NuLife Stone Care

Removing Stains

Mike — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:31:26 +0000

Removing Stains from Marble and other Natural Stones

Little Billy decided he was an artist – used a black magic marker to create an artistic masterpiece on the new white marble floor…

The workman repairing the roof – tramples tar all over your building’s expensive granite lobby floor…

Your maid wants to deeply clean your shower and applies an acidic cleaner to the marble leaving deep white marks reminiscent of the Mississippi river basin...

These are just a few of the countless variety of actions which can result in the staining of marble, granite and other stone surfaces. Is the stone ruined? Does it need to be replaced? The answer may be “yes” unless you have the magic potion that will remove most imbedded stains from stone.

The “Guide to Stain Removal” which appears as part of this article and a few simple techniques are what I consider to be the magic potion.

Marble and natural stone are porous materials. This porosity is why it stains so easily. It is also why stains can be removed. All that’s needed to remove a stain is to reverse the staining process. In other words. the stone has literally absorbed the stain and we simply re-absorb it into a different material

This different material is what we call a poultice. A poultice can be made with powdered whiting and hydrogen peroxide or a chemical reducing agent-depending on the nature of the stain. Whiting is sold in most paint stores. The poultice should be made and applied as described for removal of each particular stain.

Stain Removal Guide
All solutions are given starting with the gentlest method first. All the chemical solutions mentioned can be purchased at most hardware stores or from a marble supply distributor.

1. Iron Stains (rust)
Poultice with on the the following:
a. Sodium citrate and glycerin or
b. Ammonium Oxalate or
c. Oxalic Acid or
d. Orthophosphoric Acid and Sodium Salt of EDTA in water or
e. Dilute Hydrofluoric Acid or
f. cannot be removed, is part of the stone

2. Ink
Poultice with one of the following:
a. Light colored marbles only use Bleach or Hydrogen Peroxide;
b. Dark marbles use Lacquer Thinner or Acetone;
c. Methyl Chloride

3. Oil Based Stains (grease, cooking oil, tar, food stains, etc.)
Clean with:
a. Scouring Power with Bleach or
b. Household Detergent or
c. Ammonia or
d. Mineral spirits or
poultice with:
e. Baking Soda or
f. Mineral Spirits or
g. Methyl chloride

4. Organic Stains (paper, tea, coffee, cosmetics, fruit, tobacco, etc.)
a. Pour Hydrogen Peroxide 35% directly on stain and add a few drops of ammonia, leave until bubbling stop ors
b. Repeat above but add poultice or
c. Acetone or Toluene or Xylene

5. Efflorescence
Poultice with:
a. Distilled Water

6. Copper Stains
Poultice with:
a. Ammonium Chloride or
b. Ammonium Hydroxide

7. Biological Stains (Lichens, algae, moss, fungi, mildew, etc.)
Clean with:
a. Dilute Ammonia or
b. Bleach or
c. Hydrogen Peroxide or
d. Sodium Hypochlorite

8. Wax (Acrylic yellowing coatings)
Strip with:
Alkaline Stripper

9. Urethane Coatings
a. Methyl Chloride or
b. Grinding

10. Crystallization coatings
a. Strip with Oxalic Acid based Stripper or
b. Methyl Chloride

11. Paint
a. Alkaline Paint Remover
b. Methyl Chloride

12. Grout and Thin Set Residue
a. Scrub with neutral cleaner and red pad or
b. Re-polish

13. Scratches
a. Re-polish or
b. Re-hone

14. Streaking
a. Buff with felt pad-dry or
b. 0000 Steel wool-dry or
c. Re-polish

15. Acid/Alkaline Etching
a. Re-polish or
b. Re-hone

16. Stuns/Crystal Fractures
Re-hone

17.Water Spots and Rings
a. Buff with a dry 0000 Steel wool or
b. Re-polish or
c. Re-hone

18. Discoloration
Clean with:
a. Alkaline Stripper or
Poultice with:
b. Bleach or
c. Hydrogen Peroxide or
d. Re-hone and polish

19. Swirl Marks from steel wool
a. Re-polish or
b. Re-hone

20. Random Dull Spots
a. Check for etching or
b. Re-polish

21.Excess Lippage
Grind/re-hone/polish

22. Warped Tiles
Remove and Replace

23. Loose Tiles
Remove and Reset

If the problem is serious in nature or too large in size, consider using the services of a qualified stone restoration expert in your area.

Engineered Stone: What is it?

Mike — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 00:37:11 +0000

Engineered Stone

Engineered Stone is not a popular term among it’s manufacturers. They prefer the term “Quartz” which sounds much more natural. Ceaserstone, Stone Italiana, Smart Stone, Quantum Quartz, are a few of the more popular engineered quartz surfaces offered here in Australia.

