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Contents:
Stone Formation
Types of Stones
Types of Stone Surface Texture
Stone Names
Stone Colors
Reflectivity of Stone
The Hardness of Stone
Stone Formation
Stone is a natural solid formation of one or many minerals. There are thousands of types of stone that have been quarried through the centuries. Quarries are located all around the world. A majority of natural stone comes from Italy, Spain, Turkey, United States, Mexico, China, Taiwan, India, Greece, Canada, France, and Brazil.
The minerals in stone came from the same liquid and gas minerals that formed the Earth. The Earth developed as a massive body of gas and liquid minerals that slowly cooled and condensed to a solid core. Through pressure, the Earth’s crust began to form and heavy minerals were forced down to the core of the Earth where they were trapped. As the crust got thicker, it squeezed around the inner core, which created intense pressure and heat from within the Earth. Crystals and other solid forms began to grow from the mineral vapors that were being released. As the Earth’s crust began to expand and erode, heat and pressure pushed the solid minerals up to the Earth’s surface, which formed colossal rock beds. It took up to one hundred million years to form some of these beds. Many of the beds are now used as quarries where the stone is mined.
Most of these minerals can be identified by their color, hardness, and crystal formation. Crystals come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The wide array of these minerals are often difficult to identify. Many stones look very similar to each other; however, they are very different.
Stone is natural and may have adverse reactions to products not manufactured for stone surfaces. Most stones are also natural alkalis and so are dirt and soil; therefore, stone and dirt are attracted to each other, which often makes cleaning very difficult without the correct cleaning product.
The familiar stone types that are used today are identified through three geological categories: sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous stone. The stone industry has added man-made materials.
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Types of Stones
I. SEDIMENTARY stone came from organic elements such as glaciers, rivers, wind, oceans, and plants. Tiny sedimentary pieces broke off from these elements and accumulated to form rock beds. They were bonded through millions of years of heat and pressure. Most sedimentary stones are extremely absorbent; therefore, they must be protected with a Tile Guard Sealer and cleaned properly with a Tile Guard Cleaner.
 Limestone: Mainly consists of calcite and some magnesium. It does not show much graining or crystalline structure. It has a smooth granular surface that is usually honed; however, some dense magnesium based limestones can be polished. Varies in hardness. Common colors are black, gray, white yellow or brown. It is more likely to stain than marble. Limestone is known to contain lime from seawater. Limestone is extremely popular due to its natural earthtone colors that coordinate in any environment. Limestone should be protected with Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer and cleaned on a regular basis with Tile Guard Stone & Tile Cleaner.
 Sandstone: Is a very durable formation of quartz grains (sand). Usually formed in light brown or red colors. Categorized by the most popular sandstone bonding agents such as silica, calcium, clay and iron oxide. Popular for its durability and earth-tone colors, Sandstone is normally absorbent; therefore, it should be sealed with Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer and cleaned with Tile Guard Stone & Tile Cleaner. Sandstone can be honed, sandblasted, or polished.
 Soapstone: A very soft stone made of a variety of talc. It is a dense mineral that wears well and is often resistant to stains. Used mainly for exterior use, it is becoming popular for countertop use and should be cleaned with Tile Guard Stone Countertop Cleaner. Clean Soapstone floors with Tile Guard Stone & Tile Floor Cleaner. Soapstone is not a very absorbent stone and may not require sealing.
 Travertine: Usually a cream or reddish color. It is formed through the accumulation of calcite from hot springs. It contains lots of holes that were formed from sulfur bubbles eating away at the stone. These holes are often filled with synthetic resins or cements that usually do not polish very well which often causes polished travertine to look inconsistent in appearance. It requires more maintenance when the holes are not filled (called unfilled). Classified as a limestone and a marble, some Travertines can be polished and others cannot. Travertine should be protected with Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer and cleaned with Tile Guard Stone & Tile Floor Cleaner for floors and Tile Guard Stone Countertop Cleaner for countertops and vanities.
II. METAMORPHIC stone originates from a natural change from one type of stone to another type through the mixture of heat, pressure, and minerals. The change may be a development of a crystalline formation, a texture change, or a color change.
