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Q. I left a DRY cotton cloth (it was attached to a floor mop like a swifter) on the tile floor overnight. I was planning to mop floor but never got around to it. However, when I removed the mop, the tile in that area was faded white. I have tried to... Read More

Q: I just purchased an extremely light colored travertine slate for my front room, but would like a richer, darker color for the slate. Since it has not yet been sealed, can the slate be "colored" or "stained" before it is installed? A: Are you... Read More

Recommended Coating for Slate Floors Coatings on slate floors can enhance the appearance of the slate, inhibit staining on the surface of the stone, and lighten the load a little when it comes to maintenance. However, the wrong type of coating on... Read More

Q. When we had our new slate hearth put in a few years ago we also had our living room plastered the following day. The plasterer did not put any protective dust sheets down which resulted in our beautiful new hearth being stained with plaster... Read More

Q. The house was built in 1975, the entry and hall is the multi-color stone/slate typical of the 1970's There are faded red, dark gray, green-gray and light gray random shapes all with 90 degree corners. Can this floor be changed to a single... Read More

Q. Refacing a fireplace with 30cm slate tiles. What is the best adhesive to use (only about 25 pieces of tile involved so don't want to have to purchase a 50lb. bag of anything)? Would a premix mastic work? Will I need to provide support for the... 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. My friend cleans houses for a living, she mentioned she has seen marble showers become porous with time. Is this due to having a sealant?   A. Marble is a porous stone. Sealers can enhance stain resistance by filling the pores of the stone and... Read More

Someone recently commented on SurpHaces social media, asserting that Grout Color Sealer cannot be considered a permanent solution. Here is their comment and our response. Comment: Grout Color Sealer is Topical. Will peel or uplift sooner than later.... Read More

Q. My grandson spilled juice on my travertine floor. I used an acid-based cleaner in an attempt to remove the discoloration, causing the floor to etch. There is an area about six square feet around that is very dull compared to the surrounding area.... Read More