Engineered quartz slabs are all, for the most part, manufactured the same. They are all produced using the same production line equipment, either the Breton system which was created in 1977, or another system closely modeled after the Breton system. The ingredients are blended dry; approximately 93% crushed dry stone material and 7% dry polyester epoxy resin and dyes. Then it goes through the steps; mixing, blending, homogenizing, and molding. The slabs are then compressed with 100 tons of pressure and cured at a temperature of 90C for 30 minutes. Finally, there is a stringent regime of quality control to ensure the consistency in finish and colour, which is vitally important as consistency is the main selling point with engineered stone.

If you would like to learn more about manufacturing you can watch the entire process here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv6bhy4WT8g

Engineered Quartz

The engineered quartz finished product has some very attractive qualities for the tradesman, with a very high Flexural Strength (ASTM C-880), it will not easily break under stress or if it is mishandled, and a high Abrasion Resistance (ASTM C-241) means it is difficult to accidentally scratch. It also has a very low Absorption Rate (ASTM C-97), which means it will not easily stain and does not require sealing.

There are many colours and textures to chose from, and the colour consistency is an attractive quality for designers, providing a low degree of risk…the client will get a bench top that looks exactly like the sample square they were shown. This cannot always be said for natural stone.

Problems with Engineered Stone

Because the matrix is polyester resin engineered stone is not suitable for external applications, which will break down the resin due to UV exposure. Therefore, granite is recommended for external applications, and epoxy resin glue ups for all edgework.

Engineered stone can also burn if hot objects are placed on them, like a frying pan from a hot stove, this is due to the resin binders which are not heat resistant.

Engineered stone will not etch because both the quartz matrix and the resin binders are not reactive to common acids. Even though limestone and marble is acid sensitive, the marble/limestone based engineered stone is not acid sensitive because it is so saturated with the resin binders, it actually changes the structure of the material- it’s not a natural stone.

Engineered stones can also develop “resin scratches” which appear to be small scratches in the stone, but are actually just in the resin binder, which is much softer. Tip: This is can be repaired by buffing with fine steel wool and acetone.

In comparison, a true granite will not burn or etch and is almost impossible to scratch (depending on the type), but does require sealing in many varieties (all Juperanas, Kashmere, Ubatuba).

Seams are easily disguised with engineered stone as the cuts can be very smooth, and joined together nicely. Epoxy seams appear to look better because the colours are easy to match and are already part of the material. Flat polishing seams can be a problem because the 3000 grit diamond polished finish will not match the factory finish, which has a freckled look. There is a three part kit one can purchase from the US to perform this, but it is $300 and a bit of a drama to do. This is also what makes scratch repairs such a problem on engineered stone. There is a way to return the diamond polished finish to a factory look, but that is a trade secret I will hang on to.

CONCLUSION

All in all the appearance does have a manufactured look which is easily recognised to a discerning eye when compared to natural stone. It lacks the unique look of granite, that each granite piece is an original work of art from nature, and each bench will not look exactly like the house next door.

The manufacturing however provides a great deal of control- you will know exactly what the bench will look like, and this offers security.

The difference in regards to design is simply this: engineered stone is safe and natural stone is art, and art is objective. But you can love art to a greater degree.

From a practical standpoint; both are similar in regards to durability, and engineered stone is much better for the fabricator due to the much lower breakage rate. Engineered stone will however burn, and it can discolour (I have restored some very badly stained engineered stone surfaces). Granite is superior in regards to longevity, will not scratch as easily, will not burn, and is not UV sensitive. But it also can stain and must be sealed with a high quality impregnating sealer.

So there is a lot to consider. The choice will ultimately come from the client, and their being properly educated will help them get what they’re after. I hope this will help.

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Doctored Stone

Mike — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 00:25:11 +0000

Doctored Stone

Ever hear the phrase “Doctored Stone”? Well, it’s not because the stone is sick. Some stones, mainly granite, don’t naturally have deep colour when quarried and dressed. These stones would not be very popular if it was not for “doctoring”.

Doctoring it the process of applying dyed resins to the stone to achieve the desired colour. However, problems can arise down the line as the colour fades from UV exposure, or if a spill occurs with a solvent that will remove the dye, and leave a light spot, which looks like an etch mark that you see on marble. This problem is very common with black granite.

The practice of “doctoring” is becoming quite common and many consider it to be unethical. This is because the consumer is not made aware of what they are buying, and the product is mis-represented, as the colour is not “true”. Unfortunately, there is no standard current to limit this practice. The author will be working with the ASTM C-18 committe to change that, hopefully very soon.

For more information go to: http://www.doctoredstone.org/index.htm

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Reinstalling Loose Floor Tiles

dpstradmin — Tue, 24 May 2011 10:59:36 +0000

Written by Michael Marsoun Published in “Stone World Magazine”, May 1996, pg. 106

Anyone that has been in the stone business over six months has more than likely experienced a “bond deficient” stone floor (and a frustrated customer waiting to hear some very bad news).

Failing floor installations can result due to a number of factors: insufficient bond between stone and mortar; insufficient bond between mortar and sub-floor; insufficient mortar reinforcement; bad materials or material usage; sub-floor’ etc. There are many possibilities that people are quick to point out. Often the problem isn’t noticed by a customer until ears down the line when recovering their loss could be difficult.