 Marble: A recrystallized limestone that formed when the limestone softened from heat and pressure and recrystallized into marble where mineral changes occurred. The main consistency is calcium and dolomite. Ranges in many colors and is usually heavily veined. Usually very sensitive to the wrong cleaning products. Hardness rates from 2.5 to 5 on the MOH Scale. It is very important to begin taking care of marble from the beginning with proper stone care products. Restoration is often required on neglected or improperly treated marble. Marble is very sensitive to both acid and alkali cleaners; therefore, it must be protected with Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer and cleaned with Tile Guard Stone & Tile Floor Cleaner for floors and Tile Guard Stone Countertop Cleaner for countertops and vanities. Marble can be polished, honed, or tumbled. For tumbled marble the color can be enhanced using Stone Color Enhancer.
Marble is classified into three categories: (Stone World)
1. Dolomite: If it has more than 40% magnesium carbonate.
* Does not provide a high polish; however, it is a very durable marble.
2. Magnesian: If it has between 5% and 40% magnesium carbonate.
* Usually provides a finish with less polish and reflectivity and is more durable than calcite marbles.
3. Calcite: If it has less than 5% magnesium carbonate.
* Calcite marbles provide the highest polish; however, they are more sensitive to acids and alkali
chemicals.
 Slate: A fine-grained metamorphic stone that formed from clay, sedimentary rock shale, and sometimes quartz. Very thin and can break easily. Usually black, gray or green. Always a wonderful selection. Slate should always be sealed with Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer and cleaned with Tile Guard Stone & Tile Floor Cleaner. Tile Guard Enhance and Seal can be used to hide the dry white-cap appearance on the slates surface to magnify the natural colors of the stone.
III. IGNEOUS stones are mainly formed through volcanic material such as magma. Underneath the Earth’s surface, liquid magma cooled and solidified. Mineral gasses and liquids penetrated into the stone and created new crystalline formations with various colors.
 Granite: Primary made of Quartz (35%), Feldspar (45%) and Potassium. Usually has darker colors. Contains very little calcite, if any. Provides a heavy crystalline and granular appearance with mineral grains. It is very hard material and easier to maintain than marble. Yet, it is still porous and will stain. There are different types of granite depending on the percentage mix of quartz, mica and feldspar. Black granite is known as an Anorthrosite. It contains very little quartz and feldspar and ahs a different composition than true granite. Fined grained granites are often more absorbent than others; however, they are all extremely durable. Granites should be sealed with Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer to protect against water and oil-based spills. Flamed/thermal granite can be enhanced and protected by using Tile Guard Enhance and Seal. For polished granite countertops, clean with Tile Guard Stone Countertop Cleaner, Clean & SealClean & Seal or the Stone Countertop Cleaner/Polish Aerosol.
 Terra Cotta Tile: has been used for many years as a durable floor tile surface. Terra Cotta is perfect for many uses such as kitchen tile, bathroom tile, patio tile and even for pool decks. Terra Cotta has also been used on kitchen countertops to provide a more traditional design. It comes as one of the following finishes: Antiqued, patterned, and engraved . Terra Cotta is an Italian verbage for "baked earth". It is a fired clay that is extremely porous and finished with a coarse surface. It can be glazed which often enhances the color range from an orange to a deep red-rust color. When it is fired, it bonds the material together which forms a durable piece that can be used for floor and roofing tiles. It is also famous for pottery use. Terra Cotta should be sealed using Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer.
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Types of Stone Surface Texture
There are many different types of stone available today. When stone is ordered, it is fabricated with a particular type of surface. There are six main types of surfaces that are selected:
 Honed: Provides a flat to low sheen gloss. Different levels of gloss can be selected. This surface is very smooth, but often very porous. This texture is common in high traffic buildings. Honed floors should always be protected with Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer because it has wide open pores. Honed stone colors are not as vibrant as a polished stone.
 Polished: A glossy surface that wears away with time due to heavy foot traffic and using maintenance procedures. This surface is very smooth and not very porous. The reflectivity of polished crystals brings out the brilliant colors and grains of natural stone. The shine comes from the natural reflection of the stone’s crystals. The polish is provided by polishing bricks and polishing powders that are used during fabrication. The shine is not from a coating, it is from the crystals (prisms) of the stone drawing light in from above and reflecting the color of the stone out. So when a stone floor looks dull, the reason is because the crystal are dull. For example, a scratch in a polished piece of marble or granite is a line of crushed crystals.
