Hi, I have just had a beautiful travertine floor laid, honed and filled. It was laid very well, however the impregnator used was applied in a hurry by the fitter. The result is patchy and very gritty. The stone was cleaned prior to sealing, I guess just not very well. They have tried to remove the sealer, but the floor is now even more patchy and there a few very slight surface scratches. Can you give me some advice on how to move forward? It is a big area 85sq mtr. Many thanks.

 

Dear Dawn:

Do you know how many chances you have of experiencing stains in honed and filled travertine?...

Allow me to answer that for you: Once in a blue moon.

Second question: Do you know how many chance you have of experiencing stains over 85 m²?...

Once again, let me answer that for you: A minuscule fraction of once in a blue moon!

Do you realize now how “important” it was to apply an impregnating sealer to the entire floor?... L

And now you have a problem that's not hypothetical as the extremely remote possibility of an oc cas ional and easy-to-remove stain in your stone, but real, tangible and right now. And, unlike removing an improbably oc cas ional stain, it does not have an easy solution, either!

My best piece of advice is to have your floor professionally re-honed with a honing powder (diamond pads may not cut through the residue of the sealer and will most likely leave swirl marks), and then learn how to take good care of your stone, which does not include an impregnating sealer.

And, of course, learn how to enjoy it! J

If you decide not go for that (which is going to be expensive, to make sure), the only alternative is to use a potent paint stripper based on Methylene Chloride. If you can find a suicidal maniac desperate enough to take on such job, make sure that all the members of your family, including pets and yourself, move out of the island for a couple of weeks. There's also the possibility that such potent solvent may damage the filler applied by the factory.

 

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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