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Guide to Hard Surface Floor Care

This guide is designed to provide you, with the basic introduction into the cleaning and restoration of floors.

All Hard Surfaces Floor can be divided in two categories: SYNTHETIC FLOORS and NATURAL STONE

We will cover only the floors used commonly in today’s market.

Synthetic Floors

CERAMIC TILE – Ceramic Tile is clay fired man-made material. Surface in glazed ceramic (single-fired, double-fired, etc...) do not normally require any protective treatment. It is the glaze itself that gives the material its excellent protection against the absorption of dirt, along with its particular aesthetic effect. Many of the new ceramic tiles in today’s market are manufactured to look like real stone.

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QUARRY TILE and PAVER BRICK – Quarry Tiles are an unglazed ceramic material that are particularly suitable for exterior paving, due to their low adsorption and resistance to freezing (the high baking temperatures and high quality of the clay, with other raw materials make this type of floor, one of the most durable in the market today).
There is no particular waiting time before treating these materials as they are not generally affected by blooms, and their absorbency allows for rapid drying. In any case, protection treatment should only be carried out when the floor is completely dry. There are different products and process for these materials according to whether they are laid inside or outside. Two are the most common type: Rustic and Stoneware

PORCELAIN TILE - Is a very hard material that is particularly resistant to chemical agents, scratches, freezing and to the absorption of water. It is ideal for paving floors in public places such as restaurants, airports, schools, hospitals and shopping centers. It has also recently begun to be used in residential applications. Porcelain Tile can be given a polished surface industrially. This produces the "polished" version with its mirror-like shine. However, unlike the "natural" or unpolished versions, it is subject to marking. Can be honed and polish, but is very difficult and time consuming.

TERRACOTA TILE (knows as "SALTILLO TILE") – One of the oldest ceramic materials made by man, this type of floor is obtained by mixing clay and water, leaving this to dry naturally, then baking it in a kiln. Saltillo Tile has particular characteristics of a physical (absorption), mechanical (special finish), and compositional (for the different types of clay) nature that demand special treatment.

Natural Stone

MARBLE – Is known as a calcium carbonate stone, and has been a metamorphic rock, marble reacts to acids and give a high gloss appearance. Is acid sensitive and scratches easily; most Marble stone have veins, swirls and bands. For cleaning and restoration purposes, the most suitable method should be chosen according to the level of wear. It entails of removing the dirt, erasing stains and restoring the worn protective layer.

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SLATE – Is classified as a "rough" material with a low absorption. Slate can be found both an interiors and exteriors, and rarely have a high polish unless a coating is placed on it. Slate can be a problem for it’s high content of clay, especially in wet areas, and can develop efflorescence easily. A good quality silicone impregnator sealer can protect the stone and generated more durability. A color enhanced can be applied also in this type of floor, to create a colorful look of the stone.

TERRAZO – The appearance of the terrazzo is more uniform than most natural stone, and is available in tile forms or by pouring application on the slab. Terrazzo is a mixture of Portland cement and Marble chips. These chips can range in size from a fraction of an inch to as large to several inches. The very good side about Terrazzo is it can be ground, honed and polish just like Marble and can be easily mistaken for Granite.

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GRANITE – Granite is an extremely hard natural stone with low porosity, normally given a polished finish. Granite is formed by volcanic action, and is an acid and scratch resistant as well. Granite paving is not usually treated; in this case waterproofing the material is recommended, especially if is laid in places such kitchens or bathrooms.

TRAVERTINE – Is limestone that has been formed in hot springs. Water movement caused the erosion of the stone creating numerous holes of varying sizes. A polished travertine will have its holes filled with color-matched Portland cement filler. These fillers do not take a high polish and therefore the overall polish tends to look blotchy.

FLAGSTONE – Is the term given to almost all-stone material cut into thin, irregular shapes. Found extensively on sidewalks, foyer entrance, pool decks, etc..., flagstone can be almost any material but is commonly the SANDSTONE type. Flagstone should not be ground and should only be cleaned and sealed.