Restoring Marble Floor Polish
by Julie
QUESTION:I have black with white grain and tan variegated marble in my foyer where it gets a lot of traffic. It has completely lost its shine and has some scratching. It only looks shiny when it is wet. I have tried some commercial marble polishers and restorers purchased from floor and countertop stores specializing in marble, none of which did anything to restore the shine. Is there anyway to restore the shine on this floor and if so, how can I protect it in the future? Thanks.ANSWER:The reason your marble floor has lost its shiny polish is precisely because of all the foot traffic it gets.... it simply got worn away.Stone can be surfaced with several different styles of finish... polished, honed, tumbled, flamed, etc. depending on the desired look and use for the stone. A shiny polished finish is NOT the result of some chemical application. It is achieved by grinding and essentially sanding the surface so smooth that it shines. But it can become rough and dull again with constant wear and tear. That's why most floors are honed (matte finish) rather than polished. A polished floor is HIGH maintenance.... especially marble. Marble polishing creams only work for very minor damage/dulling of the surface. You don't have to worry about staining too much since polished marble is pretty stain resistant, but etching from spilled soda pop or wine is much more noticeable on polished stone and, as noted, the polish will wear away as the surface is removed little by little with foot traffic requiring regular re-polishing. Nothing you can do to "prevent" it unless you cover the high traffic areas/paths with rugs, clean the rugs often and sweep often. But even then, the polish will eventually wear away. To restore the polish you will need the services of a professional. I'd suggest that you have the surface honed. Honing marble will also require a professional, but a honed surface will not show the wear nearly as much as a polished surface if at all. That will save you the constant irritation of the marble looking worn and the inevitable need and expense to regularly re-polish the marble. Or just leave it and let it age naturally. The great thing about marble, especially on the floor, is that it still looks great when worn (many like that look even better) and it will last forever with near zero expense unless you want it to look perfect, shiny and new every day. Then it's a constant battle. But if you want it shiny, then find a good re-polisher because you'll need 'em again. Good Luck, Ryan
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