Travertine polishing is done in 3 different ways, the first is done with travertine polishing powders, the second is done with Diamond resin discs/pads and the third way is a crystallizer polish. All 3 ways have there pro's and con's and we will go over each of them, educate you and hopefully help guide you to decide what is best for you.
Travertine polishing powders are great for achieving a deep high shine, it can be used solo or after honing with diamond discs which is where it does its best job. There are alot of different polishing powders out there for travertine tile and all of them are worked in a different way, for example some polishing powders are hotter then others meaning there acidic profile is stronger and when working with these powders you really need to know what you are doing and properly neutralize all areas you are completing.
We use a travertine polishing powder that is hotter but carries a PH buffer which helps not etch surrounding areas. Travertine polishing powders work by reacting with the calcium in the stone, it actually melts it to create a harder, denser and shiny surface which last a good amount of time but can generally fade away as the years go by.
Travertine polishing using diamond disc/pads is the best way to get the most clarity out of your stone, disc and pads use a grit system from as low as 50 grit and goes up to 8000 grit. The lower the grit the more you will cut into the stone and the higher the grit brings clarity and shine. The way these disc and pads work is the lightly scratch and wet sand the surface, they are very effective in removing damaged areas and getting your stone to its highest clarity, when we use this combined with the travertine polishing powders you get the best of both worlds, you get a nice deep high shine with excellent clarity.
We use a system called Bonestre and the are originally out of Spain but opened a location here in Phoenix a few years back and in our opinion (backed by 24 years experience) are the best disc and pads on the market.
Crystalizing polish is the last way we polish travertine, crystallizer is spray that we put on the travertine tile and use a hog hair pads to buff it, it uses heat and friction to create a hard shell on the surface. This process is most used in places like Las Vegas where they have a lot of stone and need to keep the shine all the time.
This process is not used by use that often as it doesn't last a very long time, some stones react very well to it and it is best to be used as a maintenance polish between regular polishing.
We offer a wide veriety of services for all you travertine needs, check out some of our travertine polishing services and let us know if we can be of any help.
Upon arrival, our technicians will thoroughly inspect all areas of your flooring. They will discuss our process, outline the expected timeline for completion, and address any questions you may have.
Before starting the job, our technicians will carefully mask all cabinets, appliances, and any furniture that cannot be moved to protect them from splatters or damage. They will also tape off non-stone surfaces, such as wood flooring, carpet, and tile.
Once everything is prepped, we will begin cleaning the travertine tile. We start by applying our alkaline solution, allowing it to dwell before scrubbing the entire surface with our 17-inch rotary scrubber to effectively deep clean the travertine tile and grout. We then utilize our truck-mounted system with the SX-15, which cleans at 1200 PSI using 250-degree water for powerful results.
Following the deep cleaning, we will proceed with the honing process to achieve a satin finish. This involves honing the travertine tile with an 800-grit epoxy diamond pad, followed by a 1500-grit diamond pad, resulting in a beautiful, polished surface.
After honing, our technicians will waterproof the travertine using a specially formulated solution designed to further tighten the stone's pores. Finally, we will apply a penetrating, solvent-based sealer that absorbs into the travertine tile and grout, creating a stain-resistant surface.
When our technicians arrive, they will conduct a thorough survey of the entire area and inspect the flooring as a whole. They will then provide you with a detailed overview of the job, including an estimated timeline for completion, and address any questions you may have.
Before starting any work, our technicians will take the necessary precautions to safeguard your cabinets, appliances, and furniture from potential splatter or damage. They will also tape off any non-stone surfaces, such as wood flooring, carpet, and tile, to ensure protection during the cleaning process.
Once everything is prepared, we will begin the cleaning process for the travertine tile. We will first apply our alkaline solution and then scrub the entire surface with our 17-inch rotary scrubber to effectively break up and deep clean the travertine tile and grout. Following this, we will use our truck-mounted system with the SX-15, which operates at 1200 PSI and 250-degree water, ensuring the removal of built-up dirt, grime, and residue from the surface.
After the deep cleaning, we will start the polishing process. This begins with honing the travertine using a 3000-grit epoxy resin diamond pad to prepare the surface for polishing powder. Next, we will apply a polishing powder that reacts with the calcium in the travertine, tightening the pores, increasing density, and creating a deep semi-gloss shine.
Once the polishing process is complete, our technicians will waterproof the travertine with a solution specifically designed to tighten the stone's pores. Finally, we will apply a penetrating solvent-based sealer that absorbs into the travertine tile and grout, providing a stain-resistant surface.
Upon arrival, our experienced technicians will conduct a thorough walkthrough of your space, inspecting the flooring as a whole. They will provide a clear outline of our expectations for the job, including the estimated completion time, and address any questions you may have about our tile and grout cleaning services.
Before beginning the tile and grout cleaning process, our technicians will carefully mask off all cabinets, appliances, and non-moving furniture to protect them from potential splatter or damage. Additionally, they will tape off any non-stone surfaces, such as wood flooring, carpet, and tile, ensuring comprehensive protection throughout the cleaning.
We will initiate the cleaning process by applying our specialized alkaline solution, followed by a thorough scrubbing of the entire surface with our 17-inch rotary scrubber. This step effectively breaks up and deep cleans the travertine tile and grout. Next, we utilize our truck-mounted system to power wash the travertine using our SX-15, which operates at 1200 PSI and 250-degree water, ensuring the removal of embedded dirt, grime, and stains.
