Melbourne Travertine Grinding

Grinding your travertine will smooth out imperfections and open a new layer upon which it is possible to build a high quality honed or polished finish.

Grinding removes deep scratches, stains and other contaminations resulting in a very smooth and even surface able to reflect light more consistently. Grinding will also remove lippage, the term used for uneven tiles which can often occur after a typical installation.

Resurfacing is an extremely skilled task that requires patience and experience. If not done properly and to the right depth it may only enhance the scratches and impurities.

Grinding, honing and polishing are similar processes, and refer to different levels the surfaces are ground back to with diamond headed pads. It is important to note that all three refer to the process of using an abrasive to smooth back a stone.

When your travertine surfaces become damaged from daily use and improper care, you will need an expert to restore the life to those surfaces. Tile Cleaners Melbourne® technicians use a number of professional processes and techniques to return your travertine to its true beauty.

Grinding: An aggressive approach to refinishing travertine, using a metal-bonded and diamond grit heavy weighted floor buffer to remove deep scratches and lippage. The porosity of the travertine still remains noticeable, and this process is typically dust-free.

Honing: This leaves a smooth flat finish with a matte look. Often completed after the grinding phase, this method is a much less aggressive approach than grinding. Although similar, the materials and grits used are not as coarse as with grinding. Many projects also may start with honing and skip the grinding phase. Tile Cleaners Melbourne® honing process is able to remove minor to moderate scratches and etch marks in a softer manner. When done properly, honing the travertine will result in a smooth and even finish.

Polishing: After the honing phase, a higher grit and sometimes combinations of higher grit compounds will be used to bring out a shine in your stone during the polishing process. This finest grade of the grinding process is used to achieve a sleek, polished look.

To schedule your appointment or to obtain a free estimate, Call 03 5410 7929 or use the online enquiry form at the top of the page

Tile Cleaners Melbourne® provide premium services to all commercial properties. We are equipped to restore factory finishes to travertine, granite, marble, bluestone, sandstone and limestone surfaces with our experienced technicians and modern equipment.

Tile Cleaners Melbourne® often find commercial spaces such as apartment blocks, shopping centres and hotels experience dullness and damage in high traffic areas. The best results in bringing the floors back to a uniform look throughout are achieved by grinding.

Lippage refers to uneven surfaces that occurs when stone or tiles are not laid to a uniform level. By running your hand over the grout line you will often notice a definite dip. Sometimes this can be very uneven with a tile being a few millimetres higher than the adjacent tile. Tile Cleaners Melbourne® diamond grinding process will remove lippage, leaving the travertine floor completely even and flat at the grout lines. This is achieved with metal bonded diamond plates which coarsely grind away at the stone leaving it flat. The next step is usually to repeat this process with finer pads, with each grade becoming progressively finer, the number of grades Tile Cleaners Melbourne® technicians use depends on the type of stone and the type of finish you require, usually a honed or polished, glossy finish.

If your travertine is damaged from etching and scratching, grinding will provide a beautiful end result. Don’t go through the pain and cost of having slightly worn travertine retiled.

Grinding will:

• Smooth uneven tiles
• Remove deep stains that can’t be removed by cleaning
• Remove trip hazards
• Remove imperfections
• Restore the natural shine of stone
• Enhance colour features in the stone

Natural stone is one of the most beautiful surfaces anyone can have in their home or office. However, many varieties can easily scratch in high foot traffic areas. A regular maintenance program is vital if your surfaces are to retain their beauty.

Once liquids spill on the surface of your travertine, wipe it immediately. To clean stone, you should never use regular soap as it can seep through the surface and darken the area, instead use mildly abrasive household detergent. Never use vinegar. The acid in vinegar damages, actually etches and removes the surface of many stone types. After mopping, dry the floor with a cotton towel or use a sh-mop to remove the moisture and prevent water spots.

Natural stone can become quickly etched, or corroded by acidic materials upon contact by common household substances such as soft drink, tea, citrus juice and acidic cleaning products. A surface with a matte or honed finish needs to be as a rule, periodically cleaned and re-sealed by a professional and should be sealed with a deep penetrating, impregnating sealer, which avoids staining and reduces the effect of soiling, Australian made non-toxic Deepshield® Transparent Penetrating Sealer is non-slip and lasts for up to 10 years.

