A Guide for Polishing Marble Floors

Feb 25
15:21

2010

Sue D. Smith

Sue D. Smith

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What process you use to polish your marble will depend on the size of the job, and the condition of the marble. Being educated on the marble polishing process will allow you to get the most out of your marble floors or countertops.

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Polished marble is a beautiful asset in any home or office,A Guide for Polishing Marble Floors Articles and it is therefore very important to keep it looking its best. There are a few different ways to polish marble, but every one requires great care and precision. There are benefits to all marble—from smaller countertops to the flooring in large rooms. The size of the job and the condition of the marble will both be determining factors in what process and equipment you should use. Every size is available, from small hand buffers to large polishing machines. Educating yourself on the necessities for your marble is key to cost effectively polishing marble floors.

 

Regardless of what polishing process you use on your marble, the first step it always to ensure that it is clean and free of debris, grime, or dirt. This can be done with a mop and water, or mild cleaning solution. Make sure to let the marble dry completely before starting any polishing process.

 

If you have a relatively small marble polishing job, it can be simple to do yourself. It does, however, take quite a bit of care and education. If you are uncomfortable with doing it yourself, there are marble polishing contractors that will be able to either answer your questions, or give your marble a professional going-over. If you do decide to do it yourself, you’ll need a small hand buffer, and buffing pads that fit the buffer. You will start by applying a marble stripper to the surface and cleaning the grout between tiles, if you have them. Once the stripping is finished, you should rinse the marble at least twice with clean water and a clean mop (or sponge for countertops). Make sure to get all remnants of stripper off your machinery before beginning to polish. If you don’t it could ruin the polishing process and you’ll have to start all over.

 

Put a clean pad on the buffer, and begin to apply the polish to the marble in 3’x 3’ areas. You’ll do this by putting a couple of sprays of marble polish on the surface of the marble at a time, and using a side-to-side motion to buff the floor until it is dry. Do this in sections. Once through the total area, go section by section again applying another coat.

 

Repeat this until your marble is at your desired level of shine—this may take up to 3 coats. You want to be patient through this process and make sure that the shine is even over the total area. Don’t go too quickly or over-buff the marble. This could cause damage or scratches.You’ll have to do corners by hand, with a steel wool pad. When the total area is finished, go over it with a clean dry-mop to get the residue and shavings up.

 

For larger jobs, such as marble floors, it is recommended that you call a flooring contractor. Keeping the shine even over such a great area of marble is very difficult, and contractors have very large, very precise machines they use to do this effectively. Be sure to find a trusted professional, however. Your marble floors are a great asset, and need to be handled with great care.

 

Regardless of what process you decide to use, be sure to read all instructions and manufacturers recommendations when using different machines and products. If you have any hesitations or questions, call your local contractor for support. For more information on marble floor polishing, or to find a contractor in your area, visit www.MarbleFloorPolishing.com .