerably. An increase in slab thickness advances the price greatly.

Marble is a noble material: right selection, competent laying, follow-through experts’ recommendations will return a hundredfold. Everyone dealing with marble will agree with Michelangelo’s words: “Marble is a soul of the universe, the purest substance, created by god: it’s not simply a god’s symbol, but reflection of his image, god’s means to reveal himself. Only with the hands of god could this noble beauty have been created”.