Natural Stone Care and Types of Stone Part 2

Part two of a two part series on natural stone care explores where different stone comes from and the chemical composition of it. This is good information to know to take proper care of your floor and/or your counter tops...

Natural Stone Care: Slate Tips

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Slate requires much different stone care than sandstone does. Slate comes from shale in old clay beds. Slate is fine-grained, used on roofs, as tile or in some cases used to make furniture. Slate is often cut into thin sheets. Slate is made of a combination of muscovite, quartz, and some other trace minerals like hematite and tourmaline. Slate is usually gray in appearance, but can take on many different hues. Slate mined in North Wales for example can be gray, purple, or green. Although slate is both fireproof and fairly durable, it is also susceptible to chipping and cracking because of its fine nature. NEVER clean slate with acid based chemicals, as this will cause your stone to deteriorate. A stone care service would be able to properly polish your slate as well as recommend some tips.

Sandstone: A Different Level of Stone Care

Sandstone, on the other hand, is a much softer stone, relatively speaking. Sandstone has been widely used around the world in constructing buildings such as temples, cathedrals, and other buildings. Since it is porous, having a company apply impregnating stone sealer is imperative. Sandstone is treated with this sort of sealer when it's produced and you want to keep up the waterproof seal. To clean sandstone, wash it with warm water and dish soap. Rinse with fresh water. Don't let the water stay on there too long in case there are any gaps in the stone sealer. If you know how, grind your stone with a a 50-grit diamond-polishing pad. Grind the sandstone while it is still wet from being rinsed. If you don't know how to grind sandstone, you may actually want to call in a San Antonio stone care service.


Lone Star Tile and Grout Cleaning
4019 Stahl Rd, Suite 202
San Antonio TX 78217
(210) 637-5050
http://www.lonestartileandgroutcleaning.com

Natural Stone Care and Types of Stone Part 1
Natural Stone Care and Types of Stone Part 2