Marble is a timeless, luxurious and chic natural stone that can instantly elevate your home and make any space stand out whether it’s on your bathroom floor, your kitchen counter, or any space in between.
But the truth is, your natural stone floors experience wear and tear which can leave those vibrant spaces and eye-catching marble pieces looking worn out and aged. Whether you’ve been spending more time at home throughout the pandemic or you’ve simply enjoyed your space for years and started noticing a few extra stains and scratches, the solution isn’t to rip out your marble and start over.
Marble restoration can help clean and improve blemished floors without blowing your budget and breathe new life into your surfaces whether you’ve got a few unsightly scratches on your kitchen counter or a growing number of chips missing from your marble tiles.
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth showing a little TLC to your marble or if it’s best to just let marble age naturally, read on to find out the top pros and cons of marble restoration. Plus, we’ll show you exactly what to do next if you’re ready to bring back the beauty of your marble surfaces.
How long does marble last?
Although marble comes with a high-end and luxurious reputation, it is extremely durable and long-lasting. Marble floors and surfaces can last up to 25 years (and more) though this does require regular cleaning, maintenance and upkeep to avoid mess and muck that can shorten the lifespan of natural stone.
There are many ways to extend the looks and lifespan of marble, including:
- Marble Cleaning
- Marble Polishing
- Marble Grinding
- Marble Sealing
Let’s dive a little deeper into each of these options now.
How does marble restoration work?
The first of these options is marble cleaning. With a little elbow grease, you can remove stains and spills and bring faded and tired marble floors, benchtops and counters back to life. The second option is marble polishing. This process helps remove surface level scratches and micro stains using state-of-the-art machinery and innovative polishing compounds.
Looking for a more in-depth restoration or dealing with noticeable chips and damage?
Marble grinding can remove damage and grind your stone back beyond its top layers to restore the natural look and shine. This requires a skilled professional with the correct machinery and diamond discs to ensure no further damage occurs. Once your marble floors or surfaces have been rid of their imperfections or damaged areas, it’s highly recommended to finish the process with marble sealing. This creates a barrier against moisture and stains and helps protect the stone without altering the look that you love.
In short, true marble restoration is more elaborate and complex than cleaning or polishing – though a little DIY clean can help restore the shine to dusty and dirty marble too!
Thinking of restoring your stone floor? Get these 5 tips to save time and money!
Is marble restoration a long-term solution?
Whether you’re polishing, grinding or sealing your marble surfaces, you’ll be helping to turn back the clock and enjoy that ‘brand new’ aesthetic that makes marble such an attractive and sought after natural stone.
However, marble is not immune to damage so you’ll need to be on the lookout for signs of wear and tear. Some of the most common causes of cracked or worn down marble include falling objects (causing chips and scrapes), humidity (marble is partly made of calcium carbonate which may be vulnerable to damage in a wet environment), and everyday use (marble tiles may receive heavy foot traffic which dulls the stone).
The good news is that the damage caused is typically reversible. You can revive the beauty of natural stone with the right professional cleaning, polishing, grinding and sealing service.
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What are the pros and cons of restoring my marble surfaces?
Let’s start with the reasons you might update your stone surfaces. There are two main culprits causing damage to marble: scratching and etching.
Simple daily household tasks can scratch marble whether it’s a knife in the kitchen to furniture being dragged over marble tiles and floors. The other culprit comes from prolonged exposure to acids (commonly found in coffee, wine, citrus, tomato juice and many supermarket cleaners) which removes the polish and sealant from marble and leaves it looking dull and tired.
You want your marble surfaces to shine so the advantages of restoring – whether you’re polishing, grinding or sealing – means a shiny and striking appearance that stands out in the kitchen, bathroom, living room or walkways. With regular polishing also comes increased compressive strength and hardness. You’re not just buffing out scratches but creating a more dense and durable surface that is resistant to further scratches and stains.
If you opt to grind out imperfections and seal your restored marble surface, you’ll also be able to remove etch marks and stains and by adding a defensive shield against moisture and liquid you’ll help keep out bacteria, prevent future stains and help reduce cleaning time since sealed marble can be cleaned with a cloth.
As for the downsides, well they are few and far between. You’ll need to be cautious using store-bought cleaners as well as vinegar, bleach or other harsh chemicals as these can make matters worse (and leave you wishing you’d called the experts instead). You’ll also need to call in professional marble cleaning help to remove any deep stains as well as scrapes, cracks or chips. Keep in mind, this is an investment in your home and happiness so the upfront cost pays dividends in years of enjoyment.
There’s nothing quite like the allure of marble in the bathroom, or preparing a meal on a marble countertop. With professional help you can restore the shine and take more enjoyment from the home you’ve worked hard to build.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✓ Improved aesthetic appeal
✓ Improved durability ✓ Minimal maintenance ✓ Anti-bacterial protection |
✗ DIY remedies can damage marble
✗ Need to hire a professional |
Trust Rejuvenation Solutions for all your marble restoration needs
We have the tools and the team to tackle the most challenging of conditions so whether there’s a chip in the corner of your prized marble benchtop or stains on your marble tiles that are becoming impossible to ignore, we can help restore your stone flooring to its original appearance in no time at all.
To learn more about how to restore your marble surfaces to their natural beauty yourself, or to request a 100% obligation-free stone restoration consultation (worth $195), get in touch today!
Call us today at (02) 9216 9002 or request for a free quote here.