All Kinds of Rocks, Fossils

Tumbled Stone

Natural Stone Care & Maintenance - Protect Your Investment With Routine Care And Maintenance

Shower Repairs Plus provides expert care for marble, granite, tumble stone, limestone, ceramics and porcelain surfaces – in both residential and corporate buildings.

We receive a large number of requests from householders who've had marble, granite, limestone or tumble stone recently installed and are experiencing problems. These vary from incorrect laying of the tiles to the wrong cleaners being used to maintain them.

By far the biggest problem seems to be in the sealing process. Either an incorrect sealant has been used or the correct one has been applied incorrectly. Correct fitting and sealing of your natural stone from the supplier will save you money in the long term and is best followed up by a suitable maintenance program which Shower Repairs Plus will happily provide to you. Well maintained natural stone and surfaces are immensely attractive and hard wearing.

The most common and costly mistake made by householders and cleaners is failing to recognise the chemical sensitivity of the particular stone.

A Contractor should be able to provide an on-site professional appraisal based on any of the following services:

Vitrification: Graded diamond discs or abrasive carbon pads are carefully worked across the floor surface to remove lippage, deep scratches and damage caused by non-specialist cleaning products or chemicals.

Honing: Using a medium to fine abrasive, the floor surface is lightly sanded back to remove surface scratches and etch marks. The result is an attractive matt finish. This process is also used to restore shower floor areas.

Scratch Removal: Using a hand held machine fitted with the appropriately graded pads it is possible to remove individual scratch marks from stone surfaces, depending on the depth of the scratch.

Polishing:  We can remove light surface staining micro scratches with crystallization polishing powder to produce a deep, reflective shine.

Stripping: Removal of existing wax, solvent and acrylic based polishes from stone surfaces.

Sealing: By applying a below the surface impregnator, this method repels and slows down the absorption of spillages into the stone surface.

Cleaning: Removal of spillages, minor etch marks, paint, glue, tape residue and minor surface staining.

Stain Removal: Deep set staining will require a special poultice application.

Repairs: Using a colour match epoxy resin to match the repair to as near as possible, our technicians can mend cracks, chips, holes and voids.

Re-grouting: We can remove and cut out existing grout joints and replace it with new, better grout.

Anti-Slip: Installation of resin and adhesive safety anti-slip treads for exterior and interior application.

About the Author

By Trent Moreland of Shower Repairs Plus

Design A Backsplash With Ceramic Tile Or Tumbled Stone

You have picked out a beautiful Granite kitchen countertop. Now you need a great looking backsplash. What can you do?

You could hire a professional designer, design your backsplash. That could cost a lot of money.

How about the guy at work who installs tile part time. He assures you, "Sure I can do that, trust me".

Having worked with hundreds of people create their very own kitchen countertop backsplashes, these are some of the ways a few people choose to have a new backsplash. In this article I will show you how to design your own backsplash the way you want it to look.

It is quite simple.

First design each backsplash wall individually. By this I mean select a wall above the countertop and figure out the design you want to attain.

Are you updating an older kitchen? Older kitchen sometimes resembled a U shape. Meaning the window and sink are in the back of the U and the two sides are cabinets and countertops.

Design the window sink wall last.

Step two.

Measure the length of the left wall in inches. Tile sizes are in inches or metric .Measuring in feet makes it harder to estimate the amount of tile you need, especially 3x6" tiles. The measurement from the top of the countertop to the underside of the cabinets is normally 17 to 18 inches.

Decide what size tile to use. Most common are 4x4, 6x6, 3x6 and 12x12. Go to a tile store and get various sizes to help determine what sizes you like. Ask this question of yourself. Do I want the tile set on a diagonal or straight pattern? Keep in mind, a 6 inch tile on diagonal measures approximately 8 1/2 inches.

A 17 inch high backsplash will take 2 six inch tile on diagonal, filling all or nearly all of the space. A four inch tile on diagonal measures 6 inches, tip to tip. Therefore for a 17 inch backsplash will require 3 four inch tiles on diagonal. A six inch tile, installed on a straight pattern, requires 3 tiles for a 17 inch backsplash.

4 four inch tile are required for a 17 inch backsplash. Most common grout line is 1/4 inch grout line. The use of inserts add to the overall look of the backsplash. Generally use a 2 inch insert with a six inch tile. Customarily a 4 inch tile looks better with a 1 inch insert. Adding inserts adds to the design beauty of the backsplash. Place inserts where you like them.

Word of caution. Do not use to many inserts. Inserts are only used to accent the tile design, not to be the focal point. Finish measuring the sink wall and other walls. Apply the same techniques on all walls except the sink wall . Between the window and the sink, the wall should have no inserts. Only the tile pattern, be it diagonal or straight. To many inserts on the walls ajacent to the windows, may give a "too busy" look.

Extend the same pattern used on the left wall for the remaining backsplash walls. Using this method of laying out your backsplash helps you determine how many tiles you will need. Allow 15% over the amount you need for cuts.

Example: You need 44 six inch tile, order 8 additional tiles. Selecting tile or stone is so much easier when you know exactly what you need. You have a good idea of the amount of tile needed and how much the tile will cost.

You are now the design master of your countertop tile backsplash. ===================================================

About the Author

Alan Grundemeier has planned, designed and completed many tile and stone projects to enhance the beauty of customer's homes. More kitchen design ideas available at:=> http://hopurl.com/47384