Stone & Masonry

In this section we will cover all natural stone and masonry materials that are use as floor coverings. This includes marble, limestone and granite, as well as ceramic and clay tiles, concrete and terrazzo.

The use of natural stone floors dates back to the ancient days of Rome and Greece. Stone floors provide a hard, durable and beautiful floor covering that can last for many years when cared for properly. Stone is one of, if not the most expensive natural floor covering material.

Before routine cleaning any stone floor, the stone being worked on should be identified. Second, a neutral cleaner should be used when cleaning stone floors as it is the safest cleaner available. Finally, it is important to use the right cleaning procedure for each type of stone.

Trends Impacting an Industry

Over the last 10 to 15 years, stone, ceramic and wood flooring coverings have gained a considerable share of the market as carpeting has lost favor with homeowners, designers and building owners. Today in both commercial and residential properties the use of stone, ceramic and wood have become the floor covering of choice in upscale construction and remodeling projects. The use of these and other low or no maintenance floor covering materials continues to gain market share as property managers and owners look for ways to reduce overhead and maintenance budgets in an ongoing effort to remain competitive in the marketplace. Italy, Brazil, Spain and China are the main exporters of natural stone to U.S. markets.

Equipment and chemical manufacturers have responded to this trend by developing new equipment, products and processes that distributors are now marketing for the maintenance and restoration of stone and other hard floor surfaces.

The future of the maintenance of stone, ceramic and wood surfaces looks good for the for seeable future as properties increase in size, are open for extended hours and multiple uses and the use of light and white colors continues to be the preferred design choice. Although the development of larger commercial properties has slowed, construction and remodeling of small to medium sized commercial properties remains strong as does home construction.

In addition, many of the floors installed over the last 10 years are reaching the age where maintenance and restoration are needed to protect the original investment and return the floor to a like new condition and appearance.

Maintaining Stone Floors

When it comes to the maintenance and restoration of granite, marble, terrazzo and other natural stone floors, there has always been a lot of mystery and misinformation. In the past those not specifically trained in stone care would simple do the best they could, many times applying a few coats of finish to get a shine or they contracted out for stone care to an independent company.

We now recognize stone care as a specialty of its own that requires advanced training, hands on practice and many years of experience to develop a complete understanding of the many variables that impact a stone maintenance program.

Stone flooring is more costly to purchase, install and restore than other floor coverings; in addition these surfaces can easily be permanently damaged if the wrong chemicals or procedures are used to maintain them. Now that stone floors are seeing wide spread use, there is more interest in and information available on how to properly maintain and restore the beautiful surfaces.

Accurate information is now more readily available from manufacturers, installers, specifiers, suppliers, architects, and distributors. Consultants, associations, manufacturers and independent training institutes also offer classes, videos and written information to assist those wanting be improve their skills or become specialists and stone maintenance professionals. We also know that regular daily maintenance, entry matting and the use of clean equipment and solutions play a key role in keeping stone floors looking like new as well as extending the need for and frequency of more costly periodic and restorative procedures. When it comes to stone care an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure.

It’s important to realize that there are many ways to obtain the same or similar result when it comes to stone care and that not all professionals agree on products, procedures or production rates. In fact, when it comes to stone, even the terminology used may mean different things to different people. What one person calls or considers marble, another person may see or refer to as limestone. Appropriately there are different levels of stone care. What may be needed in a home is different than what is realistically needed and desired, for various reasons, in a building lobby, shopping center or casino. This sometimes creates conflicts and a difference of opinion as to what products and processes should be used. As an example, the stone purist may want to see every floor maintained to the highest levels of clarity. Where as the custodial manager in a hotel or airport may have a need for a floor that shines, yet can be accomplished in limited amount of time, with in a specified budget and with the employees he has available.

There is a certain degree of artistry, along with personal preference, quality products and scientific technical information that enables one to maintain stone floors efficiently as well as at the desired levels of appearance, cleanliness and safety.