Yes, terrazzo repair is possible. This example is from a floor in an old business in the North Shore of Pittsburgh that was converted into a residence. Initially from Connecticut, Chase Brass and Copper company had an mill warehouse in Pittsburgh. It closed sometime around 1960, but Chase still operates in Montpelier, Ohio. This terrazzo…
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While we were visiting these two amazing sights this summer I began to wonder: What would this granite look like on my countertop? After all, the stone appears so white. Is it a white granite? Well no not at all. I was looking like a hawk for a stone from Mt. Rushmore. I wanted…
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When someone calls me about white marble with staining, I make sure to convey realism about the potential project. “The marble is what it is.” White marbles contain iron. So when it has prolonged exposure to water or moisture, guess what happens? It rusts. And it’s not some surface rust you can scrap off. It’s…
DetailsFirst, remember the 4 main “enemies” of your newly polished floor. Easy to remember, AAAA: Acids, Abrasions, Apathy, and Animals. All four of these come into play with your maintenance, so let’s discuss them as we talk about how to maintain your floor. (You can also scroll down to the end if you want to…
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Maybe you have just bought a new home or a new place of business. Let’s say it was built or remodeled in the ’80s or even early ’90s. There’s a marble entryway. You know marble is usually a more expensive floor to have installed than, let’s say, ceramic tile. And natural stone is a beautiful…
DetailsIt’s a classic look. Small hexagon shaped marble tiles in a bathroom. Reminiscent of the old-school mosaic flooring in historic homes. But if you are planning to have it installed in your bathroom, here are somethings to keep in mind. Marble is sensitive to anything acidic. It doesn’t matter what sealer you put on it.…
DetailsYou spent a ton of money to get the perfect marble that you absolutely love. Problem is, many times the sales person or designer who “sold you” on the stone has given you little or no guidance on marble maintenance. You can easily “destroy” the marble with products you use everyday. Some of those products…
DetailsThe short answer: you need to get some help on this one. If your marble shower was once shiny, but now it’s dull with streaks, it needs restored. Cleaning it won’t solve the problem. Trying to quick polish it won’t give a good result either. But that’s where we come in. Restoring a shower isn’t…
DetailsCan you imagine if 3 million people walked on your floor in your home every year? So now you can imagine the beating the Taj Mahal gets. And the almost 400 year-old stone floor is staying strong. But the outside marble and limestone has taken a beating, but still pretty good for 400…
DetailsIn striking contrast to the Taj Mahal are three other buildings, aligned symmetrically east, west, and south of the Taj. They are all made of red sandstone from surrounding cities. The building to the west is a mosque, still used by visiting Muslims. An identical building to the east is for… well, nothing. It was…
DetailsJaipur is one of the most populated and well known Maharaja Cities in Rajastan, India. It is known as the pink city, because the Maharaja had the city walls and buildings painted pink in 1876 to welcome the Prince of Wales. Pink is a very “auspicious” color in Rajastan, and in this case it was…
DetailsIn the back alleys of India, first-time visitors often find things they do not expect. And I wasn’t talking about the cow here. It’s the polished limestone “porch” and steps in the background. There were not too many places where we saw this stone in a smooth, high polish. Especially not outside. …
DetailsTouring through the Golden Fort Palace, a particular stone instantly stuck our eye. Jaisalmer is known for it’s golden limestone, but this one is unique: It is called Abur, from a quarry by that name. It is a darker brown with bright yellow/orange spots and markings. In the palace, and in the Jain temples,…
DetailsThe golden fort of Jaisalmer, India, is largely comprised of a golden limestone. When polished, it has a darker gold color. It occasionally has darker pink spots as well.
Mixing finish types of a natural stone can create a very neat look for a floor- until the floor needs restored down the road.
Here’s a nice example of polished granite next to honed granite in the terminal. This is a lighter traffic area and it is holding up well.
Mumbai’s domestic airport has gneiss floors through out, and they do a nice job of keeping the airport clean. (The new international terminal is spotless.) This is a good example of why gneiss (commonly just sold to you as granite) needs regular sealing, whereas true geological granites you can get away with more of a…
DetailsFounded in the 11th century, this fort was used well into the 1700s. It was one of the most powerful forts during the medieval time. The lower walls were built to protect the city, with additional walls, moats, and maze passages up many stairs to protect the citadel up top (you can see on…
DetailsOutside the city of Aurangabad, sits a collection of 34 caves carved into temples. . The Hindu caves date from around 600-800 AD and the Jain temples date from 800-1000 AD. Not only are most of the stone carvings, but the original fresco is still observable in many places… Mostly inside on the ceilings and…
DetailsThis fortress, with upper sections with a lighthouse and lower fort with bastions, was built by the Portuguese in 1612 to defend their assets in Goa, and also to store fresh water for their ships. Both the upper and lower fort is made of laterite. Laterite rock rich in iron and aluminium, formed in…
DetailsFacing the Mumbai Harbor, this gate was finished in 1924 to honor the royal visit of British King George V and Queen Mary in 1911.
It is made of yellow basalt, and the architecture is a Gujarat Islamic style.
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