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Dull Travertine Kitchen Floor Burnished and Polished in Ashbourne

This customer had some real difficulty in getting their fantastic Travertine tiled kitchen area looking as good as it should. The cleaning methods they had previously employed were unable to prevent the tiles from appearing dull, and the customer was also unable to deal with the displeasing marks and small cracks damaging the stone. Keen to get the floor back to looking its best, the customer called me down to their property, which overlooks the beautiful countryside area of Ashbourne, to see what could be done to restore the tiles. Upon my arrival at the property, I assessed the situation and resolved that the best way to restore the polish and general appearance of the floor was to use a process known as burnishing. The burnishing process, which involves the application of four diamond encrusted polishing pads of varying grit, works to grind away ingrained dirt while smoothing and polishing rough surfaces. Most commonly we use burnishing to restore the shine to Limestone and Marble tiles, but it can be used on most types of natural stone floor where a deep polish is required. To start the process, I applied the Coarse 400 grit burnishing pad to the floor using a small amount of water as lubrication in order to break down and remove any old sealer from the stone. Once this had been done across the entirety of the floor, I removed any soiled water with a wet-vac machine; this removal of soiled residue was repeated after each use of a burnishing pad. Next, I moved on to the Medium 800 grit pad which is less coarse than the 400 grit, but still rough enough still to break down layers of ingrained dirt. I followed this up with the application of a Fine 1500 grit pad, which started to smooth down the rough areas of the surface to prepare the floor for a final polish with an even finer burnishing pad later on. Before moving straight on to the final of the four pads, I took the time to carefully fill in the all of the small cracks and holes in the stone, before leaving the floor to dry until the next day. The next morning, I returned to the property to finish off the floor restoration. As soon as I arrived I used a damp tester to make sure the floor was completely dry. Noticing a number of small damp spots, I opted to use my heat gun to speed up the drying process. Once the floor was completely dry, I used the Very Fine 3000 burnishing pad – the last of the four – without any lubricant to finally achieve a high quality polished finish. For polished floors it is recommended to use an impregnating sealer that penetrates into the pores of the stone rather than sitting on the surface of the floor, as this ensures the quality of the polish isn’t damaged. As such I opted to use Tile Doctor Colour Grow to seal the tiles. This is a colour intensifying sealer that provides durable surface protection and allows the surface to breathe whilst enhancing the natural colours in the stone. It’s important that any sealer that doesn’t penetrate into the stone is removed by polishing it off with a cloth. After completing the seal, I went over the floor for a final time with the 3000 grit diamond burnishing pad to leave a smooth and shiny polished finish. Needless to say that the customer was very happy with result as they had never before been able to get the floor looking this good! Tony Olmet Derbyshire Tile Doctor

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

One of the most popular hardwood floor finishing which offers Tom & Peter Flooring is provided by WOCA. If you’ve decided that you want a natural looking wooden floor that is lacquer-free, then the likelihood is that you’ve chosen oil as your way of protecting your wood and making your floor look great at the same time. WOCA for wood flooring comes in various forms and is a great way of making sure that your wood is protected, but at the same time looks natural. A highly popular as well as effective way of treating wood floors, oils effectively penetrate into the wood and in some cases harden into the surface of the floor to stop damage and to maintain the wood in its optimum condition. WOCA Oil finish hardwood flooring has taken the United States market by in 2014 and shows no signs of slowing down in 2016 and now. Here are some of the most common questions we have regarding this type of finish which we will I’m to answer in today’s my blog: Is oil finish as durable as traditional factory urethane finishes with aluminum oxide? When it comes to durability, oil finish flooring tackles the issue with a completely different method. The penetrating oil serves as protection from moisture and wear while allowing the user to feel the wood grains in their bare feet. If compared directly to factory finished aluminum oxide finish, the oil finish flooring will not perform as well to abrasion and impact. However, the beauty of this finish is the fact that it will camouflage any scratches which will inevitably accumulate over time. Will this finish evaporate over time and will this be harmful for indoor air quality? Another concern for oil finished floors its effect on indoor air quality. For on-site applications, some varieties suggest several coats which typically require the residents to be out of the home due to mild odors. However, there are factory finished UV-cured or single coat applications which lessen the downtime. Despite the odors produced during the drying process, oil finish floors rank amongst the lowest for VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions. Certain brands even boast true zero VOC. This fact alone makes oil finished floors one of the best options for green building solutions. “WOCA products are certified by independent laboratories, the German Institute for Biological Building Materials, and are in accordance with DIN–Norm 53–160. WOCA WoodCare Denmark products meet or exceed the most stringent U.S. standards for volatile organic compounds.” –WOCA Oil Finish Manufacture Does this type of finish require additional maintenance which I am not familiar with? For weekly cleaning, oiled floors use a special cleaner which contains an oil and soap mixture. After a period of 12-18 months some oil may evaporate causing the wood grains to appear dry. An additional layer of oil can be reapplied to keep the floor looking fresh. Although oil finished floors require more involvement in periodic maintenance in high traffic areas, this maintenance can be done much easier than the equivalent of an onsite sand and refinish. WOCA Master Color Oil contains pigment, which provides a single-step hardwood floor staining process. Laying down the stain and the finish in one step. This product comes 14 different colors, from Black to Extra White, and you can mix them freely to create various color palettes that will meet the demands of any job. Below are some pictures of the finished job…

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

Find the right local pro for your project

Find top design and renovation professionals on Houzz

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

South Haven Cabin

Allegretti Architects, Inc.

