MARBLELIFE

When to Usa a Pro?

2007-12-24T11:51:00.000-05:00

When should you call a MARBLELIFE® stone, tile & grout professional?

When you need assistance either:

1. diagnosing the root cause of your stone, tile or grout problem;
2. determining the appropriate restorative solution for your stone tile or grout problem
3. determining the most cost-effective means to maintain your stone tile or grout surfaces
4. simply doing the work you do want to spend time doing.

Root Cause Assessment – It is often easier to recognize there is a problem than to diagnose the root cause. Unless the appropriate root cause is diagnosed and addressed, any restoration is likely to be a short-term fix, and long-term more expensive. MARBLELIFE stone, tile & grout professionals are trained to first define and address the root cause, before seeking to restore the stone in the most cost-effective manner.

Restoration Work – Once the root cause is defined and a strategy has been defined on how to address it, one can focus on restoring the surface to its original quality appearance. Once restored, selecting the appropriate maintenance and care program is critical to maintaining your newly restored surface.

Maintenance Work – Did you know that more than 25% of the residential restoration work performed by MARBLELIFE is the result of improper care? In other words, the very act of maintaining the surface is creating the problem. In order to maintain your stone, tile and grout’s quality appearance it must be maintained properly. Typically, this can be largely done by the homeowner, housekeeper or maintenance department.

A maintenance program should address appropriate cleaner selection and application, sealing frequency and type, and in the case of natural stone wear management strategies. In all cases, bleach, vinegar and acidic cleaners should NOT be utilized on natural stone or grout without expecting deterioration in appearance over time. At the very least, make sure you are employing a non-acidic cleaner. Your MARBLELIFE stone, tile & grout professional can work with you to develop a cost-effective means of maintaining and therefore preventing future restoration. Such programs can be tailored to your particular needs whether you are getting your home ready to sell, or seeking a program that can be taught to your janitorial staff or housekeeping.

Cost Effective Contracting – At the end of the day, sometimes its as simple as you do not want to do the work, or your time is better spent closing the next deal, or out on the golf course.
Your MARBLELIFE trained craftsman can quickly and cost-effectively perform the tasks necessary to diagnose your root cause and perform the work necessary to restore your surface.
Relax and let the professionals bring your stone, tile and grout back to life.

Grout Repair and Care

2007-12-19T11:25:00.000-05:00

Grout can be discolored by surface dirt and penetrating stains. Selecting the right treatment is dependent upon your particular stone, tile and grout situation. For this discussion it is important to note that sanded grout is typically used with ceramic and porcelain and non-sanded grout with marble, granite and natural stones.

See the difference

Deep Extraction Cleaning

Cleaning to remove surface discoloration caused by dirt and grime is suitable for either sanded or non-sanded grout. Deep extraction cleaning utilizes heated water under pressure to physically separate dirt from the tile and grout surface. Deep extraction cleaning will have limited impact on stains. This is the most cost effective grout treatment. If your floor has been regularly sealed this may be all you need to restore your grout's appearance.Unfortunately, most people forget to re-seal their stone and grout. Unsealed grout can be stained with dirty mop water resulting in spotty stains and grayed out grout. While the industry standard, if your floor sees normal use and has not been sealed, this process will remove the surface dirt, but uncover hidden stains.

COLORSeal Treatment

Better than new! COLORSeal restored sanded grout returns your grout to its original color plus provides a topical seal dramatically enhancing your grout's future stain resistance. This process is so effective it can even be utilized to alter your grout color, if so desired.Suitable for use with sanded grout only, making this a rare solution for marble and granite surfaces, but common for ceramic and porcelain surfaces. This chemical treatment introduces a colored topical seal designed to bond to the silica in the sand filler. (Note – sand is not typically used with marble and granite surfaces as the loose sand can damage the stone surface).

Grout Stripping & Regrouting

Stripping or Replacing - Suitable for removing shallow stains on non-sanded grout. This approach strips the top layer of stained grout to allow the natural grout color beneath to show through. Once completed the grout should be sealed to retard future staining. Suitable for removing badly stained grout. This is a labor intensive approach as each grout line affected must be hand stripped.Areas of stained grout can be cut out and re-installed, however this can result in areas of light -new- and dark -old- grout. In some heavily stained unsanded grout cases this is the best approach.