Once the damage is done, the owner is faced with restoring the floor if possible. One tile should be removed to determine where the system failed above or below the mortar bed. If the grout is shedding extensively, and there is a distinct buzz upon sounding the tiles, the bond is most likely broken at the stone. This is usually the case. In this instance there are some repair methods that have been proven to work.

Ellen Lynch of MarbleLife reports a method of epoxy injection. In the method, holes are drilled through the stone in noticeably hollow or loose areas. Then a flowing epoxy is injected with a syringe into the void beneath the stone. The epoxy is pulled along into the void by a vacuum held over another hole in the direction of the desired flow. The epoxy dries and the area is solid. The drilled holes are then filled with a epoxy of matching color, and the work is complete.

The method I have used involves pulling up the stones and re-fixing. Stones are removed with a suction cup and hand tools. If the removed stones are sound they are numbered to their place and marked with numbers pointing north. The edges are scraped free of grout and the stones set aside. Since broken pieces need to be replaced with new stones, purchase a percentage of stones before work starts and put another percentage on hold, depending on the integrity of the material. On some floors you can save every piece, a realistic goal with granite.

Once stones are removed, the mortar bed should be vacuumed perfectly clean of dirt and grout pieces. The mortar bed is then prepared using construction adhesive (ie. Liquid Nails, WB) as the bond coat by way of a caulking tube, using thin beads. A teaspoon-sized spot of stone epoxy is then applied to each corner and center. The mastic holds the stone down regardless of cracks in the mortar bed, and the epoxy keeps the stone from moving. The stones are then replaced in their designated space with the arrows pointing north indicating the original direction of the stone. This is very important or the stones will not lay flat. Floors that are done this way can be walked on ½ hour after the last piece is set and can receive heavy traffic the day after and for years to come.

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Sanded or Un-sanded Grout on Dimensional Stone Floors

dpstradmin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:32:14 +0000

Here in Australia there is a trade practice which should be considered, discussed, and properly addressed.
The root of this problem is the same as in the US where you will find ceramic tile installers stepping into the area of natural stone tiles, which is a skill really more suited for a stonemason. Since the stone tiles are essentially the same size and shape as a typical ceramic floor tile, the reasoning is that laying could not be too different and one could use the same techniques. Nothing could be further from the truth. The density, porosity, stability, colour consistency, and size/thickness consistency is all very different in stone and for a proper installation all of these factors need to be considered. Where one could lay most ceramic tiles with certain setting materials and technique, this is not the case with natural stone.
The problem I have seen in a large majority of floors I have looked at for restoration is the incorrect use of floor grout. The situation goes like this: generally speaking, the materials companies put grout into two classifications, “Wall Grout” and “Floor Grout”. The “Wall Grout” is always un-sanded, and the “Floor Grout” is always sanded. Now, this is unique to Australia. In the US and Europe grout is simply “Sanded” or “Un-sanded” and it is usually left up to the installer to determine where it is used, and they will choose based on the joint size.
It is important to note that un-sanded is made for joints 1/8 inch (3 mil) or less, and sanded grout is typically made for joints greater than 1/8 inch. The un-sanded grout is better suited to filling smaller gaps, flows better and has the ability to stay consistent. Sanded grout will not have the depth of penetration in the smaller joints, and the consistency will change as it is spread, some areas become heavy on the sand, and light on the cement component, this makes for very weak grout which will come out with regular scrubbing and pressure cleaning.
This is especially a problem on stone floors (travertine, marble, limestone), where a 1/8 inch or smaller joint is typically used. Due to the porosity of these stones, the sanded grout has an even greater problem staying hydrated and therefore has even less penetration.
Aside from all the above, sanded grout makes full restoration grinding very difficult, if not impossible. What happens is this: the grinding is done in a series of steps, starting aggressively with flattening, then onto the honing steps which bring up the shine. Now, when honing is being done the work environment has to be very clean, any hard debris could get under the abrasives and cause scratches. So when the grinding is carefully brought up to a nice hone, and some very hard silica sand comes out of the unstable sanded grout joint this will leave scratches. This is why in most every case a stone floor with sanded grout cannot be fully flattened and restored. I have seen this in most floors here in Queensland I have looked at for restoration and it is unfortunate because it is so unnecessary. Clients want to do a complete restoration job and I have to tell them I cannot guarantee against scratches, or to select another option.
Of course there are other options for restoration, but they are second best. Anyone who has seen a properly flattened marble floor, with the correct grout, understands. The un-sanded grout (cured and seasoned), will in most cases polish or hone almost identical to the stone itself and the “seamless” look is absolutely stunning.
Standard practice is that dimensional stone floors should always have joints of 1/8 inch or less, therefore always should receive an un-sanded grout. This is the international standard and it is simple common sense. Discovering Stone Magazine, September, 2010. By Mike Marsoun, of Nu Life Stone Care

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