Michael Pavilon is calling for suggestions, comments queries for a planned white paper on using and caring for marble, granite, limestone, slate, terrazzo and other stone flooring in lobbies.
The following main areas have been brainstormed hitherto:
1. What are the best cleaners and processes for natural stone
and does it make a difference which stone, which cleaner?
Does the kind of machine make a difference?
2. How often and when – seasonally- should the stone floors
be cleaned, treated, refinished, restored ??
3. What kind of protection should there be for the stone floors?
Do carpet runners really help or hinder? How about seals?
Top coats?
4. Should baseboards, edges and corners be treated any differently?
Why are they so problematic?
5. What can be done for cracks, hairline and otherwise, and
holes, chips?
6. How about those stains? What is oxidation? Why is standing
water so harmful? Can stains be eliminated? What’s the
difference between a stain and an etch?
7. What is the best process for producing luster on stone?
Are there really that many different processes ?
8. Do seals work or are they a waste? Does Granite ever need
to be sealed as a floor? Slate?
9. My Lobby looks beautiful! How can I keep it that way?
10. Pricing! How is pricing determined by professionals
in this field?
Proposed by Mike Pavilon – who is also the Chairman of
the Marble Institute of America’s Commercial/Historical
Restoration Committee – part of the MIA’s process to
produce a Handbook on ALL areas of restoration and
maintenance of Marble and Granite by approximately 25 of the
nation’s top refinishing and restoration of stone – owners.