Interlok Sheen Enhancement

Flamed granite, slate, flagstone or quarry tile looking a little dull? Would you prefer a deeper richer color OR a higher sheen or gloss? Interlok is a durable reactive coating designed to enrich stone color and impart a sheen to your tile. Bring your stone or tile to life with this beautiful enhancement. Interlok is applied by professional MARBLELIFE craftsman. Surfaces are open to light traffic within 20 minutes of application.

Ready to receive your free estimate? Click here and enter your zip code in the service locator to find your local MARBLELIFE office number or request a estimate online.

Maintenance Cleaning

For those customers who have already taken advantage of our Stain Sealing process, we offer maintenance cleanings to prolong the life of the finish on stain sealed tile and grout surfaces.This service involves an application of our specially formulated, neutral pH maintenance cleaning product, which is agitated into the tile and grout manually and then removed, along with dirt and grime, using a low pressure steam treatment and extraction.

Employment Opportunities

2007-12-06T16:30:00.000-05:00

MARBLELIFE, Inc. Is Looking For:

Stone craftsman

Enjoy working with your hands? Does the ability to make an eye-popping visual improvement in a customer’s home or business appeal to you? Are you looking for a career with the ability to grow your skills and responsibilities? Consider a career as a stone craftsman. MARBLELIFE can provide you the training you need to become a stone craftsman and eventually grow into a Master Craftsman.

Residential Stone Service Salesperson

Enjoy working with clients to assess their stone needs, formulate a plan of attack, and build a career based on delighting customers. A niche business to which we provide a series of unique proprietary solutions designed to delight each customer. Previous service sales experience handy, but not a requirement.

Commercial Stone Service Salesperson

Enjoy working with clients to assess their stone needs, formulate a plan of attack, and build a career based on delighting customers. A niche business to which we provide a series of unique proprietary solutions designed to delight each customer. Previous service sales experience handy, but not a requirement.

Office & General Managers

Book-keeping, estimate and job scheduling, inventory management and ordering. As the office manager you provide a central role in the smooth coordination of each office. Previous experience in a book-keeper or customer service agent a plus. Many of our office managers have moved into a sales role.

Please Contact Us

SEAL NOW OR PAY LATER

2007-12-06T14:44:00.000-05:00

Stone is porous and WILL stain if not properly sealed or resinated. Removing stains can be an expensive process. and involve loss of use of the stone surface for several days. Sealing is preventive maintenance for stone.Whether seeking a penetrating sealer designed to provide water and oil repellency without altering the natural finish of your stone. OR a color enhancing or sheen enhancing topical sealer. such as MARBLELIFE Stone Enhancer or MARBLELIFE Interlok. MARBLELIFE and its team of certified stone craftsman can assist you in caring or enhancing your stone investments.

Slate looking a bit dull? Flagstone faded? Flamed granite lost its sheen? Or are you looking to maintain your current look while boosting stain resistance?Consider MARBLELIFE’s line of color and shine enhancers and sealers.MARBLELIFE Impregnator Sealer is designed to seal WITHOUT altering the finish or color of the stone. Suitable of all stone and grout surfaces.MARBLELIFE Stone Enhancer is specially formulated to provide a deep rich look to your faded stone or slate surfaces. Darkening the stone as it seals. much like you would expect to see if the stone were wet. Want to add a little sheen? Apply a second coat. Want to boost the finish further? Apply a third coat. Stone Enhancer is designed to allow you to boost your color and enhance your surface sheen.MARBLELIFE Interlok is a 2-part reactive system designed for high traffic commercial or hotel environments requiring superior durability and chemical resistance in addition to topical sealing. Interlok offers exceptional color enhancement on slate. flagstone and flamed granite surfaces.

COLORSeal is a grout restoration service designed to RESTORE your grout to its original appearance. This goes well beyond a grout cleaning. Take a look at the GROUT portion of our gallery to get a full understanding of the potential. For best results. have Interlok applied after completing your COLORseal grout restoration to take your floor’s appearance to another level. Interlok Treatments are available through your local MARBLELIFE stone craftsman.

MARBLELIFE covers South Carolina and Georgia

2007-11-11T12:22:00.000-05:00

Sanford, FL (November 9, 2007) – MARBLELIFE, Inc. is pleased to announce the opening of MARBLELIFE of Savannah/Charleston. With increased personnel to provide greater coverage, MARBLELIFE of Savannah/Charleston is ready to service residents and businesses in Effingham (GA), Bryan (GA), Chatham (GA), Beaufort (SC), Jasper (SC), Hampton (SC), Colleton (SC), Dorchester (SC), Berkley (SC), and Charleston (SC) counties.

