Granite slabs used for countertops can come in different finishes. The most common is a smooth and glossy finish, which is achieved by intensive polishing at the fabrication factories using huge sanders for smoothing the surface and rotating pads for buffing it. Some people prefer a matte look for their granite slabs. This is often used for flooring and for use in bathrooms where it is unsafe to have stone that is extremely smooth. Matte is achieved by using rougher, larger-grained sanders.
This effect can be minimized by the correct maintenance programme. A typical maintenance programme for granite flooring would be to dust mop the floor each day to remove these particles of dirt and once or twice a week depending upon traffic wash the floor with stone soap. This reseals the floor and enhances the colour. This is then wet vacuumed up and the floor then washed with pure water which is also wet vacuumed up. This wet vacuuming prevents the possibility of water staining.
Sealing granite slabs to make them last a lifetime. Acids can be very harsh and could wreak havoc on the sealer of your countertop. In the kitchen, there are a lot of substances that are acidic and whose spills, therefore, should not be left unwiped on the countertop. Some examples are vinegar, juice, and even coffee. Over time, these spills could eat away at the sealant applied on the surface of the countertop. When this erodes, the liquid may find its way into the stone itself and through the spaces between the particles, making stains permanent.
If this regime is followed then the shine on the granite floor should last for as long as you require it. If the floor becomes neglected and is not cleaned correctly then it will slowly become dull and the scratching will build up enhancing the dull effect. If this was a marble floor then the scratching would be greater and could be removed and the shine restored by using diamond grinders on a slow speed buffing machine. However successful re-grinding of granite cannot be achieved. It can be re-ground using the diamond technique and made shiny but quite often it causes a colour change in the granite which is obviously not acceptable to the customer. This regrinding process which for marble might take about 30 minutes per square meter for granite, being much harder takes about two to three hours to achieve any sort of shine.
In the processing plants marble is ground for about 40 minutes to achieve the high gloss effect. Granite on the other hand will be ground for several hours to achieve the same effect. There is no way that once the Granite Polishing Pads is in place this process can be replicated. Consequently if you have a granite floor and it dulls and somebody offers to restore the shine by re-grinding it do not bother. You will end up with a floor that may be shiny but has probably changed colour and it will have cost you a small fortune. Take care of it from the outset and you will never be in this position.
This effect can be minimized by the correct maintenance programme. A typical maintenance programme for granite flooring would be to dust mop the floor each day to remove these particles of dirt and once or twice a week depending upon traffic wash the floor with stone soap. This reseals the floor and enhances the colour. This is then wet vacuumed up and the floor then washed with pure water which is also wet vacuumed up. This wet vacuuming prevents the possibility of water staining.
Sealing granite slabs to make them last a lifetime. Acids can be very harsh and could wreak havoc on the sealer of your countertop. In the kitchen, there are a lot of substances that are acidic and whose spills, therefore, should not be left unwiped on the countertop. Some examples are vinegar, juice, and even coffee. Over time, these spills could eat away at the sealant applied on the surface of the countertop. When this erodes, the liquid may find its way into the stone itself and through the spaces between the particles, making stains permanent.
If this regime is followed then the shine on the granite floor should last for as long as you require it. If the floor becomes neglected and is not cleaned correctly then it will slowly become dull and the scratching will build up enhancing the dull effect. If this was a marble floor then the scratching would be greater and could be removed and the shine restored by using diamond grinders on a slow speed buffing machine. However successful re-grinding of granite cannot be achieved. It can be re-ground using the diamond technique and made shiny but quite often it causes a colour change in the granite which is obviously not acceptable to the customer. This regrinding process which for marble might take about 30 minutes per square meter for granite, being much harder takes about two to three hours to achieve any sort of shine.
In the processing plants marble is ground for about 40 minutes to achieve the high gloss effect. Granite on the other hand will be ground for several hours to achieve the same effect. There is no way that once the Granite Polishing Pads is in place this process can be replicated. Consequently if you have a granite floor and it dulls and somebody offers to restore the shine by re-grinding it do not bother. You will end up with a floor that may be shiny but has probably changed colour and it will have cost you a small fortune. Take care of it from the outset and you will never be in this position.
