Marble Trouble

[Olg 0]

Hi, was wondering if anyone has a similar experience or can advise me on this - I've yet to move into my newly renovated place and my white marble already has orange spots appearing on it.

Can anyone tell me how I can remove the stains and how to prevent further spots from surfacing? I am willing to pay for the marble to be properly sealed. Anyone has contacts for a reliable marble specialist?

Appreciate the help and advice!

[edenstrauss 3]

Hi,

please check your mailbox becox I've jux PM-ed u 2 person's contacts so that u could check with them if they are able to rectify the problem.

However, I was wondering if you have ever checked with your renovator on this? Isn't the contractor supposed to rectify such issues?

Edited October 24, 2011 by edenstrauss

[Lauer 15]

Photos please?

Did they polish the marble before or after the timber flooring (sorry, I am assuming there is one)?

I don't think that the marble should be sealed after grinding & polishing. Sealant could be applied before that, but more as a stop-gap protection during the construction process.

Also, the marble is living. It would change as time passes, as sunlight, dampness or even ventilation differs from area to area.

Just my two-cents.

Cheers!

Hi, was wondering if anyone has a similar experience or can advise me on this - I've yet to move into my newly renovated place and my white marble already has orange spots appearing on it.

Can anyone tell me how I can remove the stains and how to prevent further spots from surfacing? I am willing to pay for the marble to be properly sealed. Anyone has contacts for a reliable marble specialist?

Appreciate the help and advice!

[Olg 0]

Thanks for the contacts edenstrauss! Will definitely be calling them today as the spots are fast appearing.

I've spoken to my contractor and he claims it's because I didn't pay for top grade marble and hence I have to live with this problem?! He claims to have sealed the marble and that the orange spots are coming from within the marble and that he can't prevent it.

Layer, there isn't any timber below the marble... We hacked off the previous tiles and laid new marble. If I remember correctly, there was a sealant done before and after marble was laid (is there any way for me to verify this was done, or that this was done sufficiently or properly?)

I understand that marble is porous and thats why we are willing to spend on a sealant that can hopefully slow down the process of aging. It really bothers me that so many orange spots are showing up even before we move in... (that means the floor is hardly even exposed to water yet?)... As the marble is white, the orange spots really stand out and I'm afraid to try out suggestions of using bleach or vinegar as I don't want to damage the marble further.

[Lauer 15]

Thanks for the contacts edenstrauss! Will definitely be calling them today as the spots are fast appearing.

I've spoken to my contractor and he claims it's because I didn't pay for top grade marble and hence I have to live with this problem?! He claims to have sealed the marble and that the orange spots are coming from within the marble and that he can't prevent it.

Layer, there isn't any timber below the marble... We hacked off the previous tiles and laid new marble. If I remember correctly, there was a sealant done before and after marble was laid (is there any way for me to verify this was done, or that this was done sufficiently or properly?)

I understand that marble is porous and thats why we are willing to spend on a sealant that can hopefully slow down the process of aging. It really bothers me that so many orange spots are showing up even before we move in... (that means the floor is hardly even exposed to water yet?)... As the marble is white, the orange spots really stand out and I'm afraid to try out suggestions of using bleach or vinegar as I don't want to damage the marble further.

Dear Olg,

I didn't mean the timber flooring beneath the marble, but in other area such as bedroom. Very often, the marble stains are caused by the timber flooring dust during construction.

Regarding sealant applied, this was a stop-gap protection by the contractor. The only way to verify that it was indeed applied as protection, was to visually inspect the marble slabs when delivered to site. The sealant should be applied by the marble supplier, at his warehouse before delivery. Now, cannot verify la as the sealant would have been grinded & polished off.

Water shouldn't stain the marble; one could see marble used in a posh hotel bathrooms? But be careful with kopi-o, coke, orange juice etc, which when spilled should be wipe off from the marble quickly.

If I were you, then I would request the marble supplier to explain the stains. I wouldn't want to DIY or get another provider to attempt removing the stain before the marble supplier. Obviously, the inspection should take place without delay.

Just my two-cents.

[edenstrauss 3]

Hi Olg,

I agree with Lauer that you should get the first tier of contractors to address those stains before u approach any 3rd parties.

would u mind sharing the colour of your marble flooring? My dad & brother inlaw's marbles are those conventional grayish sort & there were no stains. Only cracks or a lack of lustre after many years. These could be rectified easily by sending in professionals for polishing...

but do let us know if those stains could be removed ultimatley.

best wishes!

[Olg 0]

Hi Lauer, haha sorry I misunderstood your sentence and was wondering why people would lay marble on timbre. The spots only appeared shortly after the handover, long after the timbre floor was polished. The spots look more like rust from underneath the surface? I have pictures but how do I post them using my iPad?

This is complicated but I sourced for the marble myself so what I got the contractor to do was to lay it and seal and polish it. Hence he's blaming it on the grade of the marble.

I'll update you guys on the marble once I get a speciaist in!

[MingzhuAng 0]

I understand that marble is porous and thats why we are willing to spend on a sealant that can hopefully slow down the process of aging. It really bothers me that so many orange spots are showing up even before we move in... (that means the floor is hardly even exposed to water yet?)... As the marble is white, the orange spots really stand out and I'm afraid to try out suggestions of using bleach or vinegar as I don't want to damage the marble further.

Don't ever use vinegar or bleach, you will remove the polish of the marble. I think you try talking to your supplier if they have more experiences in marble and could give you advices.

[Samsara 0]

Hi, was wondering if anyone has a similar experience or can advise me on this - I've yet to move into my newly renovated place and my white marble already has orange spots appearing on it.

Can anyone tell me how I can remove the stains and how to prevent further spots from surfacing? I am willing to pay for the marble to be properly sealed. Anyone has contacts for a reliable marble specialist?

Appreciate the help and advice!

Marble once stained cannot be removed. If yours are new, probably the workers dripped from the parquet lacquer or their feet's clumsy. New stains are grind away, not polish. If your stain is there long enough, even grinding won't help because marble is porous, contractoer said already eat into it.