With the opening of the Savannah/Charleston franchise, we now have continuous coverage from South Carolina down through Florida along the East Coast.

Every MARBLELIFE Franchise services a defined geographical area allowing MARBLELIFE to focus on delivering consistently high quality stone and grout restoration and maintenance services within that region.

For more information visit us at www.marblelife.com or contact MARBLELIFE of Savannah/Charleston at 877-827-8663.

MARBLELIFE Covers Southern Alabama

2007-11-11T12:17:00.000-05:00

Sanford, FL (November 9, 2007) – MARBLELIFE, Inc. just opened its 45th domestic franchise and 7th unit since the beginning of 2007 in Southwest Alabama. MARBLELIFE of Southwest Alabama will cover residents and businesses in Baldwin and Mobile counties.

“This provides us almost continuous coverage from the border of Alabama and Mississippi to the East Coast along the Interstate 10 corridor,” said John Freitag, President of MARBLELIFE, Inc.

Each franchise services a defined geographical area allowing MARBLELIFE to focus on delivering consistently high quality stone and grout restoration and maintenance services within that region.

For more information visit us at www.marblelife.com or contact MARBLELIFE of Southwest Alabama at 251-265-1444.

From Mountaintops to Countertops:Tips for Choosing the Correct Stone Care Company

2007-09-14T08:21:00.000-04:00

By Jeff DeVries

The perfect up-scale, last a lifetime, building material for any residential, public or commercial building is natural stone such as marble, granite or limestone. Think it’s a trend that costs more than it’s worth? Think again. Natural stone has always been the choice for a beautiful, elegant, comfortable appearance. Also, along with durable and ever lasting stone is an asset to a home or building.

You can find natural stone being utilized on everyday countertops, floors and walls or use more elegantly such as veneers statues and furniture carvings. The beauty and sophisticated look of natural stone is just about anywhere you can imagine. And people are doing just that; using their imagination!

THE BENEFITS

It took hundreds of thousands of years for your particular stone to be created, so it goes without saying your stone should last for the same amount of time or until you sell the property. That’s true to a point. Many homeowners, architects and interior designers are sold on natural stone because of its beauty and certain durability. The asset value of stone, if properly maintained, will help appreciate the value of the property.

DAMAGE

If there is a downside, it’s that many people don’t realize polished natural stone does take some work to maintain its beauty. It is a common misconception that once your stone is in place it can not be damaged and the shine will last forever. “It’s a rock! What can happen to it?” The answer is plenty. Natural stone can be damaged and there is a wide range of household (adults) or improperly trained janitorial chemicals (inexperience adults) that can damage any type of stone. The loss of shine, etching, staining, and yellowing, cracks or crystal damage are common stone problems. Commercially, so many stones are being installed improperly causing uneven tiles or slabs, lawsuits from tripping are causing a liability headache. Residentially, husbands mixing up a smelly concoction in the garage and poof! NO SHINE. What to do?

THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE DO-IT-YOURSELFERS

Never fear. Just about anything you, kids, pets or the neighbor can do to a natural stone surface can be repaired to as its original finish with a do it yourself products or to make the wife happier, the tile can be polished to a higher gloss or even change to a different color grout by a professional stone care company such as MARBLELIFE or GroutLife. How can this be? It’s simply, really! MARBLELIFE has Stone Care Products which can be order from there website and simply follow the label directions will remove spills, ring marks, soap residue, etc. from your stone. More involved problems such as uneven installations can be perfectly flattened and restored to a higher slip resistant gloss. Furthermore, MARBLELIFE trained, uniform professionals can performed the correct repairs on the damage stone and return the stone to its original luster and shine much faster.

CHOOSING A PROFESSIONAL FOR LARGE HOMES OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES

Investigate and compare the costs between options and experience. In house personnel are not always better. The cost of training, re-training, workman comp, improper training are important key advices when seeking out a company. Choosing a stone care company like MARBLELIFE will bring a “much needed” degree of professionalism that has set industrial standards throughout the world as we have the knowledge, experience and support to handle any stone care needs continuously. Also, as we will offer you a free evaluation of your stone we will also teach you how to maintain or offer you a maintenance program suited for your budget. Do not allow someone to experiment on your floor. Seek out references, liability insurance, certified trained personnel who take pride in there craftsmanship to care for your stone.

