STONE SHOWER GROUT REPAIRS

Does the grout between your shower tiles need replacing?

Shower and bathroom areas made from natural marble, limestone, travertine, onyx and granite look spectacular and can add value to any home. Grout can become discoloured, broken and dislodged however, due to constant daily exposure to heat, steam, moisture, acidic toiletries and mould cleaning products.

Damaged grout can detract from the look of a marble or natural stone shower or bathroom, even if the tiles are new. The Marble Man specialises in stone shower repairs and replacing grout.

Our trained technicians will professionally remove and replace the damaged grout to restore the appearance of the area, without the entire shower or bathroom being repolished or honed.

The repair process

• The shower tiles will be thoroughly cleaned.
• The grout will be carefully removed.
• The Technician will then treat the surface with an anti-bacterial product.
• The fresh grout will be colour matched to the existing grout to ensure consistency.
• The shower will then be left for approximately 12 hours to cure.
• If the tiles are to be polished this will be completed the next day.

Sealing is highly recommended and would be carried out after polishing.

STONE SHOWER SILICONE REPAIRS

Is the silicone in your shower mouldy and hard to clean?

Silicone is the waterproof substance used in stone shower repairs to seal joins in a shower between the walls, floor and glass.  When silicone becomes mouldy, stained and loose over time it can detract from the appeal of a natural stone shower, even if the tiles are in good condition. Silicone can also become damaged during the polishing process.

Some silicones are acidic and oil based, and can stain and damage natural stone tiles. The Marble Man uses a special non-acidic silicone, designed for use with marble and natural stone tiles so it won’t etch or stain.  This silicone also provides a neutral cure and will not leach oils into the stone.

The Marble Man also uses a variety of coloured silicones for stone shower repairs, to complement most stone tiles.  Silicone installation is the last step in the restoration process in a shower.  Replacement occurs after cleaning, anti-bacterial treatment, polishing or honing and sealing. The silicone takes around 12 hours to cure so the shower must remain dry overnight for at least this duration.

Professional stone shower repairs by The Marble Man will will prevent water from leaking under the tiles and causing irreparable damage to the stone.

STONE SHOWER CHIP REPAIRS

Are your shower tiles chipped or cracked and need repair?

Chips, cracks and pits in natural marble, limestone and travertine shower tiles, can occur for many reasons.

Chips and cracks

• Heavy items such as toiletry bottles can crack stone shower tiles when dropped.
• Silicone and grout can loosen and discolour over time, with age and heat.

Pits

• Heat and moisture over time can cause the soft minerals in some natural stone tiles to ‘pop’ out.
• The continual wet / dry cycle loosens the minerals with the constant expansion and contraction of the stone.
• Travertine, which has naturally occurring pits, is usually pre-filled with resin for use in a shower. This resin can also become dislodged.

The repair process

• Before repairing a chip, crack or pit, the technician will clean the shower and remove all soap scum, loose mould and dirt using a solvent such as acetone.
• A mould and anti-bacterial treatment will be applied to remove stubborn mould and bacteria.
• The surface of the stone will be prepared to enable the epoxy resin to successfully attach to the marble, limestone or travertine tiles.
• The technician will add a pigment to the epoxy resin so that it matches the colour of the stone.
• The chip, crack or pit is filled with a coloured epoxy resin which hardens in approximately 5 minutes.
• The area is sanded to a smooth finish.
• The entire wall or floor is then polished to a high gloss finish, or honed to a satin or matt finish to match the existing stone surface.

Sealing is highly recommended to protect the stone after the polishing process.

STONE SHOWER GROUT RE-COLOURING

Is your shower grout dirty or stained and need re-colouring?

Marble, limestone, onyx and travertine shower tiles are a stunning addition to a bathroom. When the grout in between the stone tiles becomes discoloured or stained this can diminish the overall look of the shower or bathroom.  Over time, constant exposure to heat, moisture, shampoos, soaps and cleaning products can cause this change. The grout can look dull and dirty, even though it is not damaged.

If the grout in the shower is intact and in reasonable condition, it can be re-coloured to restore the appearance of the shower.

The repair process

• The technician will initially clean the existing grout and surrounding tiles, with a soap scum remover, and a mould and anti-bacterial treatment.
• A special, pre-coloured epoxy glue is used to re-colour the grout.
• One to two coats of the glue will be applied to the grout with a brush applicator.
• The excess is then washed off.
• The area is left to cure and dry for 24 hours.

Epoxy grout colouring is the perfect option for restoring the look of a marble, limestone or travertine shower, when tiles are still in good condition and don’t need to be polished or replaced.

The Marble Man’s experienced technicians will ensure that grout re-colouring will dramatically improve the look of your stone showers.