 Flamed/Thermal: A rough surface that is developed through intense heat. During fabrication, the stone is heated up and the crystals begin to pop, thus forming a rough surface. This surface is very porous and must be treated with Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer .
 Tumbled: A slightly rough texture that is achieved by tumbling small pieces of marble, limestone, and sometimes granite to achieve an archaic/worn appearance. It often requires an application of Tile Guard Enhance and Seal to bring out the colors. To leave it natural, seal with Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer and clean with Tile Guard Stone & Tile Floor Cleaner.
 Sand Blasted: This surface is the result of a pressurized flow of sand and water that provides a textured surface with a matte gloss.
 Sawn: A process performed by using a gang saw.
Bush Hammered: A pounding action that develops a textured surface. The degree of roughness can be selected.
Regardless of the type of surface that is to be maintained, all stones should be protected with a Tile Guard Premium Stone Sealer.
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Stone Names
Currently, there are many companies around the world that use generic names to identify different types of stone. This has created a problem for the stone maintenance industry. The original names were in Italian. Usually the name consists of two parts. The first part describes the color and the second part describes the name from where the stone was quarried. Identification of the actual name will help SCI design a more accurate maintenance plan.
Example:
Negro Marquina – Black Limestone from Marquina, Spain.
Bianco Carrara – White Marble from Carrara, Italy.
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Stone Colors
As discussed previously, stone was formed from different types of natural minerals. Marble’s main consistency is calcium. Calcium carbonate is the natural source that bonds the stone. Certain additive minerals blended into the calcium during formation to customize these brilliant colors. The additive minerals are also color developers present in granite and other natural stones.
Minerals have a variety of crystalline properties. A different property has a different color. For instance, Augite (listed above) has different crystalline properties. Each property has its own color. Stones brilliant colors and various crystal formations developed when different mineral properties blended together along with the integration of temperature and pressure.
The veins and color grains of marble were liquid minerals that flowed through the stone when the Earth heated up. The intense heat softened the limestone to allow the liquids to flow through it. When the Earth cooled, the mineral flow stopped and gradually hardened to its current state.
The delicate colors of stone can often be altered by the improper use of cleaning chemicals, mopping with dirty solution, using chemicals that are not designed for stone care, and sunlight can fade the color of natural minerals. Tile Guard Stone Sealers will protect the minerals from staining.
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Reflectivity of Stone
Stone contains natural crystals. These crystals reflect light to provide a shine on the surface. When the crystals are dull, crushed, or broken, they cannot reflect light evenly. For example, when the lens of a flashlight breaks, it cannot reflect the light that is being emitted from the bulb.
Polished stone floors become dull when heavy foot traffic along with sediment erodes the crystals. Normal footwear does not cause the main damage, sediment and grit do. The sediment and grit that lies on the stone surface is the main enemy of the stone's crystals. The damage to the crystals occurs when the pressure from the shoe forces the sediment to abrade or fracture the crystals.
Unpolished Surface:
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Polished Surface:
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The Hardness of Stone
Marble is a relatively soft stone. On a measurement of hardness (MOHS), marble is approximately a three out of ten. Marble is made of calcium, just like your teeth. If you eat something too hard you will break your tooth. If you eat a lot of sugar, you will get a cavity. Stone reacts the same way. If an improper chemical is applied to the surface, corrosion will begin to form cavities in the stone.
Listed below is the famous Measurement of Hardness (MOH) scale for stone. This is a guide developed in the 1800s, which helps evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the stone being used. For example, softer stones would require the use of a less active chemical and a more frequent dust mopping program.
The objective of the MOH scale is to measure stones resistance to hardness. When sediment and grit are harder than the surface, they will scratch and harm the stone. For example, a piece of hard plastic is about a 2.0. it will not scratch #3 Calcite (Marble). However, a piece of sand that measures a 6, will scratch #3 Calcite but will not scratch #7 Quartz which is Granite. The harder the stone, the more resistant it is to abrasion. Exterior sediment that is tracked in to buildings approximately measures from 3.0 to 7.0.
It is also important to understand that hardness has nothing to do with absorbency. Granite is harder than marble; however, there are many granites that are more absorbent than marble.
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