At a glance, no matter where the stone is located, there are some important guidelines to follow to keep the beauty and value at its best. Stone floors should be dust mopped daily with a non-treated cotton mop to keep abrasive debris such as sand and dirt off the surface. A specifically designed cleaner for stone must be used. Other none stone specific or general cleaners can be too harsh on the surface and can diminish the gloss.

CONSIDER MAINTENANCE WITH A GUARANTEE

Choosing MARBLELIFE for your maintenance and a guarantee will be written for your protection. Follow these simple ideals to help to keep your stone at its best for less!

Facilities: Use doormats designed to scrape the foot as patrons walk up to your entrances. Doormats to wipe the soles after entry are highly recommended. Remember doormats should be at least three walking paces in length. The longer length will allow the foot to wipe against the mat instead of your stone floor helping to reduce traffic patterns which could develop on your stone.

Residential: Generally homes have a higher luster or gloss restored to their stone than commercial facilities and more care is needed to prevent loss of luster. Provide a durable mat which guests can wipe/scrape their feet at the exterior of your door. Interior mats made of an absorbing material will remove moisture and dirt before walking on your stone. Make sure each interior mat has a soft backing. Cotton mats placed in the kitchen in front of the refrigerator and sink will catch spills. If guests arrive, simply toss into the laundry to clean them.

Use coaster or napkins under glasses. Many liquids you might not think of as being troublesome can “wreck havoc” on your stone surfaces. Soda, juices and alcoholic beverages with juices can stain or etch leaving ring marks. Your stone care company should have several sealers, depending on the stone structure, to help you protect your investment.

A natural stone dining table is very elegant. Use place mats to protect the stone from china, silver or ceramics dinnerware. These items can scratch your stone.

Dust your stone regularly. Dust obscures the natural beauty and shine. Use a soft non treated dust mop or check out the new disposable micro fiber dust mops which are designed to pick up the finest particles from your floor. Your larger stone care companies will have them.

Do not use regular household or commercial cleansers on your natural stone. Use a pH neutral cleaner designed specifically for stone care such as MARBLELIFE InterCare Cleanser Concentrate or Ready to Use InterCare Cleanser.

Never apply wax, acrylics or allow companies to coat your stone with urethane sealers. They may produce a temporary shine but could actually cause severe damage the stone by trapping moisture.

Vinegar, mildly acidic cleaners or acidic disinfectants should never be used because they can negatively react to the calcium carbonate in the stone and strip the shine.

Follow these simple but important tips to ensure your natural stone surfaces will continue to look beautiful. These stones surfaces, if properly cared for, are an investment in your facility or home that can last a lifetime.

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Jeff DeVries is the Vice President, Research & Development at MARBLELIFE, Inc., an international franchise company specializing in the restoration, preservation and maintenance of stone for commercial, residential and historical properties.

Got Terrazzo Treasure in Your Home?

2007-09-03T12:42:00.000-04:00

If your home was built between 1920 and 1950 there is a good chance that you have a terrazzo treasure underneath that carpet or tile in the foyer or basement.

Terrazzo floors are intricate colored concrete with broken marble chips. Often multi-colored these floors were colorful architectural decoration of the times. Today terrazzo has been all but disappeared in residential homes, relegated to use in new schools or large commercial buildings where its concrete like durability accompanied with its architectural flexibility make it an architectural favorite. Terrazzo’s use in the residential market has all but disappeared, being substantially more expensive than a marble or granite tile floor.

The ability to restore terrazzo and marble floors is a fairly new development. In fact prior to the late 1970’s restoration or maintenance services were not readily available. As such, as foot traffic dulled the original finish floors were covered by carpet or vinyl tile. Today, techniques exist to remove dull areas, restore the original gloss finish, repair cracks and chips. In effect, the reason many of these surfaces were originally covered no longer exists. Further, it is less expensive to remove the carpet or tile and restore the floor than to retile. This means that if you are living in a 1920 to 1950 historical home, you may have a terrazzo floor hidden away you did not know about. A restored terrazzo floor adds substantial value, and historic charm. Take a peak under that carpet or tile.

