Tile Floors

Does anyone know who cleans, restores and seals marble floors.

Thanks

It's obviously too late, but marble is a poor choice for flooring, since it's porous. A better option is high-fired ceramic.

The floors at the Zihua Airport kind of shoot down Your opinion ,They can be re polished for 25 years or so and still look GREAT where as a ceramic finish will wear off under constant traffic and have to be replaced , in My somewhat limited opinion

You are correct. Stone, like marble and granite, can be polished. This process can be done with specialty chemicals or with diamond discs. The process is very similar to sanding wood; depending on the condition of stone you start with a course diamond disc and gradually make finer. Concrete can also be polished in this fashion.

Marble being much softer than granite is easier to polish; the problem with marble is that it contains calcium which reacts with acid and chelators (found in cleaners - used as a water treatment). Acids could be mild like orange juice or soda; these will etch the marble surface.

As far as sealers go it is best to let the stone "breath". A stone impregnating (absorbs) seal would be fine but you don't want a sealer that sits on the surface like a floor finish.

More than you ever wanted or needed to know.

Sorry I do not have a recommendation for you.

Ate you a Tradesman ? Expert opinion says You are !

No, a chemist with a company that has manufactured some stone care products; along with other floor care / housekeeping products.

Always amazing the things I learn on this message board. Thanks! I have an antique marble shelf from an old barbershop and wondered how to preserve it.

I stand by my statement. While marble can, indeed, be polished, it is much softer than good quality tile. Ceramic tile comes in various degrees of hardness/quality. Firing temperature has a lot to do with it. High-fired clay with a good glaze will last longer than marble because the glaze is glass and is impervious to staining. Marble can certainly look very attractive but, as stated elsewhere, does require regular maintenance. I had entertained using Mexican terra cotta tiles in the house in Zihua, because I liked the appearance, but settled on good quality, high-fired tile, instead , since I didn't want to deal with the regular upkeep required. The only problem we've had is some of the tile came loose, but that was the result of incompetent installation.

The tile debate is not the issue. Have had marble floors for 10 years. Does anyone know of someone that cleans and repairs marble floors??

Why not get a recommendation at the airport.

Hi Walt,
We have marble in our bathroom and I believe (although I can't be completely sure) it was refinished by either Jose Luis Rumbo or his brother whose name I can't recall right now. tHey are both general contractors and have done many things at our place: from painting, to repairing the walls after the earthquakes to general maintenance stuff and even some wood work.

Jose Luis' contact info:
rumbodeixtapa@yahoo.com.mx
Cell: 044-755 113 5451

Hope this helps. I am sure if he is not the one, he will be able to tell you who can do it. Please note that to my knowledge they do not speak English.

Regards,
B