Floor Maintenance Part II: Stone
In Part I we covered wood floors, with an overview of when to sand, how to buff, and what finishes to use. Today we’re going to talk about the upkeep of different kinds of stone floors.
Stone floors can go anywhere in your home, but they’re especially favored for kitchens and bathrooms. Whereas wood maintenance centered on the fact that wood wears down, stone floor maintenance mostly deals with the effects that water, air, and other substances have on stone. It will come down to how porous the stone is.
Marble
Marble has been a luxury building and flooring material for thousands of years. It brightens spaces, it’s easy to smooth out, and there is also its association with classical Greece and Rome. But for all this, it’s still very porous, which makes it highly vulnerable to staining, and soft enough to chip. In high traffic public spaces it sometimes wears down slightly over several decades. It’s probably the most vulnerable of the stone floor materials. But there is still its beauty.
If you put down marble flooring, you should also put down some kind of sealant as soon as it’s in place. Ongoing maintenance would consist of annually putting on another layer and polishing it. Sweep regularly and don’t allow liquids to accumulate and stand.
When you clean it, use a solution with a neutral pH. The pH scale measures acidity and alkalinity from 0 to 14. Zero is most acidic while 14 is most alkaline, and 7 is neutral. So leave out the vinegar, which is great for many other things, and look for a cleaner marked “pH neutral.” A safe bet would be dish soap diluted to 1/160th in tap water. Remember to dry the marble thoroughly, or pooled water will seep in and discolor it.
Limestone
This material, which includes travertine, has properties similar to marble. Although marble is a metamorphic rock and limestone is sedimentary, they are both very porous. Clean up spills promptly, wash with a pH neutral solution, and dry immediately.
Slate
Unlike limestone and marble, slate is so dense that water can’t seep into it, and therefore does not need a sealant against staining liquids. There are, however, some products that can help keep the surface glossy. It’s great for areas of the house where water might get on the floor a lot, like the bathrooms, front halls, foyers, etc. You’ll still want to clean up spills for safety, but you won’t have to worry about your floor discoloring.
Soapstone
Soapstone is soft enough to make flooring tiles but bears up toughly under long usage. It’s also non-porous and thus resistant to stains from water permeation. But it can still oxidize with exposure to air, acids, and oils. Rather than prevent it from oxidizing, the solution experts recommend is to oxidize the whole thing evenly so it will all have the same color. Mineral oil, a petroleum derivative often used on wood, is poured onto the surface and spread around with a dry cloth. After a while, you wipe off any accumulation and wait for the stone to oxidize. In the coming months you may have to reapply to a few areas as needed.
Cracking
Under years of stress, stone tiles can crack. Cracks can be professionally fixed with epoxy, a kind of super glue that hardens to almost rock-like hardness, and stone dust for the right consistency. Professionals can also clean the more porous stones like limestone, whose tiny crevices accumulate dirt.
If you’re considering stone flooring, Unique Carpet and Floor has a wide selection available. Stop by our showroom in Manassas, call us at (703) 369-1600, or email us on our website.