Questions about your natural stone. Answered honestly.

Polishing works on the finish layer. Diamond abrasives remove the outermost layer of the stone and rebuild it to a consistent finish. When scratches, etching or damage have penetrated below the finish layer, polishing alone cannot reach them. Restoration uses coarser abrasives to remove the compromised stone entirely before rebuilding to the original finish. The right answer depends on how deep the damage goes. We assess before deciding which one is needed.

Almost certainly. Etching is the dissolution of the stone surface by acid. The dull patch that will not clean off is where a fraction of the stone itself was removed by the acid. Repairing it requires honing the surrounding surface down to the depth of the etch and polishing both back up together. Most etch marks are correctable. The ones that have been treated with acidic cleaning products over months are more work but still addressable in most cases.

Three drops of water on the surface. Leave them for a few minutes. If they bead the sealer is holding. If they darken and absorb the stone is unprotected. Most granite and marble in a working kitchen should be resealed annually. The water drop test tells you whether that time has come regardless of how long it has been since the last sealing.

pH neutral only. Most household cleaners sit outside the pH 7 neutral zone that is safe for natural stone. Acidic cleaners etch calcium carbonate stones including marble, travertine, limestone and onyx. Alkaline cleaners degrade impregnating sealers on all porous stone over time. The label that says safe for all surfaces was not written with your marble counter in mind. We recommend a specific pH neutral cleaner after every evaluation visit.

Some surface maintenance can be handled at home with the right products. Deep scratch removal, etch repair, chip repair and full restoration require professional equipment and the correct abrasive sequence for the specific stone. Attempting these without the right tools and knowledge typically makes the problem larger. Tread carefully. If in doubt contact us for an assessment before attempting anything.

It depends entirely on the stone, the damage and the surface area. A single etch mark on a vanity can be addressed in under an hour. A full floor restoration across a large entrance hall is a day or more. We assess the job before quoting time or cost. Every job gets an honest estimate before work begins.

Yes for chip and crack repair. Quartz is engineered stone not natural stone and does not respond to diamond abrasive polishing the way natural stone does. Chips and cracks in quartz can be colour matched and filled. We do not polish or restore quartz surfaces. If your quartz countertop has a chip or crack we can assess it and advise on what is achievable.

Yes. We serve Toronto, the GTA and cottage country including Muskoka, Haliburton and the Kawarthas. Travel charges may apply for locations outside Toronto depending on distance and job scope. Contact us to discuss your location.