After the cleaning process, we will prepare the travertine for polishing by honing it in three distinct steps. The honing process begins with an 800-grit epoxy diamond pad, followed by a 1500-grit pad, and concludes with a 3000-grit pad. This meticulous honing technique enhances the surface texture and prepares it for a flawless finish.
Once honing is complete, we will apply a specialized polishing powder to the travertine. This powder reacts with the calcium in the stone, tightening the pores and increasing density, resulting in a stunning deep, high shine that revitalizes your floors.
Our full restoration package is perfect for travertine floors that have a lot of damage and that need more attention then others.
Step 1 - Cleaning
To get the best possible cleaning we use our truck mounted system. First we spray the travertine with a stone safe cleaner, then we scrub the tiles and grout lines, then we use our high heat, high pressure system to rinse and extract. The truck mount is using 220 degree water at 1500PSI. This blasts all the dirt and grime out/off the travertine leaving you with the most thorough cleaning.
Step 2 - Honing/POLISHING
Once, everything is all clean we start the honing and polishing step. First we hone the floors with 1-3 diamond resin discs to remove etching, scratches and to prepare the travertine floors for polishing. Once the floor is all prepared we polish. To get the highest possible shine we use a polishing powder that reacts with the calcium within the stone to bring out the natural shine and the reaction makes the stone more dense as well. This step leaves your floors looking beautiful.
Step 3 - Repairs
Once the high shine is achieved we go around and fill in any holes that we can and let the stone dry out a bit.
Step 4 - Sealing/DENSIFiER
The most important part of the full restoration package is the sealing. We use a hybrid solvent sealer to help protect from staining. This sealer will absorb into the travertine tile, clog the pores and act as a barrier to help prevent substances from seeping into the stone. A densifier is added to maximize the density of the travertine surface which will help with the longevity of the shine and the travertine tile it's self.
When our technicians arrive, they will conduct a comprehensive walkthrough of the entire area to inspect the flooring. They will outline the expectations for the job, provide an estimated timeline for completion, and answer any questions you may have about our tile and grout cleaning services.
Before starting the job, our technicians will take the necessary precautions to protect your cabinets, appliances, and furnishings from any potential splatter or damage. They will also tape off non-stone surfaces, including wood flooring, carpeting, and tile, ensuring comprehensive protection during the cleaning process.
To initiate the cleaning process for your travertine tile, we will apply a specialized alkaline solution to the surface. Once the solution has dwelled for optimal effectiveness, we will use a 17-inch rotary scrubber to break up and deep clean the travertine tile and grout. Following this, we will employ our truck-mounted system to power wash the travertine with our SX-15, which operates at 1200 PSI and 250-degree water, effectively removing built-up dirt and grime.
After the cleaning process, we will address any necessary repairs by filling appropriate holes with our epoxy resin fill. This fill requires 12 hours to cure before we can proceed with honing to achieve a smooth finish.
The next day, once the epoxy has cured, we will begin the honing process. This three-step procedure utilizes diamond resin discs to achieve the desired finish. We start with a 400-grit disc to smooth the surface and ensure the epoxy fill is level. The second step involves an 800-grit disc to create a semi-gloss finish, while the third step uses a 1600-grit disc to set the travertine flooring to a high shine.
After honing, we will apply a specialized polishing powder to the travertine. This powder reacts with the calcium in the stone, tightening the pores and increasing density, resulting in a deep, high shine that enhances the overall appearance of your floors.
Once polishing is complete, our technicians will apply a specialized waterproofing solution to the travertine. This solution tightens the pores of the stone, enhancing its resistance to staining and weathering. Finally, we will apply our advanced nano-penetration sealer to the travertine tile, providing long-lasting protection against staining and discoloration.
We have cleaned, sealed, honed and polished well over a million sq. feet of travertine tile in our 24 years of servicing the valley. You can take peace of mind when hiring us for your travertine flooring needs.
This travertine tile was coated with a wax for years and the HO wanted to finally get it professionally done so the flooring wouldn't scratch and fade anymore. When we strip wax off we have to spray a stripper down, let it dwell, scape the wax off with blades, then scrub the entire floor with a 17 inch buffer. After we remove the wax from the travertine tile we power wash the entire flooring to remove any remaining wax, dirt and debris.
Once we have completely cleaned the travertine tile, we start the honing process to remove any damage and open up the calcium in the travertine stone, after the honing we run our travertine polishing powder, this powder reacts with the calcium in the stone to increase the density and create a high shine.
The final step in the process is one of the most important of all, the sealer, we apply the sealer by spray it down, flooding the travertine tile, letting it absorb in and then buff off any residue left behind.
This home was purchased and the new HO wanted to get as much out of the travertine tile as possible, so we started off by cleaning the entire flooring to remove all dirt and debris.
After the travertine cleaning, we honed the whole floor with diamond disc to remove damage and get the most clarity we could get, after the honing we polished the travertine tile with our polishing powder to create a deep and beautiful shine.
The final step as always is the hybrid solvent sealer to stop things from absorbing into the travertine and damaging the floor.
Yes, travertine tile can almost always be restored. Since travertine is a soft stone we can hone it down to produce a smooth finish.
When travertine tile is scratched we fix them by honing the scratches out with either our 7 inch variable speed wet polisher or our 17 inch buffer.
There is a lot of cleaners out there but most of them are not good for travertine tile, you want to find a neutral PH cleaner that is safe for stone, no acidic or high PH cleaners should be used.
Travertine is of form of limestone and made up of calcium carbonate, known as calcite.
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