Having gained an understanding from part one of this series of how marble and limestone is formed and from what it is formed it is now possible to put together a coherent maintenance programme so that there will be no disappointment. It is important to fully understand all aspects of such natural flooring before it is installed so that you can gain a full appreciation of the likely future costs of having such material in your premises.

As there is considerable variation in the pressures, minerals present and temperatures reached during the rock formation crystallisation will not be perfect and sedimentation will not be perfect either. Consequently there will be minute spaces between the crystals and sometimes not so minute spaces. These spaces are important as they allow the stone to 'breathe' and for water to escape out of the stone. Anything that prevents these two activities can have a bad effect on the colouration of the stone and its longevity. Consequently it is important that when the stone is 'sealed' only an impregnating sealant is used and not a surface sealant.

Now we will presume that you have had your stones laid correctly and the impregnator applied correctly. How do you now maintain this wonderful natural effect whilst maintaining the shine?

If the floor is subject to high traffic then it must be dry mopped frequently to remove the dust particles. Dust particles will be rubbed against the stone surface by the friction with feet. This constant rubbing action will result in very tiny scratches appearing in the calcium carbonate crystals which will immediately dull the shine. Consequently keeping dust off the stones is very important. So at the entrance should be matting which acts as a trap to collect much of the dirt before it can be transferred to the stone floor. There will always be a fair proportion that does get through therefore the need to dust mop frequently. The frequency obviously depends upon the foot fall.

Then at least once per day the floor should be damped mopped using a neutral ph cleaner very diluted in water. The floor should never be over wetted, with the mop very firmly wrung out before using. This ensures that you do not get water penetration into the stone which can cause discolouration and other problems but the dust and dirt will be easily removed. Frequent rinsing of the mop is also advised so as not to allow any build up of the dust and dirt within the mop which itself can result in scratching. Also be very careful in your choice of the cleaning chemical. It may say that it is pH neutral but if it contains surfactants or chelating agents then it could develop acidic properties during use. So it is best to choose a pH neutral cleaner which has very few additives.

Having instigated a thorough cleaning regime then the floor should maintain its brilliance for some time but ultimately it will develop scratches and begin to lose its shine. How quickly this happens will again depend upon its degree of use. In commercial buildings it may be as little as one week whilst in a domestic setting it may be one to two years. However once it happens there is then a need for the next stage in the maintenance programme and that is in restoring the shine.