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Granite Cleaning
Granite Services
Granite can look stunning when treated correctly and this is why it is so important to appoint professional care every now and then to restore and protect the material going forward.
Granite Cleaning
It’s important to ensure regular professional maintenance when it comes to caring for your granite. A deep clean and re-seal of your granite every 12-24 months is, in our opinion, paramount. The first stage of the cleaning process is to protect any delicate surfaces that may surround the cleaning area. We use plastic protective sheeting to ensure that your home is left in the same condition in which it was found. This allows us to make a start on the next stage, the clean. A specialist alkaline cleaning solution is applied to the stone allowing it to attack any stubborn dirt, grime or muck that lies deep within the pores of the granite. We will then use our specialist floor machines to agitate the products, ensuring a thorough and deep clean.
All grout lines will then be cleaned by hand as well as any pitted areas. We may also use our HYDROFORCE high pressured water equipment to specifically target engrained dirt in the veins, pits, and grout lines of the granite. This is then followed by mechanical agitation from our rotary machine which will help to strip any previously existing sealants or waxes that may remain on the slate aswell as providing a deep and thorough clean. We will then clean all grout lines by hand and clean all edges and ridges with our handheld cleaning pads. The cleaning area will then be thoroughly rinsed before being allowed to dry. Once the slate has been cleaned, rinsed, and dried, we can then move onto the third and arguably most important stage of the project. The sealing. The idea of sealing is to prevent stains from penetrating deep into the stone but also creating a layer of protection between the stone and the external environment. For more information about our sealing services for your slate, you can visit the sealing and surface care page on our website.
Read More - Granite Honing
The honing process of granite involves a few different processes. The idea of honing is to create a matte to mid-sheen finish to the granite but also to remove scratches and etch marks. Etch marks occur when anything acidic comes into contact with natural stone, creating a chemical reaction with the calcium carbonate found within certain types of granite. This results in ugly markings that can sometimes be rough to the touch and can only be removed by resurfacing the stone down to below the level of damage. To achieve this, we use specialist floor grinding equipment equipped with metal bonded plates to slowly remove layers of the granite to restore a uniformed finish. We can also use the same grinding equipment with more abrasive metals to de-lip the granite if required. This will completely flatten the surface and will create a smooth and consistent platform. Once all scratches and etches have been removed, we can then start to increase the sheen of the granite to your desired level. This involves passing over the stone with diamond bonded pads which will also help to close the pores of the granite making it denser and less absorbent. This will make daily cleaning much easier going forward. Once you are happy with the level of sheen, we can then move onto the sealing of the stone. Sealing of granite after honing is vitally important to ensure protection against non-acidic liquids, oils and daily grime and dirt. Without the correct sealing treatments, the granite can become easily damaged and dirty again in no time. For more information on our sealing services, you can visit the sealing and surface care page on our website.
Read More - Granite Polishing
The polishing process consists of a series of stages. In order to achieve a high shine, we must first hone the floor down. This will remove any scratches or etch marks that are present on the granite and creates a completely uniformed floor for us to build shine upon. To achieve this, we use specialist floor grinding equipment equipped with metal bonded plates to slowly remove layers of the granite to restore a uniformed finish. Once at this base level, we can start to build up the layers of shine to your desired finish. This is generally a 3-stage process of diamond bonded polishing pads. By passing over the floor 3 times using different diamond pads, you help to close the pores in the granite which in turn helps to make the granite denser. By making the granite denser you are also increasing the levels of shine as the pores in the granite are becoming more compact. We also have a range of crystallizing powers that can be applied to the granite once this process is complete. By adding a crystallizing powder, you can maximize the level of shine of the granite. This creates an almost mirror effect and will leave you with a completely uniform and high shine finish. Sealing of granite post polishing is vitally important to ensure protection against non-acidic liquids, oils and daily grime and dirt. Without the correct sealing treatments, the granite can become easily damaged and dirty again in no time. For more information on our sealing services, you can visit the sealing and surface care page on our website.
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