When carpet is installed over a terrazzo floor carpet grips are nailed into the terrazzo floor, creating a one inch hole when removed. Today, technology exists to determine the stone type, stone size, distribution of stone sizes and color of the cement used in the original terrazzo construction, and to re-mix and colormatch with sufficient accuracy that the repairs blend into the floor. If you did not know they were there you would not be able to find them.

Marrying modern stone restoration techniques with a historic artistry companies like MARBLELIFE can assist you in restoring the historic character of your home. With more than 45 locations across the country, MARBLELIFE is the largest supplier of such services. Interested in getting an estimate or learning more information of this forgotten art you can locate the nearest restoration expert, and request a free estimate at www.marblelife.com. While you are at it, they will be happy to provide you information on how to maintain your terrazzo treasure so that it looks like it has just been installed, forever. Using the appropriate cleaners, sealers and care you can maintain your terrazzo’s original appearance indefinitely.

So take a peek under the carpet and see if you aren’t walking across a terrazzo treasure in your basement, foyer, kitchen or bathroom.

A New Look for MARBLELIFE

2007-08-24T09:29:00.000-04:00

MARBLELIFE launches the first phase of its new website. Check out www.marblelife.com and see what is new in the stone restoration and maintenance market. The new site presents a quick insight into what is possible. It highlights the latest technology in stone and tile care.

Have a tile floor with ugly or dark grout, the site shows you how beautiful a restored floor could look. Marble and granite restored and maintained. Need to find a service provider the site provides guidance to your local trained craftsman. Not sure what you need to care for your stone, tile or grout service, the site provides products and user guides to assist you in avoiding costly errors.

“Stone, Tile and Grout can be maintained very inexpensively and easily. Most people do not realize that more than 20% of the calls a stone craftsman receives is due to the use of an inappropriate cleaner on a sensitive stone such as marble, limestone, travertine or salturnia. This site provides customers insight into not what to do but also what not to do. How to books are available to assist clients in getting the most out of the home and building investments.” Says Alan Mayr, Chief Operating Officer for MARBLELIFE, Inc. “This is the first phase of the site development, we have several additional elements that will be going up over the next few months which will take the site to yet another level in service.”

"Our mission is to educate our clients on how to care for their stone, tile and grout surfaces. The site enables us to better reach out and communicate with our clients.”

MARBLELIFE Receives High Marks in the Motor City

2007-08-08T18:14:00.000-04:00

ServiceMagic, a company that works on behalf of consumers by screening and recommending contractors ranks MARBLELIFE of southeast Michigan very high on its prestigious list. ServiceMagic awared MARBLELIFE a 4.5 ranking out of 5 possible points on key customer service points of:

Quality
Cleanliness
Communication
Value
Timeliness
Courtesty
Budget

Service Magic uses unsolicitied customer comments, in part, in determining contractor ranking. Here are some of the comments about MARBLELIFE southeast Michigan.

Rating: 5.0

Provided By: Louise A.

City: Waterford

Project: Clean, Grout, Polish and Maintain Tile, Stone, or Marble

"The representative, Lynda, was clear in her explanation of the service and in the time frame for scheduling the job. She left materials that explaned the process. The craftsman, Mike, was pleasant, informative and thorough in his job. Our marble table looked like new after he completed his work. It was done in a timely fashion. Clean-up was complete."

Rating 5.0

Provided by: Bill

City: Royal Oak

Project: Stone Slab (Granite, Marble, Slate, Quartz, etc) Countertops - Repair

"Marblelife was great. They accommodated my schedule and provided an early evening appt and had the service man out next day. Marble tiles were restored and look better than new. I'd recommend them enthusiastically."

ServiceMagic works with both homeowners and businesses to help them connect with the most qualified contractors. It recommends only those companies that meet the highest standards of excellence.

With more than 45 locations, MARBLELIFE is the largest network of professional stone craftsman in the country. Opening 6 to 9 units annually MARBLELIFE is also the fastest growing stone restoration company in the country. MARBLELIFE is committed to building the first national network of professional stone craftsman, capable of servicing any stone, tile or grout restoration, maintenance or care need.

http://www.marblelife.com/

Sealing and Cleaning Natural Stone: What's Right For You?

