Floor Polishing Services
Limestone, Marble, Travertine & Terrazzo Floor Cleaning, Polishing & Restoration
Genuine restoration project · Chertsey
Set within the Surrey countryside near Chertsey, Weybridge and Addlestone, Botleys Mansion is an impressive Grade II* listed Palladian country house dating from the 18th century. With its grand architecture, historic interiors and extensive grounds, this beautiful Surrey property provided an exceptional setting for one of our more challenging natural stone floor restoration projects.
We were commissioned to carry out professional marble and limestone floor restoration to the main entrance, where years of incorrect maintenance had left the natural stone looking dirty, yellowed and unnatural.
**The Problem – Scratched, Coated & Dull Natural Stone**
We were originally called to Botleys Mansion to investigate two large scratches that had appeared on the entrance floor following a photography shoot.
Fortunately, after inspecting the floor, we discovered that the scratches were mainly within a topical seal or coating that had previously been applied over the natural stone rather than deep within the stone itself.
However, this uncovered a much bigger problem.
The limestone floor and black marble inlays had previously been covered with an unsuitable surface coating. Over time, this had become dirty, yellowed and worn, giving the historic stone an unnatural, almost plastic-looking appearance.
Rather than enhancing the limestone and marble, the coating was hiding the natural colour, character and beauty of the floor.
**Removing the Old Seal & Surface Coating**
The first major challenge was removing the existing coating without damaging the historic limestone and marble underneath.
We used specialist stripping products together with suitable floor pads to gradually break down and remove the old seal coats.
This proved to be a difficult and extremely labour-intensive process. We deliberately avoided aggressive or overly coarse floor pads because these could have scratched or damaged the natural limestone beneath.
In many areas, machinery alone could not remove the coating, meaning sections had to be carefully worked on by hand using scrapers.
It was a slow and messy process, but correctly removing the old coating was essential before any meaningful limestone or marble restoration could begin.
**Deep Cleaning the Limestone Floor**
Once the old surface coatings had been removed, we were finally able to work directly with the natural stone.
The limestone was professionally deep cleaned to remove ingrained dirt, residues and contamination that had accumulated through years of use and previous maintenance.
This immediately began to reveal the warmer and more natural appearance of the original limestone.
**Restoring the Black Marble Inlays**
The decorative black marble inlays required a different restoration process.
We diamond honed the black marble to remove the scratches and surface imperfections before progressively refining the stone through the diamond polishing stages.
The marble was diamond skimmed and diamond polished using specialist abrasives before being powder polished to create a deep, clear and highly reflective finish.
Restoring the contrast between the lighter limestone and polished black marble dramatically improved the appearance of the entire entrance floor.
**Diamond Polishing the Marble & Limestone Floor**
With the coating removed and the damaged areas addressed, we continued refining and polishing the natural stone to restore the finish throughout the main entrance.
Unlike the previous topical coating, which created an artificial plastic-like shine, professional natural stone polishing works with the stone itself.
The result is a much more natural finish that enhances the colour, character and depth of the limestone and marble rather than covering it with an artificial surface film.
**Sealing & Protecting the Restored Natural Stone**
Once the marble and limestone restoration was complete, the entire entrance floor was professionally sealed.
Correct sealing helps protect porous natural stone against staining and contamination while allowing the restored limestone and marble to retain their natural appearance.
This is particularly important in a busy entrance area at an events and wedding venue where the floor experiences substantial foot traffic.
**Historic Grout & Future Restoration Work**
Ideally, we would also have liked to rake out sections of the existing grout and completely re-grout the floor.
However, this additional work was outside the available budget for this stage of the restoration.
Our specialist tiling team can carry out this work at a later date if required. That said, some of the aged grout adds character to the floor and is sympathetic to the age and history of the property. With a historic floor such as this, absolute perfection isn't always necessary – retaining some evidence of its age can be part of its appeal.
**A Dramatic Transformation to the Main Entrance**
The completed restoration made a huge difference to the main entrance.
Removing the yellowed, plastic-looking coating allowed the natural limestone and black marble to become part of the room again rather than being hidden beneath an artificial surface finish.
The entrance became brighter, more elegant and considerably grander – much more in keeping with the architecture and character of this impressive Surrey property.
One of the most striking features was the reflection of the chandelier across the newly polished floor. Particularly around dusk and in the evening, the light reflecting from the polished marble creates a spectacular effect that photographs simply don't capture as well as seeing it in person.
**Five-Day Marble & Limestone Restoration Project**
This was a substantial and technically demanding natural stone restoration project that took our two-man team five days to complete.
A significant amount of that time was spent carefully removing the incorrect coating before we could even begin properly restoring the limestone and marble underneath.
The finished result made all the additional work worthwhile.
We were extremely proud of the transformation, and our clients were very happy with the finished floor. We expect to return in the future to professionally maintain and refresh the stone so that the entrance continues to look its best.
**Professional Marble & Limestone Floor Restoration in Chertsey, Surrey**
This marble and limestone floor cleaning, polishing and restoration project was completed at Botleys Mansion near Chertsey in Surrey.
We provide professional marble floor restoration, limestone floor cleaning, diamond honing, diamond polishing, coating removal, natural stone sealing and ongoing stone floor maintenance throughout Chertsey and the surrounding Surrey areas, including Weybridge, Addlestone, Cobham, Woking and other nearby locations.
Whether a natural stone floor has become dull and scratched, has been incorrectly sealed, is suffering from old wax or topical coatings, or simply requires professional polishing to restore its original appearance, specialist marble and limestone restoration can often transform the floor without the need for replacement.
Project notes
The main entrance limestone and black marble floor had become dull, dirty and yellowed following years of incorrect maintenance. An unsuitable topical seal had been applied to the natural stone, creating an unnatural, plastic-looking finish. Two large scratches within the surface coating were also visible.
The transformation dramatically improved the main entrance. The yellowed, artificial-looking coating was removed and the natural character of the limestone and black marble was restored. The polished marble produced a beautiful reflective finish, with the chandelier reflecting across the floor particularly impressively during the evening.
Before, during and after
Open any photograph to see the work in more detail. Image descriptions relate to this genuine Chertsey project.