To schedule your appointment or to obtain a free estimate, call 03 5410 7929 or use the online enquiry form at the top of the page

We cover all Melbourne suburbs

Two main sealing options exist for travertine tiles

• Deep Penetrating Impregnating Sealer

(Transparent Finish/Colour Enhancing Finish)

• Topical Sealer

(Gloss/Satin/Matte Finish)

A deep penetrating impregnating sealer protects travertine and grout from water and oil based stains by chemically reacting with the surface pores using nano-technology to create a breathable protective barrier. An impregnating sealer protects the travertine surface and grout from absorbing stains while also resulting in cleaning and maintenance becoming much easier. Australia's Deepshield™ range of impregnating water based sealers offer long term benefits lasting for up to 10 years while Deepshield™ Gold based on the latest fluoro-bond technology lasts for up to 15 years. A penetrating impregnating transparent sealer enters the pores of your stone and once cured will not change the look of the tile or stone. A penetrating colour enhancing sealer is designed to enhance and enrich the natural look of stone surfaces.

Tile Cleaners Melbourne® are experts at applying all types of sealer and will ensure your travertine looks its absolute best. Tile Cleaners Melbourne® technicians can apply a topical sealer when especially required to create a high gloss, satin sheen or matte finish to your surfaces. Topical sealer is also helpful in situations where the old solvent based sealer can not be completely removed or when required to hide certain types of damage. Topical sealer's have a life expectancy of around 3-5 years.

You can easily test how porous your travertine is by applying a drop of water to the surface and watching how the water is absorbed. You can then see how any type of water based stain can be absorbed by the travertine tile surface and grout.

Save yourself time, effort and money and let our team of professionals restore your Travertine to its best possible condition

To schedule your appointment or to obtain a free estimate, Call 03 5410 7929 or use our online enquiry form

We cover all Melbourne suburbs

Types of sealer's used on travertine tiles

Water based sealer's and solvent-based sealer's can both be used on travertine, however unless absolutely required for a specific reason, we always recommend applying a water based sealer that doesn't produce harmful fumes during application and removal. Water based sealers are easier to apply and remove and also require less drying time. One of the most popular product ranges available is Australian made Deepshield™ quality impregnating water based sealer's that prolong the life of your surfaces by taking full advantage of recent advancements in nano technology, providing unmatched long-term stain resistance and reliability.

It is important to ensure the correct water based sealer is applied to your travertine tile, which will also depend on whether they are indoors or outdoors as most sealer's will not last long outside due to being designed for internal use. If your travertine is outdoors, it is important to use a water based sealer that is specifically designed for outdoor travertine.

There are two types of impregnating clear sealer, water based sealer & solvent based. In the past solvent based sealers were more widely used as they used to absorb deeper into the travertine and grout and would also last longer. Today however, thanks to new technological advancements, it is recommended only to use water based sealer's, that last much longer and cause less potential damage to health and property.

Solvent based products are more difficult to apply and can create major problems when applied incorrectly as they are very hard to remove. Tile Cleaners Melbourne® recommend our clients apply a long lasting water based sealer such as a quality product from Australia's Deepshield™ range of sealer's to their travertine tiles and grout. Topical sealer's (glossy plastic coating over the top of the travertine) are still used on travertine, but these older style sealer's can trap moisture in the stone and make the surface slippery when wet. When a topical sealer wears in higher traffic areas, the entire surface usually needs to be stripped and re-sealed.

It is very important to ensure that tiles achieve their cleanest possible condition prior to being sealed. This will protect the appearance of the tile, and importantly ensure that there won't be any dirt, stains or other debris caught under the layer of sealant.

To provide the best possible protection from oil and water-based stains; to maintain the look and slip resistance of your travertine and to prevent damaging moisture from being trapped within the stone, it is recommended to seal your travertine with a high quality, invisible, fully breathable impregnating sealer.

We provide specialised restoration solutions for travertine tiles

To schedule your appointment or to obtain a free estimate, Call 03 5410 7929 or use our online enquiry form

We cover all Melbourne suburbs

• Q: Is the Grinding Process Safe?
• Q: What is the difference between honing and grinding?
• Q: Some areas I want to have ground are in smaller hard to reach places?
• Q: What different types of tiles do Tile Cleaners Melbourne® grind?
• Q: How long will it take to grind my travertine surfaces?
• Q: Will grinding remove the sealer from my travertine?
• Q: Is grinding my travertine a messy process?
• Q: Can grinding damage travertine?
• Q: Do I need to apply a sealer to my travertine?
• Q: Are your products toxic?
• Q: Can grinding remove deep stains in the stone?
• Q: How will you charge me for grinding my travertine surfaces?
• Q: How do I measure the size of the area?
• Q: Will you help me move my furniture?
• Q: What should I do to prepare for the surface grinding?