What ARC Marble can do for your current tiles and grout
Compare the before/after of some of the tile cleaning and restoration we have completed.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO RESTORE YOUR TILES AND GROUT RIGHT AWAY
Prevent water damage and expensive re-works | Health and hygiene | The aesthetics of the area
Use the following as a checklist to see what is needed for your rooms:
Water Penetration
Water penetration outside the shower doors on the wall and below the shower curb.
Mold
Mold on the surface and mold that goes deep into grout and tile/stone. Visibly noticeable or a moldy smell that lingers despite superficial cleaning.
Build Up
Build up – dirt, soap scum, water deposits etc. on shower walls and floors.
Grout Discoloration
Grout discoloration – grout dirt, soap, and other build ups leaving the grout much darker than its original color. Re-new with a deep clean or if the grout can’t be cleaned – remove and re-do new and seal.
Shower Walls
Shower walls: Bottom courses of tile going up from the shower floor up 3 + courses of tile darkening. Usually indicates caulking at the shower floor and wall has been compromised allowing water to wick-up the wall and cause the tile to darken. And/or water building up in the shower pan and not draining due to improper shower pan and drain system installation. ARC Marble and Tile can correct this.
Susceptible Areas
Susceptible areas: Shower curbs can and tend to open up at the grout/caulk joint. In that it is under the lip of the curb and not seen unless you get on your hands and knees and look under; it can create a problem for some time before it shows up as a problem to the owner. It could show up as a leak outside the shower curb, a leak in an area below that bath or other extremes like the shower curb cracking or tile under the curb – inside and out becoming loose and falling off. The framing under the tile is usually 2×4 lumber covered with cement board. If compromised the wood swells cracking tile and shower curb and opening up the joints causing more damage. We’ve on more than one occasion had to dismantle the shower door and re-do the whole curb and substructure below it. We’ve seen the extremes of the wood framing below be completely black with mold and totally crumbling. Other areas of compromise are shower niches and shower seats.
Vanity Tops
Vanity tops discolored, scratched and/or chipped. Backsplash open joint along water and dirt to get in there. Tops can be re-polished or re-honed (a matte finish opposed to a polished look).
Grout and Tile Sealing
Great grout is fantastic, but it needs to have a strong sealant on it to keep it that way. After all thorough cleaning is done, we will re-seal the tile and grout.
Future Proofing
Periodic maintenance programs are available to ensure no damage of expensive bathroom renovations or stone or tile work occurs. Keep areas looking new and fresh. Bring back to its original luster if complete renovations aren’t in the near future. Ready a summer homes prior to the season for a distraction free summer stay. Regular cleaning personnel aren’t usually trained to handle stone and tile the way they should be, so bring in the professionals NOW!
Wood or Structural Damage
ARC is capable of doing some of the light carpentry to restore a shower if the damage went beyond the tile to the substrate. We’re able to coordinate with our custom glass door company that we exclusively use for removal and re-installation of doors and panels. Or in some instances the customer wants a new shower door. We’re able to do that as well. We are capable of sometimes matching existing tile or slab to replace damaged product or we just use a customers’ reserve/surplus from the original job. Of course the alternative to any of the above if too expensive is to do all new installations and in this case we are capable of helping with this in every facet.
Definitions
Grout
Cement based material colored to a desired color for the tile being used.
Polishing
The action and use of polishing materials with machines to bring an etched or dulled surface back to its original polish/shine.
Honing
The action of bringing back a uniformed matte finish back opposed to the polished look.
Caulking
Colored siliconized and latex based material used for areas of movement eg: where wall meets wall, where shower floor meets walls, under shower curbs, shower seats and shower niches. Any area that has contraction and expansion over time. If grouts are used in these areas they tend to crack and open up as the grout is a rigid material and has no flexibility thus exposing the sub-surface which then causes damage.
Sealing
The action of applying a professional material that penetrates the material and protects it from staining and other discoloration for both the tile and the grout.
Waterproofing
The use of a liquid membrane on the sub surface prior to tile installation that ensures water and moisture doesn’t penetrate the surfaces and keeps the framing integrity intact.