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This a common condition, especially if the floor is new. When the marble is installed, it is set in a mortar base that is wet; as the moisture leaves the mortar, it carries with it dissolved salts which are deposited on the surface of the stone. This... Read More

First, you need to determine what is causing the yellow cast. If a carpet was at one time placed over the terrazzo, the jute or rubber backing may have bled color into the floor, turning it yellow. If the floor was waxed, the waxes will have yellowed... Read More

If the spots are light a #00 steel wool pad may remove them. Use the steel wool dry. If the deposits are heavy use a solution of sulfamic acid and water. Sulfamic acid is sold under the name of sulfamic acid crystals and is used for cleaning grout.... Read More

Pricing granite work is very difficult and will vary from region to region. At the time of this writing, I have seen prices as low as $7.00 per square foot to as much as $30.00 per square foot. The size of the job, the type of granite etc. are all... Read More

All acids should be used with caution on any stone surfaces. Granite is one stone type where most acids will not harm it. However, stay away from hydrochloric acid (HCL). HCL can deposit salts in the granites pores if not rinsed throughly. I would... Read More

No, slate does not polish very well. The only way to put any kind of shine on slate is to apply a coating. There are several brands of acrylic coatings designed for slate and other stone. Check with your local janitorial supply or one of the stone... Read More

A neutral cleaner is a water based cleaner that contains surfactant (detergents) and wetting agents. They are called neutral because they have a pH of 7 which is neutral. It is beyond the scope of this book to explain pH but for further info on pH... Read More

There is only one solution for this problem--replace the tiles. Some green marbles are very susceptible to curling when they are installed using a water based setting material. The installer should have used a water-less setting material such as... Read More

The Marble Institute of America has developed four classifications for marble. This classification system is based on how sound the material is. A class A marble would be the the most sound where as a class D marble is very weak. The following is a... Read More

All minerals have a certain hardness. The hardness of a mineral is determined by performing a scratch test. A scratch test is based on the Moh’s scale of hardness. A German scientist invented this scale by taking several known, pure minerals... Read More