Exterior home photo in Grand Rapids

Wayzata residence

American Hardwood Flooring LLC

This is a new constuction project where we installed a engineered hand scraped walnut floor. We finished it with a penetrating finish,
Example of a large dark wood floor living room design in Minneapolis

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

Passeig de Gràcia - Barcelona

Jeanne Schultz Design Studio

Words by Wilson Hack The best architecture allows what has come before it to be seen and cared for while at the same time injecting something new, if not idealistic. Spartan at first glance, the interior of this stately apartment building, located on the iconic Passeig de Gràcia in Barcelona, quickly begins to unfold as a calculated series of textures, visual artifacts and perfected aesthetic continuities. The client, a globe-trotting entrepreneur, selected Jeanne Schultz Design Studio for the remodel and requested that the space be reconditioned into a purposeful and peaceful landing pad. It was to be furnished simply using natural and sustainable materials. Schultz began by gently peeling back before adding only the essentials, resulting in a harmoniously restorative living space where darkness and light coexist and comfort reigns. The design was initially guided by the fireplace—from there a subtle injection of matching color extends up into the thick tiered molding and ceiling trim. “The most reckless patterns live here,” remarks Schultz, referring to the checkered green and white tiles, pink-Pollack-y stone and cast iron detailing. The millwork and warm wood wall panels devour the remainder of the living room, eliminating the need for unnecessary artwork. A curved living room chair by Kave Home punctuates playfully; its shape reveals its pleasant conformity to the human body and sits back, inviting rest and respite. “It’s good for all body types and sizes,” explains Schultz. The single sofa by Dareels is purposefully oversized, casual and inviting. A beige cover was added to soften the otherwise rectilinear edges. Additionally sourced from Dareels, a small yet centrally located side table anchors the space with its dark black wood texture, its visual weight on par with the larger pieces. The black bulbous free standing lamp converses directly with the antique chandelier above. Composed of individual black leather strips, it is seemingly harsh—yet its soft form is reminiscent of a spring tulip. The continuation of the color palette slips softly into the dining room where velvety green chairs sit delicately on a cascade array of pointed legs. The doors that lead out to the patio were sanded down and treated so that the original shape and form could be retained. Although the same green paint was used throughout, this set of doors speaks in darker tones alongside the acute and penetrating daylight. A few different shades of white paint were used throughout the space to add additional depth and embellish this shadowy texture. Specialty lights were added into the space to complement the existing overhead lighting. A wall sconce was added in the living room and extra lighting was placed in the kitchen. However, because of the existing barrel vaulted tile ceiling, sconces were placed on the walls rather than above to avoid penetrating the existing architecture.

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

2013 KC Better Homes & Garden's Best Green & Best Custom Home Over $1 Million

Extraordinary Homes

Image Quest Photography - All tiled floors and walls have a water penetrating membrane, to avoid water damage from leaks. Fortified grout was used on all tiled surfaces (with water near) for longevity and to inhibit mold.

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

Glossy Sealer For Brick Pavers | Wet Look Brick Paver Sealer

All Surface Restoration

Paver Gloss Sealer is a professional grade wet look brick paver sealer that adds a rich, glossy appearance. It contains 20% acrylic solids & creates a lasting wet look on brick pavers. Esthetically pleasing, it beautifies and enriches the colors while protecting pavers against fading caused by the sun's UV rays. It forms a protective film, preventing the penetration of oil, water dirt & stains from the environment. This solvent based clear acrylic sealer penetrates to creating a lasting finish that will resist the assaults of elements such as the freeze-thaw cycles, sun, rain, and snow. It’s a great choice for high traffic area’s, which require maximum protection against abrasion, such as driveways. Paver Gloss Sealer can be purchased in 5 Gallon pails shipped via UPS ground to all 48 U.S. States EXCEPT Alaska & Hawaii at http://surfacerestoration.com/shop

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

H Residence

D-Trac Construction Inc.

D-Trac Construction was contacted to address condensation issues within the walls of the bathroom area related to un-sealed attic and wall penetrations. Corrective actions included full removal/replacement of blown-in attic insulation, sealing all vapour barrier penetrations, inspect and install pot light hats, demolition of tile tub surround, removal/replacement of vapour barrier/insulation, application of antimicrobial agent, drywall repairs and installation of new tile tub surround.

Woca Diamond - Custom Hand Scraped Wood - Chicago

Tom Brzoskwinia

Concrete Driveway Sealer | Concrete Driveway Sealant | Matte Look Concrete Seale

All Surface Restoration

Concrete Driveway Sealer is necessary to maintain the beauty of your investment and protect against staining and damage. Many people think of concrete as a highly durable material. While this is true, concrete is also a porous material that is highly susceptible to staining, salt & water damage. To prevent damage, a penetrating coating of protective sealant can be applied over the surface of the driveway. Surface Saver siloxane sealer creates an invisible, impenetrable barrier that shields driveways from staining, road salt and water damage. Over time sealant can be worn away, exposing the underlying concrete to stains & moisture penetration. As such, it is important to reapply Surface Saver Sealer on a regular basis. This is especially true in high-traffic areas. Concrete driveways should be re-sealed at least once every two to three years. Surface Saver Sealer can be purchased in 5 Gallon pails shipped via UPS ground to all 48 U.S. States EXCEPT Alaska & Hawaii at http://surfacerestoration.com/shop