FAQ’S

The idea of sealing your stone is to prevent damage to the material. With many different options of sealers, it is vitally important to ensure that the sealant applied to your stone is a tailored fit to best suit the makeup of your material. Impregnators do a fantastic job at creating internal protection as the sealant penetrates deep into the stone which in turn prevents any non-acidic liquids from seeping into the stone and causing internal damage which can be hard to restore. A top-coat of wax can also be applied to create a small layer of protection that will actually sit on top of the stone. This will create a barrier between your stone and the external environment and will make the material much more durable for daily life. For more information of our range of different sealants and what may best work for your stone, you can visit our Sealants and surface care page on our website.

In order for us to carry out our restoration process’, we request that all furniture is removed from the area of restoration prior to our arrival. We understand that in some cases items may be too heavy to move and, in these cases, we are open to working around the affected areas. We can provide a help in hand in some circumstances to move more awkward items such as tables if you are unable to do so on your own but please note that our technicians are prohibited from helping to move any heavy items such as fridges or washing machines for health insurance purposes.

We are based in Cobham in Surrey and most of our jobs are based around London and the home counties however, we can travel nationwide upon request. Please don’t hesitate to contact us via email or telephone for more information on how we can help you.

01932865475

info@stonelab.co.uk

We can provide a rough estimate when quoting online however it is always better for us to organise an in person visit to determine the best course of action when it comes to the restoration of your stone or porcelain. If you can send us some measurements of the requested area as well as some pictures of any problem areas, we can advise you on the best course of action going forward and whether it is something that we can provide you a quote with online.

Here at Stonelab we pride ourselves on our ability to undertake the restoration of any natural stone or porcelain tiles. A list of which are as followed. Limestone, marble, travertine, sandstone, slate, terracotta, quarry, yorkstone, portland, quartz, quartzite, terrazzo, granite, basalts, composite, concrete, cement, polished porcelain, porcelain, and ceramic.

We can remove all scratches present on your stone however do bear in mind that in order to achieve this we must resurface the entire area to ensure a uniformed result. For more information on what this process entails please visit the honing page for your relevant stone type.

We carry out works for both commercial and residential properties. We are primarily known for our work on residential properties however we have undertaken plenty of commercial projects and we continue to grow within this area.

All of our technicians are trained in both internal and external treatments and these process’ are as follows:

Internal: Worktops, floors, showers, walls, bath surrounds, vanity units, tabletops, sinks, shelves, orangeries, fireplaces.

External: Patios, external steps, coping stones, sills, walls, reveals, mouldings, facades, swimming pools, driveways, entrances, portico, paving, pathways, sculptures, statues, water fountains, water features, render, brickwork, balustrade, cast stone.

At the end of the day, it is up to the client to decide how often they would like to have their stone restored. Like with anything, the more you look after your stone, the more it will look after you. If you are maintaining your stone with Ph neutral cleaning products and your keep foot traffic to a minimum, the stone will last a good few years before it is time for another deep clean and a re-seal. However, if you do not look after your floor with correct maintenance program, the period in which your stone will require restoration will decrease. As a rule of thumb, we generally recommend some form of professional maintenance every 12-24 months. This will ensure that your stone is always looking as good as it can and that your sealants are working as efficiently as possible to ensure the integrity of your natural stone.

It is vitally important to ensure the correct maintenance regime is followed post restoration of your natural stone. We always recommend daily sweeping and cleaning of your stone using Ph neutral products to make sure that your sealants and your stone last as long as possible before it is time for another course of restoration. The reason why it is so important to clean your natural stone with Ph neutral products is that it will not affect the chemical make-up of the sealants that have been applied to the stone. What many people do not know is that most cleaning products from major supermarkets contain solutions that are either slightly acidic or slightly alkaline. By using products such as these you are actually damaging the sealants that have been applied and you will not get as much longevity out of the sealants as you would do by cleaning your stone with a Ph neutral cleaner. We can supply you with a bottle of our recommended cleaner at your request so don’t hesitate to let one of our technicians know if this were something you would like to purchase directly from us.

Before we undertake any project the first stage is to ensure adequate protection is applied to all delicate surfaces surrounding the restoration area. We use plastic protective sheeting to ensure that your home is left in the same condition in which it was found. All of our restoration services involve water which creates a stone slurry so there is no need to worry about vast amounts of dust in the air. There may be a small element of surface dust at the very end of our processes when we dry buff the sealants, however this is minimal.

All of our water-based cleaning products and sealants are ECO-FRIENDLY and certified by the green building council. If you are concerned about the chemical process’ being applied to your floor, feel free to inform one of our technicians and we can guide you down the best route to suit both your property and personal preferences.

Timings on our projects are variable. This will depend on which process is to be undertaken, drying times and obviously the size of the project. You will be provided with an estimated completion date once we have completed a quotation of the area as well as a breakdown of each stage that will take place throughout the restoration process.

We offer filling services as part of our restoration process’. Generally, we would fill any holes, chips and cracks by using a two-part epoxy resin, colour matched to the colour of your natural stone tiles. If this would be something you are interested in, please mention this to one of our technicians so they can walk you through the filling process on the date of your quotation.

We don’t offer complete regrouting of your tiles as one of our services however we can replace any missing grout that may have become loose over time. If you are interested in this service, please mention this to one of our technicians so they can walk you through the grouting process on the date of your quotation.