2007-08-06T15:57:00.000-04:00

Vital Initial Protection - Sealing

All natural stone should be sealed with a quality penetrating sealer from MARBLELIFE® which, with the correct application will leave no coating on the surface of the stone. While the stone is trying to reject liquids that can leave a stain, these sealers give you more time to wipe up a spill. Sealing is a must for all kitchen and bathroom areas including the floors. MARBLELIFE® impregnating sealer will reject both water and oily substances and are worth the extra investment to insure superior repellency results. High traffic floor areas should also be sealed to protect against water, oil and staining. Do not assume that your builder, installer or stone fabricator sealed your stone. Read the application directions on your sealer carefully to insure successful results. If you are still unsure please read about Sealing Natural Stone for more detailed instructions.

CLEANING Your Natural Stone (very important)
Standard household cleaners are not formulated to clean your natural stone. Even the use of water alone can have long-term detrimental effects on some stone.MARBLELIFE® INTERCARE® Cleanser Concentrate is recommended for safely cleaning your stone surface. Repeated use of this product will keep your stone looking fresh and add to the natural luster of the stone.Due to the softness of much of the stone used in your home, it is imperative that grit (sand and dirt) be kept of all surfaces. Grit is the main cause of scratches, especially on stone floors. Use a non-treated dust mop regularly to help keep the floor clean between damp mopping. We suggest that you damp mop your stone floor using an untreated string mop weekly with MARBLELIFE® INTERCARE® Cleanser Concentrate. Follow the directions. Remember to designate this mop and bucket for use only on your stone surfaces.Entry floors require walk off mats that will cover two adult steps. Remember to shake or wash off the matt frequently to remove the accumulated dirt. Be aware that rugs with rubber backs can leave marks in your stone requiring costly restoration to remove.

Note: It is advisable not to put standard floor waxes on your natural stone floor. These waxes can restrict the flow of air through the stone causing moisture related problems.Natural stone vanities, counters and walls can be cleaned with MARBLELIFE® INTERCARE® Cleanser Ready to Use Spray. Just spray the surface and clean with a soft natural fiber cloth. Natural stone vanities, countertops, shower walls or fireplace hearths can be polished with MARBLELIFE® Marble Cream. The application of this product will add shine and protection to the stone.Over-the-counter chemicals used to remove soap scum and mildew from your stone shower can ruin the surface, therefore requiring expensive restoration. Using MARBLELIFE® Marble, Tile and Stone Soap Scum Remover on a regular basis is more cost effective than having to pay a stone professional to restore your shower.

DO NOT USE THE FOLLOWING ON YOUR STONE:Acidic Tub & Tile Cleaners, Acidic Toilet Bowl Cleaners, Ammonia, Powered Abrasive Cleaners, Soft Paste Cleaners, Vinegar: Alcohol: Window Cleaners, Abrasive Cleaning Pads.

MARBLELIFE Opens 7th Flordia Franchise

2007-08-06T15:53:00.000-04:00

MARBLELIFE OPENS 7TH FLORIDA FRANCHISE

Sanford, FL – MARBLELIFE, Inc. opened its 7th Florida franchise and 45th domestic franchise. MARBLELIFE of Northwest Florida will service several counties in the “Panhandle” area of Florida as well as Baldwin County in the state of Alabama.

“We have wanted to open a franchise in the Panhandle for quite a while,” said John E. Freitag, President of MARBLELIFE, Inc.

MARBLELIFE of Northwest Florida joins our other Florida franchises (Central Florida, Northeast Florida, Sarasota/Bradenton, Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida, and Tampa Bay) in offering stone restoration and maintenance services, grout restoration services, and product distribution.

For more information visit us at www.marblelife.com or contact MARBLELIFE of Northwest Florida at 850-484-8500.

MARBLELIFE Expands In The West Again

2007-08-06T15:49:00.000-04:00

Sanford, FL (August 6, 2007) – MARBLELIFE opened its newest natural stone, tile, and grout restoration and maintenance service and distribution office in Los Angeles last month. The represents MARBLELIFE’s 42nd North American unit boosting coverage of the U.S. population to 47%.

“We have long had an eye on expanding our presence in the Southern California market,” said John E. Freitag, President of MARBLELIFE, Inc. “The Los Angeles office joins the San Diego office in covering this market.”

“The opening of the Los Angeles office helps support MARBLELIFE Inc.’s efforts to expand the West Coast presence”, said Alan Mayr, Chief Operating Officer of MARBLELIFE, Inc.

Los Angeles will provide stone restoration and maintenance services, grout restoration services, and product distribution.

MARBLELIFE specializes in restoring and maintaining the natural beauty of stone, tile, and grout surfaces.

