See How Our Stone Honing Experts Modernized the Appearance of a Worn-Out Travertine Floor in Hilton Head Island, SC

June 18, 2023

Travertine is one of the most desirable flooring materials. Not only is this type of material incredibly durable, but it also requires less maintenance compared to most natural stones. Like many other hard surfaces, it might lose its charm over time if it's not properly maintained. That was the case for a homeowner in Hilton Head Island, SC. He had recently inherited a beautiful home from his late grandfather. One of his favorite features in the house was the elegant travertine floor in the living room, where he had spent many years playing with his siblings during his childhood.


The house was built in the late nineties, and the floor had never received proper maintenance. High foot-traffic and abrasive cleaners eventually took a toll on the floor and made it appear dull and etched. Since the homeowner and his family considered the house to be invaluable, they decided to keep it and renew every inch of it. While they could solve most of the house's problems on their own, they knew they needed the help of professionals to restore the travertine floor. The homeowner went online and searched for stone honing experts in Hilton Head Island. He found Sir Grout of the Lowcountry in the top search results, and after watching several video testimonials, he called to schedule a free evaluation.

On the appointed date, we went to the customer's house and assessed the surface. Apart from the visibly dingy grout lines and the scratches on the tiles, we noticed that the colors of the travertine were muted, and the tiles had several watermarks. Those marks proved that the porous surface of the stone was completely exposed.

Travertine is porous, and even though there are some varieties that have a lower absorption rate, the stone needs to be sealed to prevent water permeation and stains. Given these circumstances, we recommended a thorough stone restoration procedure. We would clean, hone, polish, and seal the natural stone surface using our proprietary products. The homeowner accepted our offer and set up an appointment for the next day.

We returned to the client's home the following day to perform the service. We began by cleaning the entire surface using our soap-free cleaner and a high-speed scrubber. Our proprietary cleaner is safe for natural stone. Since we had to make sure the surface was completely clean before we began the honing procedure, we used a steam cleaner to ensure any trace of soil was completely eradicated.

Once we finished cleaning, we honed the floor. To do this, we used low and mid-grit diamond pads across the entirety of the surface until the etch marks and water stains were eliminated. Next, we polished the floor to a nice glossy finish. Now that we had renewed the natural stone, we had to seal it in order to preserve its appearance. We coated the travertine floor with our flagship sealant Stone Armor. This is an impregnating sealant that seals the stone's pores, protecting it against water, etch marks, and stains.

When we finished, we let the client and his family see their brand-new travertine floor. They were very pleased with the results. It was the first time the homeowner had seen the floor in that state. He thanked us for the job and promised to call back for maintenance.

Before leaving, we gave the homeowner and his family a few recommendations. We first suggested regularly cleaning the floor using a pH-neutral stone-safe cleaning solution like our proprietary cleaner Sir Grout's Natural Hard Surface Cleaner. We also advised them to perform frequent checks on the sealant to ensure it's working. To do this, they should place a few drops of water on the floor. If the water is absorbed, the floor must be re-sealed.

Are your stone surfaces in dire need of a touch-up? Contact Sir Grout of the Lowcountry, is a leading expert in hard surface restoration. We have the necessary tools and expertise to offer the best stone restoration services in the industry. Call us at (843) 920-5559 or fill out the "Request a Quote" form on this page to schedule a free evaluation today. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with our latest news and promotions.

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