You probably know that natural stone has been used for decades for the decoration of both interior and exterior floors.
Highly resistant, it mainly comes from quarries found in France (Burgundy stones, bleached travertine) or abroad. Its properties make natural stone a high-quality material, fitting into a positive environmental approach (a naturally durable material).
Some stones require protection against soiling, especially raw Roman travertine, which has multiple small crevices.
To prevent certain soiling, you will need to use a product suitable for the stone, whether it has relief or not. A neutral pH product like Giordasol is perfectly suitable. It is also used for its sanitizing power.
On an old stone or after a new installation, treatment will be necessary. To do this, you will need a floor scrubber equipped with a pad holder and an abrasive disc to treat polished stones. Conversely, a tynnex brush (abrasive brush) will be essential for relief stones. You will also need a water vacuum cleaner.
How to maintain a natural stone floor?
Stripping:
It is essential to strip the floor before renovating it. This eliminates stains (if any) and removes traces of previous products. The idea is to expose the floor.
For new installations, stripping is done to remove the cement film. For this, a special mild acid product, formulated to act on the film without attacking the support, is highly recommended. Rinse with a neutral detergent at the end of the stripping process.
On old unprotected surfaces, an alkaline stripper like Giordapul is recommended to remove soiling and dirt. Rinse at the end of the operation.
On old stones protected by a coating like patina, a powerful stripper is essential to remove the entire film to access the stone, especially if the protection is old. Giorda Fort, a powerful stripper, will soften the patina to facilitate its removal. Then proceed with elimination.
In this type of operation, a double rinse is recommended to lower the stone's pH due to the powerful stripper. Rinse first with Delicacid, and then with Giordasol to restore a neutral pH.
Treatment:
In their natural state, stones are porous. Treatment is there to protect them against stains. Two types of protection are possible: hydrophobic treatment (which protects against water-based stains) and oleophobic treatment (which protects against grease stains).
Protection is carried out after the complete drying of the natural stone. There are different finishing aspects achievable with different products.
For example, you can use non-film-forming products that are both hydrophobic and oleophobic with the possibility of enhancing the color. Depending on the porosity of the surface, the product needs to be adapted.
Finishing:
The finishing patina aims to bring aesthetics to the stone (matte, satin, waxed appearance), as well as ease of maintenance (as the patina is always film-forming).
This final step is done using Giorda Patine on raw stone and Smooth Giorda Patine on sanded stone. It has self-polishing properties. It is very resistant and requires little to no maintenance. It can be renewed once a year.
You can also use a natural wax that will provide a very nice aesthetic. However, it will be more difficult to maintain as it requires polishing.
There you have it, you know all about the steps for maintaining a natural stone floor. If you need additional information, our expert will be happy to respond by email or phone. So, don't hesitate!
