TRAVERTINE CLEANING & SEALING, AND FLOOR REFINISHING SERVICES
When Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona stone care expert provide estimates to our potential clients, we discover that all homeowners are not alike when choosing "to" polish or "not" to polish their Travertine floors. If you are uncertain, Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona stone expert will provide a "free demonstration" for a client's evaluation. In the image above was a free demonstration that allowed both spouses in Scottsdale, Arizona an opportunity to choose the type of finish they desire. There are several types of finishes a homeowner has installed in their home.
Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona cleaning expert, would like to unlock the mystery on the types of Travertine finishes.
Travertine are manufactured with several types of finishes.
1. Honed Travertine
2. Brushed Travertine
3. Polished Travertine
4. Tumbled Travertine
5. Chiseled Travertine
Travertine that is Honed, chiseled, brushed and tumbled are created during the manufacturing process. With the exception of Polished Travertine, Polished Travertine tile are manufactured by a harvested
dimension stone
and cut from choice
Travertine tile slabs. This allows flooring suppliers such as
Bedrosians
and
Arizona tile
(showrooms) to charge a premium price. Polished Travertine are priced upward of three times more than their counterpart honed Travertine. Honed Travertine will have a higher degree of holes and divots needing to be filled. Polished Travertine will often be filled with a epoxy fill. Conversely,
Honed Travertine
will have a large swath of voids and holes needing to be filled. The voids are filled with cementitious grout material that cannot be polished.
To see the Travertine filling process, click the link below:
Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona cleaning expert provides Travertine cleaning, sealing and floor refinishing services to their clients in Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Carefree and Paradise Valley and the greater Phoenix, Arizona area.
TRAVERTINE CLEANING
The key to successfully keeping Travertine floors cleaning is when it is professionally cleaned by Stone Care of Arizona. Cleaning Travertine floors will help remove unwanted substances in the form of a soil patina. The soil patina consist of layers of sticky soil that is trapped. Layers and layers of oily substances cover over contamination not limited to mopping residue, odor causing molecules such as bacteria and germs that are trapped below the soil patina.
The Travertine image below shows a substantial buildup. When there is a thick soil patina, it was be emulsified or moved in a liquefied state as result of being is released from the Travertine surface and grout. In this extremely soil state the soil will have a "putrid odor" before extraction. Soil patina will have a distinctive colorant. Please notice the color of the slurry below.
THE TRAVERTINE CLEANING PROCESS:
Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona cleaning and sealing expert strives to thoroughly clean your Travertine tile to ensure it is free of unwanted soil.
The key to successfully keeping the Travertine, Marble, Limestone and tile floors cleaning is when the Travertine floor is professionally cleaned by Stone Care of Arizona.
- Cleaning Travertine floors help remove unwanted substances in the form of a soil patina.
- The unwanted soil patina consists of layers contamination that is not limited in scope; Oily soils, and residual mopping residue and odor causing germs such as bacteria and germs trapped below the soil patina.
- The Travertine image shows a substantial buildup.
- When a client observes a thick liquefied sticky brownish soil patina that is emulsified and suspended contamination has become released from the floor.
- In this extremely case the soil has a putrid odor before extraction as the water evaporates during the cleaning process.
Stone Care of Arizona cleans Travertine with the following steps:
- Stone Care of Arizona uses a green emulsifying agent to help breakdown unwanted soil and remove contamination on your Travertine tile and grout.
- Stone Care of Arizona thoroughly scrub all areas of the Travertine with a stone specific buffer to facilitate soil mobility.
- Stone Care of Arizona will take time to thoroughly detail the grout channels with a grout brush to ensure they are clean.
- Stone Care of Arizona thoroughly rinses the liquefied and emulsified soil with a self-contained (Spinning mechanism) that removes most dislodged soil. This step uses a pH neutral rinsing action that shifts the pH before the application of the sealer.
- Stone Care of Arizona uses a professional grade microfiber mop to assist in breaking the moisture barrier. This step assists in drying.
