Care and Maintenance

Step-by-Step Guidance to Achieve a Wet or Polished Look on Slate: 1. Understand the Surface Finish You Have If the slate has a cleft (rough or layered) finish, polishing in the traditional sense is not practical. If the slate has been ground flat... Read More

Q.Four years ago I had a saltillo floor installed in my kitchen. The tiles were not presealed. The kitchen design company and I sought advice from the tile company that supplied them as to how to install and seal them. Both are highly regarded... Read More

Q. We are building a new house in South Louisiana. We have a 4-inch concrete slab on the ground. Because we are in a flood zone, we had to build up. So, we have concrete piers and wooden beams that our house actually sits on. We then have 1 1/4"... Read More

Q. What are those white dots on my white marble?   A. This article, by Frederick M. Hueston, Stone Forensics, provides the answer.Have you ever wondered what those white dots are on white marble? You sometimes see thousands of them in high... Read More

Q. How would I get rid of calcium buildup on a headstone? The primary surface is polished and where the engraving is it is rough. The calcium from the hard water has caused a buildup, especially in the rough area. What should I use to get the... Read More

Q. We have a tumbled travertine (unsealed) stone floor in our shower. I really need to know how to deep clean this floor, as it has gotten bad - a bit scummy, mildewy, and moldy. How should I clean my shower floor? Can you help? A. Keeping your... Read More

Q. The unsanded grout used for our shower states it’s not necessary to seal grout. However, I decided to but notice the grout does not bead off the grout joints as I feel it should, even after 2 coats.   A. You may be using a poor quality... Read More

Q. Does travertine pool coping need to be sealed? Can it be dyed? We are not really loving our new travertine pool coping. We love the material but not the color. The stone has a honed finish. We were thinking about putting some kind of dye intoÂ... Read More

Q. Should grout be scraped before a grout color sealer application? I want to put color sealer on top of grout that has already been sealed. Is it necessary to first scrape the clear sealer off of the grout?  A. There is a quick test you can do... Read More

Q. Does grout turn darker when wet and lighter when dry even with color seal? A. Unsealed grout has tiny pores that absorb moisture, which can give unsealed grout lines a darker appearance. Once the moisture evaporates (assuming the moisture is... Read More