Everything you want to know about marble polishing
Elegance and beauty are two words that people mostly use to describe marble and have made it one of the top choices for home interiors. The luster and classiness of this popular material perfectly reflect light and present your home with finesse. Although it is considered one of the most durable, marble can be a bit of a headache when we talk about maintenance and cleaning. Marble is porous and gets stained a lot; proper care is an absolute necessity. Polishing marble is one of the most common ways homeowners use to maintain the beauty of this stone. It’s also quite convenient as most tools to polish marble can be found inside your house.
What is the best way to polish marble?
We’ll be straight to the point and tell you that there is no best technique there is. Most of the polishing methods each have their benefits and downside. That’s why we’ll break it down for you in this article to figure out the best method suited for your situation.
Two Kinds Of Marble
First and foremost, what you need to know about polishing marble is that its polish may also depend on what type of marble you have. Two significant kinds of marble are used for residential homes and commercial establishments. There are:
Natural Marble
These marble types are the more delicate of the two. On the other hand, natural marbles are the high-end, more luxurious marble that’s been directly quarried from the earth. Meaning in an artificial process, nor is it manufactured. Although it is hard to separate the two by glancing at them, natural marble sets itself apart by retaining unique color patterns and a mirror-like luster that can only be found from natural marble.
Cultured Marble
Cultured marble is an affordable, manufactured option. It’s the more common one used since it’s cheaper and easier to find. It is usually made of pulverized natural marble mixed with resins and dyes to recreate real marble’s luster and color patterns. One of the most significant differences in cleaning and maintenance between these two is the sealing process. Culture marbles don’t require sealing to get a protective topcoat because these are non-porous compared to the natural ones.
How to Polish And Seal Marble
Natural Marble is both delicate and expensive. THat’s why conventional cleaners that are quite forceful, like a polishing machine, could do more harm than good. These equipment are abrasive and should be typically avoided to polish natural marble.
Before you begin polishing your floors, the very first thing to do is to make sure that you’ve cleaned any dust or dirt that’s sitting on the surface. Not cleaning them beforehand will result in mixing the fine dust and earth to be dragged by your polish which could scratch and damage your marble. We recommend mixing warm water, dishwashing soap, and two tablespoons of baking soda into a bucket. This natural recipe is one of the best solutions to clean and prep your marble before polishing. Use a mop to clean the surface of the marble using the formula and dry them with a soft towel after.
It is worth noting that if there are any tough to remove stains left on the floor, you can opt-in using a commercial marble stain remover or more commonly known as poultices. Suppose you can’t find one; you can do it DIY by mixing a tablespoon of ammonia into a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Add baking soda into the mixture until it turns thick. Carefully apply this mix over the stains. You can use an old paintbrush to cover the area. Put a plastic cover over the mixture and leave it overnight. Once you notice the poultice has dried up, begin removing the plastic and carefully scrape away the hardened poultice. Wipe the surface with a clean cloth, and this should remove the stain on your marbles.
Once you make sure that your marble is squeaky clean, it’s now time to start polishing them. Suppose there are severe etchings on your marble. In that case, we recommend contacting a professional marble polisher Fort Lauderdale Marble Restoration, but if it’s just a minor one, then you can use polishing powder to remove them. First, make sure to contact your marble manufacturer and ask them what polishing they recommend for yours. The next step is soaking a soft cloth or, even better, a chamois into clean water and wipe the etched areas clean. Next, sprinkle a bit of the marble polishing powder into the etched spots and gently pat or buff the area in a circular motion. Follow this up by drying the area with a clean and damper bag to remove any residue. After doing so, carefully wipe the marble until it is wiped and shiny.
Cleaning and polishing marble isn’t always the same step for everyone. Others have peskier stains, more surface area, or their owners don’t have the luxury of time to clean them. In these situations, you need a trusted company like Fort Lauderdale Marble Restoration who has proven itself in the industry. If you need help with polishing your marble floors or tabletops, do give us a call, and we’ll happily answer any questions you might have
Sealing the marble
In any maintenance and cleaning, performing preventive care is the key to having a product work perfectly over the years. In the world of marble, sealing is the technique used to ensure that it is protected and safe. Sealing is best performed by a professional to ensure that every bit of the marble’s surface is equally and perfectly coated, but it is also possible to do it yourself.
Most experts will tell you that it is best to perform sealing on your marble at least twice a year. This ensures that your marble will resist most if not all significant stains and dirt that it encounters. It also helps retain the shine of the marble throughout the year. There are a lot of labels and brands that produce marble sealants in home improvement stores; it’s best to contact your marble manufacturer beforehand before using one.
Once you have the appropriate marble sealers, it’s now time to seal your marble. The first thing to do is spray or pour the marble salt directly on top of the marble. Next, use a clean and dry cloth and evenly spread the sealant across the marble surface. Once you’ve ensured that all surface area of the marble is covered, let it sit for a few minutes. The sealant should have written instructions on the product’s recommended time. Most sealants typically take 5 minutes to dry up.
Once the time is over, get a different dry cloth or a chamois and polished the marble. Buff the sealer into the marble in a circular motion. You should notice the sealant soaking into the marble during the buffing. Once it is completely dry to your touch, then the sealing process is finished.
How much does it cost to polish a marble floor?
Marble floor maintenance and polishing costs can vary depending on a lot of factors. Most homeowners prefer to have their marble polished after a cleaning, so you should consider the additional cost of having them clean. It will also vary if you do it yourself or hire a professional. It’s pretty affordable and convenient to do things yourself since most of the equipment you need is already in your home, aside from things like marble sealants and polisher. If you also do the work yourself, you might find the need to rent a power polisher or grinder. However, this is still a bit cheaper than professional labor since most of the cost of professional cleaning and polishing comes from the labor itself. However, if you’re still unfamiliar with the polishing process and equipment, hiring a professional is best. It’s more expensive to have your marble damaged by you rather than just hiring a pro.
If you decide to hire a professional marble cleaning service, the pricing is typically based on a square footage basis. This means that the amount of marble you will have cleaned significantly affects the price range. There’s also the type of cleaning and polishing service that you want. Some utilize more advanced equipment, while other types of marble require specific techniques and care products to have them polished.
Marble polishing costs an average of $2 to $3 per square foot, and that price usually includes the labor. However, specialized polishing that uses grinding or sanding techniques can range from $3 to 4$ per sq foot. This specialized buffing is used to re-create the luster and allows your marble to have a glossy finish.
Etching and stain removal, on the other hand, have significant differences in the price range because they are dependent on how deep the etching is or what stain is going to be removed. Expect a per sq/ft average of $4 to 7$, depending on the current situation of your marble.
Let Us Know How Your DIY Project went!
Now that you know the basics of the process, you might feel that you are ready to begin scrubbing away at your floors or tabletops. But, of course, if you have any questions or inquiries about marble, you can call us anytime. Our customer support staff is available 24/7, and we’re more than happy to hear your feedback and thoughts.