- Stone Care of Arizona uses airmovers to speed up the drying of your flooring before applying sealant.
The level of soil remove depends on the length of time the Travertine floor has been soiled.
FREE CLEANING DEMONSTRATIONS:
Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona cleaning expert provides their clients with a “free demonstration" on all of our appointments to make sure the Travertine cleaning meets their expectations. If for any reason, you are not happy with the results, the demonstration we offer to you is free of charge. Simply, advise the natural stone care technician of your shine preference.
If you desire Travertine polishing or floor refinishing, demonstration, please give us a call 480-625-05577 (8am to 6pm, Mon - Sat) or afterhours, you can make an 24/7 online request. Click here: Make an Online Request.
Once the Travertine floor is clean, the homeowner can choose to seal or choose Travertine floor refinishing services. Travertine refinishing are dedicated Travertine honing, and Travertine polishing steps in preparation to altering the existing damaged finish.
THE TRAVERTINE HONING PROCESS:
The key to successfully honing any Travertine floor is to identify the finished look the client may desire. What is honing? The honing process is the way, Stone Care of Arizona is able to remove the surface damage on the Travertine floor.
Let’s unpack this for your consideration:
- Honing Travertine floors will require "resin diamond" that cut away the surface damage caused by abrasion, scratches and etching from substances.
- Travertine honing helps to flatten the surround areas. This helps to realign the "interlinking calcite crystals" that help to create depth and clarity of the surface.
- During the honing process, the aqueous solution will assist by suspending the microscopic slurry before extraction.
Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona stone care expert uses a specialized natural stone "weighted buffer" (see image above) designed to put downward force on the Travertine floor. The added weight will assist in leveling the damaged surface crystals of the Travertine floor with the “lower honing grit” process. Once the Travertine surface has been honed, the Travertine floor will be completely rinsed to prevent cross-contamination. If a client prefers a honed, stain finish or low polished finish, we will get the client's feedback. If a client prefers a higher polished finish, we move into the polishing process.
TRAVERTINE POLISHING & FLOOR REFINISHING PROCESS:
Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona polishing expert encourages all of our clients to preview the type of Travertine finish they prefer. It is very common for a homeowner to use the term, “sealing” and “polishing’ interchangeability. The terms have two different meanings. Polishing Travertine will alter the "existing finish," whereas, Travertine sealing involves applying impregnating sealer that create a invisible barrier in the micro-pores of the Travertine. What is Travertine polishing? Check this out:
HOW THE POLISHING PROCESS WORKS:
- Polishing Travertine floors, involves using either mechanical or polishing compounds to create a higher polished appearance.
- Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona stone care expert uses a blended polishing method to achieve a polished finish. Travertine polishing works by dissolving the top layer with a rotary buff pad.
- The friction of the rotary action assist in bringing out the "calcite crystals" to expose the ultimate shine with reflection with depth and clarity.
- The Bielby layer is the finish that make clients fall in love with their Travertine floors.
TRAVERTINE SEALING PROCESS
Once Travertine has been polished, we are ready for the application of an impregnating sealer. The application of an impregnating sealer helps to keep your Travertine cleaner longer.
Once the Travertine tile is thoroughly clean, honed and polished, Stone Care of Arizona we will do the following:
- Apply a generous amount of impregnating sealer to all of the Travertine floor.
- We will burnish the sealer with a floor buffer and poly-blend buff pad.
- We will make targeted buff passes with a buff pad to create “dynamic friction” on the surface.
- Friction will assists the sealer's penetration and adhesion to the Travertine floor.
- The application of impregnating sealer will make Travertine surface water and stain resistant.
THE BENEFITS OF APPLYING A SEALER
The use of a high quality sealer is the key to successfully protecting your Travertine, Marble, Limestone and Onyx floors. Please note: The application of sealer will make your floors water proof or stain proof. Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona stone care expert, pinned an informative article, "
misconception about sealing your floors." It will help cleanup any misunderstanding about sealing natural stone and tile.