For more information, visit MARBLELIFE at www.marblelife.com or contact our Los Angeles office at 310-677-3740.

Water Spots Keep Coming Back On Your Natural Stone Floor

2007-08-03T16:49:00.000-04:00

“I keep cleaning them up, they are gone, and then the next day they are right back.” If this sounds like you, the good news is that as frustrating as this may be, you are neither alone, nor without a solution. As with most problems the solution starts with understanding the root cause and what has happened. In most cases, we have been conditioned to believe that very little can damage a stone. Further anything “on” just needs to be cleaned or wiped off. Unfortunately, as with superman, some stones have their kryptonite, and in these cases it is a very common substance – acid. You do not have acid around your house you say? That cannot be safe you say? Consider this Cola’s are some of the most acidic liquids in our homes. Lemon juice, orange juice, tomato juice and coffee are all acidic. Ever heard the wives tale that says that vinegar is excellent for cleaning grout? You guessed it – acidic – use it today on the wrong stone and you may have bleached grout lines with heavy etches along the entire grout length on the tile. Okay so we have acids around the house in our daily lives.

Stone’s such as marble, travertine, salturnia and limestone are all formed from a compound called CaCO3 (calcium carbonate). CaCO3 will be dissolved in the presence of acid. When your floor, counter or shower was installed your tile was delivered with a polished surface, meaning the surface had been ground smooth. In some cases mirror reflective smooth. Acid will dissolve a small pit into this mirror surfaces, preventing light from properly reflecting, resulting in a blurring of the reflection, or said otherwise a dull spot. Enough damage and the area will take on a white chalky appearance.

So why does the spot disappear when cleaned? When we clean these pitted surfaces the cleaning liquid fills in the pit level to the stone. While the liquid is present the stone appears once again to have a mirror smooth surface. Light is actually bouncing off the surface of the liquid in these pits. Of course the effect is temporary, once the liquid evaporates or is removed the damaged appearance returns once again.

So what is a person to do? Repolish the surface level again, which means removing enough stone to get to the bottom of the pitted area and to a smooth surface once again. A light etch, which we define as one that cannot be felt when your run your finger over it (with your eyes closed), can typically be polished out with a polishing compound. MARBLELIFE manufactures and distributes a product for this purpose called Gold Plus Gloss RestorerTM. If you can feel the etch, this product will still return the gloss or shine, but you will need a professional stone craftsman to re-hone or re-level the stone else you will have a shine but will still be able to see a dimpled image or reflection in this area. If you are not sure what you have the Gold Plus Gloss Restorer is substantially less expensive than bringing in a professional craftsman making it a logical first step.

Is It You, Your Floor Cleaner, or The Floor?

2007-08-03T16:39:00.000-04:00

by Alan Mayr

Did you know …20% of stone, tile and grout floor restoration work is the result of inappropriate “cleaning?” The wives tale that vinegar is a wonderful grout cleaners is just that a wives tale. Vinegar proves can bleach and give the appearance of cleaning as it degrades the grout’s appearance in its own manner. Grout and many stone surfaces are acid sensitive. Vinegar and many off the shelf tile, grout and floor cleaners tend to be acidic. Acidic solutions have long been recognized as good “cleaners.” Unfortunately, acidic cleaners can have negative impact on surfaces.

So how should one clean these floors, stone, grout and tile? First, lets be clear on our definition of clean. Clean is the absence of dirt or oil on the surface. This can be accomplished with a pH neutral stone cleaner. MARBLELIFE makes such a product called Intercare Stone Cleaner (800-209-9596, http://www.marblelife.com/). This is a great product to maintain your floors, however if the damage has already been done we need to look elsewhere to restore the surface to its original appearance.

Have white spots or rings that keep coming back after you clean them? CaCO3 based stones such as limestone, marble, travertine, and salturnia to name a few will etch in the presence of an acid. The acid dissolves the stone causing microscopic pitts in the surface. The pitts show as dull areas or a loss of shine initially, forming white spots if the damage is more severe. These white spots, rings and “waterspots” disappear when cleaned with water, only to re-appear once the stone has fully dried. The water effectively fills these pits returning a smooth continuous reflective surface to the stone, effectively making the damaged areas difficult to see. Then when the water evaporates they re-appear.

