Our Stone Honing Crew Restored the Shine of a Travertine Floor in Wethersfield

December 12, 2023

A Wethersfield resident had been tiptoeing around her travertine floors for weeks. No matter what she did to avoid scratching the stone, the floor had lost the effortless beauty that had adorned her living room area in the past.


The homeowner tweaked her cleaning methods but she avoided trying new cleaners out of fear of causing discoloration since she'd always loved the stone's earthy color. In the end, the floors were free of dirt but the travertine surface still looked worse for wear. It was obvious that the problem wasn't a lack of maintenance; the floor had gone too long without a good polish. The homeowner couldn't afford mistakes that could permanently damage the floor so she decided to contact our Wethersfield stone honing specialists.

It was easy for her to find Sir Grout Hartford online since she'd heard many good things about our services in the past. After reading about our stone restoration methods, the homeowner filled out the form to request an in-home evaluation. Our techs visited her house just a few days later.

The looked at the travertine floor and checked the surface for structural damage. In general, the stone kept all its durability but the tiles looked dull and unappealing. There were some etch marks near the edges of the wall and some parts of the tiles' design looked faded and less vibrant. The room's lighting did nothing to enhance the stone's natural shine, giving away flaws and ruining the illusion of a smooth texture.

When asked about it, the client confirmed that chemical-based products had been part of her cleaning sessions for years and she hadn't considered trying other cleaners until recently, not wanting to subject her floors to even more artificial formulas. Our techs explained that most of the products on the market would've led to a similar outcome. The damage caused by harsh cleaners doesn't happen overnight. It's through constant exposure to chemical ingredients that natural stone surfaces start losing their smoothness, gradually becoming more vulnerable to scratches and deterioration. The solution involved a thorough honing and polishing session with Sir Grout's special equipment. Our specialists offered their services to the homeowner and she gladly took the chance at the end of the appointment.

So, our experts returned the next day to pick up where they left off. They began cleaning the floors using a stone-safe formula to remove traces of dust and dirt that could be sitting on the surface. Because our cleaner has no harsh ingredients that could damage delicate stone surfaces, our team worked comfortably after soaking the surface. They used a high-speed scrubber to move things along and left the tiles spotless in record time.

Now, our team was ready to hone the stone. For this, they took multiple sets of diamond pads, each set with increasing levels of grit. Our experts ran every set on the floor's surface, adjusting the grit level on the diamond until all the tiles had the same matte finish. Then, our techs applied special polishing powders to achieve the desired effect, making the floor glow beautifully across different parts of the room.

For the last step, our crew applied sealant and buffed the floors thoroughly. Our stone sealant is essential to preserve the smoothness of travertine through the effects of wear and tear. The living room area served many purposes, so it had to look good at all times while withstanding foot traffic, mild impact, spills, and other common causes of surface damage.

After completing the restoration and checking the floors for the last time, our techs called the client back into the room. She loved the results at a glance and her satisfaction only grew as she got closer. The floor looked amazing and the travertine had regained all its former beauty.

The client was still worried about accidentally subjecting the floor to harsh treatment, so our techs gladly shared some tips to help her along the way. They explained that pH-neutral cleaners are the best way to avoid discoloration and deterioration, as shown by Sir Grout's Natural Hard Surface Cleaner. Our product causes no harm to natural stone and the lack of chemical ingredients only enhances its effectiveness. You can remove stains and preserve high-touch surfaces from etch marks; our cleaner is the ideal solution to optimize household cleaning methods. Our specialists also shared some suggestions to prevent scratching the floors while removing the dirt. Steel wools and similar tools can leave marks and ultimately expose the floor to more damage. Instead, we recommend using a towel, a terry cloth, or a regular mop. Any of these options will provide better results as long as homeowners remember to wash the tools in advance.

Our last recommendation for the homeowner was a general reminder on the maintenance of the home's ventilation system. Thankfully, the floor was in an open area, but harder-to-reach surfaces can suffer when there's not enough fresh air to counter the effects of moisture buildup. The homeowner thanked our specialists for their advice and started making plans to adjust her cleaning methods before we left her home.

Are you having trouble with the maintenance of natural stone surfaces? Sir Grout Hartford brings years of expertise and the latest equipment to assist you. Our specialists understand the risks of subjecting travertine to subpar methods, which is why we put all our care into providing the best stone honing services in the area. Just call (860) 781-6480 or schedule a free quote online to request an in-home evaluation. And don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter to learn about our latest promotions and updates.