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Natural Stone Floor Cleaning & Care Part 2; from Terrazzo to Saltillo Plus Concrete Hard Floors

Terrazzo is a composite material made up of chips of marble, quartz, glass, or other material in a cement like binder for a chemical bond or polymeric, and epoxy-resin, for a physical bond or a combo of both binders. It is poured in place like concrete or available in precast materials. It can be used on the walls as well as the floor. Another old treatment dating back, again, to the Egyptians. Relative low cost it is nevertheless it is an attractive flooring and wall covering material. It can be used indoors or outdoors. And it can be poured on the floor or in the form of tiles for wall and floor treatments. It has aesthetic appeal, infinitely customizable available in a near limitless range of colors, versatile can be poured or molded creating sinks, bathtubs, counters and stone like furniture. Terrazzo is underfloor heating friendly with both radiant and hydronic underfloor heating systems. Terrazzo is healthy, giving little room for microbes and molds to take up homesteading as terrazzo is non-porous. Easily maintained, just sweep and mop, and environmentally friendly as it used discarded materials used in the creation of other stone products. Used commercially because of its durability it will last forever, well at least a very long-time spanning decades.

Saltillo

Saltillo is a terra-cotta tile is an all-natural clay-based material. Imported from Saltillo, Mexico. It is formed into tiles, dried and kiln fired and can range from yellow to red in color or a mixture of those colors. Handmade, as they dry, they may take up a footprint of a dog or cat, creating a unique conversational piece. They feel good to bare feet and seem “softer” because of their clay base. Warmer in the winter, yet cooler in the summer. It hides dirt due to its coloring. Just requires a vacuum, sweep or mop. You can reseal it every year or two to maintain its shine. Resealing is optional and may only be considered for high traffic areas. The grout is more susceptible to wear and however it does better with sealing.

Concrete

Lastly, we have concrete. Colored either white or with colors added custom textured concrete is becoming a ‘thing’. It can be created with swirls of color, poured in place and used for flooring, wall treatments or countertops. It is available in tiles with patterns and seamless products. We all know how durable concrete is. It is easily maintained, sweeping, dry mopping and weekly wet mopping are good to go. Concrete uses natural material with mineral based coloring that stays vibrant for years. Less energy is used as they air cure without needing baking. Like Saltillo they are compatible with underlayment heating systems. Great for kitchens and bathrooms. They can be sanded and polished for refinishing, as the coloring is at least 1/8th inch deep. Tiles generally run 5/8th of an inch deep, allowing many refinishing sessions that wood flooring. Like some of the other products they are heavy and require the same structural considerations. But there are thinner concrete and stone like products that are lighter and cost even less.

DIY VS Professional Natural Stone Cleaning & Sealinig

Cleaning considerations are the limestone materials like travertine, marble and limestone are basic, meaning they are non-acidic on the PH scale. Harsh acidic based cleaners will literally dissolve these materials. Never, ever use citric based or other acidic cleaners with these materials. It takes knowledge, training, extensive experience and specialized equipment, something not available to the average home or commercial owner. Refinishing these floors can be labor intensive and by the time you’ve acquired all the rental tools and invested your valuable time it may pay to call in a pro. Grout cleaning is very time consuming and as cement that is used in grout and thin set contains some lime, a high alkaline substance, acidic cleaners can be damaging.

Natural Stone Cleaning & More in Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Enterprise, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, North LV, Peccole Ranch, Paradise, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, Spring Valley, Summerlin, Sunrise Manor, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas Nevada

A pro has the experience to apply the correct cleaning, abrasive and finishing a sealing dictated according to the flooring material. It may be in your best interests to high a pro for deep cleaning and refinishing. Call Silver State Floor Restoration to schedule for hard floor cleaning and sealing today!

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