So what is one to do to get rid of dull areas and white spots? Light etching and white spots can be removed using a polishing compound such as Gold Plus Gloss Restorer (MLDistribution 407-302-9297). This material is formulated to enable a homeowner to polish small areas of etched stone returning a glossy appearance to the stone. In severe cases where one can physically feel the damage, the shine can be returned, but a professional stone craftsman will be needed to level the stone for a consistent reflective image (MARBLELIFE, 800-209-9596).

What about cleaning my grout? In the case of grout, vinegar and acidic solutions can dissolve the dyes and pigments used to color the grout, bleaching the grout over time. On a cement colored or white grout this may not be noticeable, but on a tan or darker grout you may be trading a stained appearance for a lighter than normal appearance. Here again a pH neutral cleaner is the safest most effective means of cleaning your sealed grout. Failing to seal or to re-seal your stone and grout surfaces every few years opens the surface up to stain risks. Once stained the cost and effort required to correct the problem can far exceed the cost of periodic preventative maintenance.

What do I do about the grout stains that do not clean up? Stains result when a spill or dirty mop water enters the pores of an unsealed grout or tile carrying with it the colorants from the spill or liquid. To prevent this or reduce the risk of staining. It is important your stone and grout surfaces be sealed. This should be done with a penetrating sealer if you are seeking a solution that will not alter the stone finish or color, or a topical sealer if your are seeking to boost gloss or change grout color. While there are many claims to longevity of seals, most seals need to be replenished every 2 years or so. If your surface gets a wet look versus beading up when water is spritzed on it, you likely need to reseal your surface. If uncertain or uninterested in doing this yourself most stone maintenance companies can handle this on your behalf.

If you are unfortunate enough to be reading this as you lament your stained grout, you may be interested to know that sanded grout, the primary choice when working with a ceramic or porcelain floor, can be restored to a like new appearance with better than new stain resistance characteristics. MARBLELIFE offers a COLORSeal application which enables property managers, hotel managers and homeowners to restore their sanded grout to the original color or to change it if they desire. In most instances this process takes a day and results in a floor open to light traffic within 30 minutes of final application, and normal cleaning within 7-days. (MARBLELIFE, 800-209-9596)

The good news is that if you are unsatisfied with the appearance of your stone, tile or grout surfaces, in most cases these issues can be resolved. A professional craftsman will also walk you through the likely root causes, and how to maintain your surface safely and effectively after completing the process.

www.marblelife.com

MARBLELIFE merges with GROUTMASTER in Detroit

2007-08-03T16:30:00.000-04:00

MARBLELIFE of Southeast Michigan and GROUTMASTER merged operations in Detroit in April to create one of the largest stone, tile and grout restoration & maintenance companies in the region. GROUTMASTER specialized in grout restoration & care. Their techniques enable dirty and stain grout to be restored to its original appearance, effectively providing the owner a second chance. MARBLELIFE, the largest stone restoration and maintenance companies in the country, operates one of the largest operations in the city. MARBLELIFE specializes in restoring and maintaining natural stone surfaces such as marble, granite, travertine and terrazzo. Probably best known for the their guaranteed no-more-restoration maintenance programs. “Merging the companies simply made sense on so many levels.” Said Kirk VanMeerbeck “The combined companies enable us to leverage our combined size and skills to provide a broader range of services, deeper personnel strength and enhanced productivity. The result has been broader solution options for our clients.

“Combining GROUTMASTER’s leading grout restoration techniques with MARBLELIFE’s slate and flamed granite treatments enable us to provide unmatched restoration options. We already offered our commercial and hotel clients a no-more-restoration guaranteed maintenance on their natural stone, with the GROUTMASTER offering we are not able to extend our grouand quality personnel with MARBLELIFE stone restoration and maintenance capabilities enables us to provide our commercial and residential clients a broader array of services.” The combined company will operate under the MARBLELIFE-GROUTMASTER name before transitioning completely to the MARBLELIFE (800-209-9596) name in 6 months.

Today regardless of what is wrong with your stone, tile or grout surfaces MARBLELIFE-GROUTMASTER can restore it, and then provide a cost-effective simple maintenance program to maintain your restored appearance.

With more than 45 locations, MARBLELIFE is the largest network of professional stone craftsman in the country. Opening 6 to 9 units annually MARBLELIFE is also the fastest growing stone restoration company in the country. MARBLELIFE is committed to building the first national network of professional stone craftsman, capable of servicing any stone, tile or grout restoration, maintenance or care need.

http://www.marblelife.com/