Considering a new floor? Or would you rather save the expense and hassle and consider restoring your current floor? Restoration is far cheaper even though you will have to retain a professional to complete the job. Specialized experience coupled with an extended list of specialized tools would most likely place restoration outside the purview of most DIYers except for the most trivial size jobs or wood floors.

Polishing & Restoring Marble Surfaces

Take marble for instance. Many older institutional buildings have granite or marble flooring. Marble is a re-crystallized carbonate mineral, more generally dolomite or calcite, basically metamorphosed limestone. Used as a sculpturing material as well as floor and wall covering particularly in restored or remodeled government buildings it can be a beautiful material. It is, as a limestone based material subject to deterioration from acidic elements in the environment. Running from about $10.00 per square foot up to $15.00 or more it is expensive. Marble is not only susceptible to degradation from acids in the atmosphere in many classical structures but are also degraded by fungal and bacterial infestation. Restoring marble takes specialized experience, tools and procedures. Marble is an attractive choice but involves a bit more maintenance than other natural flooring materials.

Best Slate Sealers

Slate is a homogeneous metamorphic shale composed primarily of clay or volcanic ash. As building material it is not only found on floors, but has been used for roofing shingles as well. Natural slate is energy efficient, fire resistant and durable with some applications over a century old and still functioning. Chemical sealants help in adding to the appearance of slate. These chemical sealants also aid in increasing stain resistance, to increase or reduce surface smoothness. Slate flooring is bit less expensive than marble, has easier upkeep but tends to be slippery if wet because it is non-porous. Slate being so durable is also a low maintenance product.

Pros & Cons of Quartz Flooring

Quartz is a mineral made up of silicon and oxygen. Quartz tiles are strong, cost effective and an attractive floor material. A low maintenance material it is naturally shiny and relatively inexpensive compared to slate and marble as low as $3.00 per square foot up to about $10.00 a square foot. Shiny translates into slippery when wet. Chemical cleaners are to be avoided and it will dull in time.

Granite Floor Tiles

Granite an igneous rock is formed by cooling of molten materials. Rich in quartz and feldspar, it comes in white, pinks or grays. Granite has rich surface revealing colorful flecks, it durable, stain, acid and abrasion resistant. Granite tile is a bit more expensive material than marble. Granit is available as low as $10.00 per sq. ft., but more generally in the $15.00 – 18.00 per square foot range.

Hardwood Floors Require Sanding & Refinishing

Hardwood is very attractive but more maintenance intensive that mineral products. It can be relatively easy to restore and is DIY doable. Sanding and refinishing are all that is necessary. Replacement or minor repairs are usually a straight forward process for care and keeping of wood flooring. Not recommended for bathrooms or kitchens wood flooring is susceptible do to deterioration from water.

Glazed Ceramic & Porcelain Tile

Ceramic, glazed, glass or other mineral composites are mostly restricted to minor repair, grout removal, re-grouting and polishing. All of materials are in wide use with glazed and ceramic tile being one of the most common materials incorporated in the finishing stages of building construction.

Natural Stone & Manmade Tile Cleaning, Sealing & More in Las Vegas Valley NV, Summerlin, North LV & Henderson Nevada

For restoration of mineral flooring special knowledge of each material is a must. Sanding, repair using epoxy repair materials and polishing, result is a lengthy process not really easily tackled as a DIY project. For your floor restoration needs contact the pros at Silver State Floor Restoration for consultation related to costs and procedures.