Stone Care of Arizona's Sealer:
- The application of an impregnating sealer is clear and will not change the surface appearance of the Travertine floor.
- The application of sealer help creates surface protection and surface repellency.
- Depending on the Travertine’s porosity, will determine how many applications of sealer is needed.
- The Travertine floor is ready for use once, we have completed the sealing process.
- It takes up to 72 hours for impregnating sealer to fully cure.
STONE CARE OF ARIZONA’S SAFETY PROCEDURES:
COVID-19 has changed the service landscape, where homeowners are "extremely nervous" about who will shows up at their door to provide the cleaning. Homeowners should be concerned, when allowing a Arizona cleaning expert unprotected to enter their home. Stone Care of Arizona, Arizona stone care expert, goes the extra mile to ensure that we have you protected, whenever you provide estimates for Travertine cleaning, Travertine sealing and Travertine polishing services inside your home.
DISINFECTING PROCEDURES:
Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona cleaning and sealing expert are COVID-19 disinfection procedures exceed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Not limited to the following below:
- Our technicians are provided with ongoing training regarding safety procedures while in home.
- All employees practice “Social Distancing” with everyone.
- All employees are fitted with N95 masks to protect homeowners and themselves.
- All employees are provided with protective gloves while inside your home
STONE CARE OF ARIZONA PREPARATIONS
- Our technicians clean inside their cargo van everyday.
- All vans have hand sanitizers i
- We disinfect equipment prior to their usage.
- We power wash all hoses to ensure they are clean.
- We disinfect the cab area of the van, steering wheels and handles prior to leaving the shop and in between estimates and appointment.
- We require washing and disinfecting equipment after every usage.
WHY DISINFECT YOUR TRAVERTINE FLOORS
Benjamin Franklin coined the popular quote, “
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Prevention is the cornerstone of a winning strategy, when Travertine floors are in the equation. Why should you pay to disinfect your Travertine floors?
According to University of Utah Heath, “The
coronavirus can survive up to seven days
on an inanimate surface leading to the logical question, how does COVID-19 get on a Travertine floors? When we consider the nature of morphology, we get the intrinsic connection between germs, viruses, pathogens and bacteria on the soles of shoes. We are proffering here that shoes are the "transport system" that contributes to the contaminate of the Travertine floors. There are two types of disinfectants, one that is safe (green) and the other are disinfectants that are registered by the EPA as a pesticide.
The EPA has a list of disinfectant, chick here for the PDF.
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOU AND FAMILY:
- Set-up a threshold rule, "all" shoes are to be taken off at the doorways and thresholds with no exceptions. Doing so will help keep germs, viruses, pathogens and bacteria from being transported on the soles of shoes into your home.
- Require everyone to wash their hands after taking their shoes off. This will help "prevent" human exposure being transferred to family members, animals and will stop cross contamination.
- Wash, washable shoes at least once a week and avoid touching soles of the shoes to prevent contamination.
- Wipe down shoes and sole that are leather and plastic to kill germs, viruses, pathogens and bacteria. Be sure to wear gloves to protect yourself. We recommend using Benefect disinfectant
wipes or a antimicrobial wipes.
- Never use wipes formulated with sodium hypochlorite (bleach) sodium peroxide. Doing so will dry the shoes out, leading to splitting, cracking. and damage.
- To download the Safety Data Sheet for Decon 30 click here: Benefect SDS PDF
The above 6 things will help keep you and family members from transporting germs, viruses, pathogens and bacteria into your home.
Stone Care of Arizona, the Arizona stone care expert specializes in cleaning, sealing and polishing countertops. We provide free estimates. If you desire Granite, Marble, Travertine and Limestone countertop cleaning and sealing, please give us a call at
480-625-0557
during work hours (8 am to 6 pm) and afterhours 24/7 by clicking here:
Online request