Frequently asked questions

Estimates are free. Send a few photos through our estimate form for a fast first answer, and we'll schedule an on-site visit to confirm the stone, the condition and the scope before giving you a written estimate.

Often, yes. A wide shot of the room plus a close-up of the problem area lets us identify most surfaces and recommend a plan. For natural stone restoration we usually confirm on site before finalizing.

We're based in Ventura and serve Ventura County, Santa Barbara County and the Conejo Valley, including Ojai, Santa Barbara, Montecito, Carpinteria, Camarillo, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills and Calabasas.

Please clear small items and breakables. We can move most standard furniture and protect it as we work. Let us know about pianos, antiques or very heavy pieces ahead of time.

Someone should be there to walk through the plan at the start and the finished work at the end. Many clients, property managers and estate staff give us access in between.

In most cases, yes. Restoring the floor you already have avoids demolition, new material, installation and weeks of disruption. If restoration isn't the right answer for your floor, we'll tell you.

We walk the finished work with you before we leave. If any area isn't right, we come back and make it right at no charge.

Scheduling depends on the season and the size of the project. Tell us your timing in the estimate form, especially if you're preparing a home for sale or an event, and we'll do our best to fit it.

Yes. An etch is surface damage, so it is removed by refinishing the stone rather than cleaning it. Light etching on a polished floor can often be polished out. Deeper etching, or etching on a honed floor, is removed with diamond honing and then refined back to match the surrounding finish. We test a small area first so you know what to expect.

No. The Natural Stone Institute is clear that sealers make stone more stain resistant, not etch resistant. Sealer slows the absorption of liquids into the pores, while etching is a chemical reaction that happens at the surface the moment acid touches the stone. The real protection is wiping up acidic spills quickly and using pH-neutral cleaners.

Honing uses diamond abrasives to flatten the surface and remove etching, scratches and lippage, leaving a smooth matte finish. Polishing continues with finer abrasives and polishing compounds to build reflectivity. Most restoration projects use both: honing to remove the damage, then polishing to the sheen you choose.

Every floor is different, so we do not quote a flat rate. Cost depends on square footage, the type of marble, how deep the etching and scratches go, whether lippage needs to be ground flat, the finish you want, and how much furniture moving and protection the job requires. A free on-site or photo estimate gives you a clear, written number for your floor.

Yes. We clean out each void, fill it with a filler tinted to your stone, let it cure, then hone it flush with the surface. Done properly, the fills blend into the natural pattern of the travertine rather than standing out as patches.

Two reasons. Factory filler can shrink, crack and loosen with time and traffic, and the stone itself contains voids just below the surface that open as the floor wears. Restoration fills what is open now and hones the surface flat, which makes the floor far easier to keep clean.

Honed and filled travertine can be refined to a satin or, depending on the density of the stone, a higher polish. Tumbled travertine is meant to stay matte and textured, so we clean it, fill where needed and seal it instead of polishing.

It depends on the stone, the finish, traffic and the sealer used. Many interior travertine floors benefit from resealing every one to three years, and kitchens and entries may need it sooner. The water drop test tells you when absorption is returning.

Most homes are finished in a single visit. The time depends on square footage, how heavily soiled the grout is and whether we are sealing afterward. We give you a time estimate before we start so you can plan your day.

Usually within an hour or two in clean socks once the floor is dry. If we seal the grout, we will tell you the cure time for that product before normal shoes, rugs and mopping.

Most grout cleans up dramatically. Grout that is permanently stained, or that has worn unevenly in different areas, may not return to a uniform original shade. In those cases grout color sealing is the reliable fix.

We do not list set prices. Cost depends on square footage, the type of tile, how soiled the grout is, whether there is natural stone in the mix, furniture moving, and whether you add sealing or color sealing. A free on-site or photo estimate gives you an exact number.

Try the water drop test. Place a few drops of water on the stone in a high-use area and wait several minutes. If the stone darkens, it is absorbing and should be sealed. If the water beads or sits on top without darkening, the sealer is still working.

No. Sealing makes stone more stain resistant, not stain proof. It slows absorption so you have time to wipe up a spill. And on marble, limestone, travertine and other calcareous stone, sealer does not prevent etching from acids.

Many can. Oil, organic and water stains often respond to a poultice that draws them out of the stone. Very old or deep stains may take more than one application, and some can be lightened but not fully removed. We test and tell you what is realistic before we begin.

Dust mop often, use mats at entrances and clean with a pH-neutral stone cleaner or a mild dish soap solution, then rinse. Avoid vinegar, lemon, bleach and abrasive powders, and keep rust removers and toilet bowl cleaners away from stone, since some contain acids that attack any stone.

Dust mop first to remove grit, then clean with a pH-neutral stone cleaner and a soft, damp mop, changing the water often. Avoid vinegar, lemon, bleach, abrasive powders and oily soaps that leave residue. Rinse and let the floor dry before heavy traffic.

Yes. Etching is surface damage, so it is removed by honing the affected area or the whole floor and refining it to match the surrounding finish. Because limestone is usually honed rather than polished, repaired areas tend to blend in well.

For most homes, honed. A honed finish suits limestone's natural character, hides wear and is less slippery underfoot. Polished limestone shows every etch and scuff. Some denser limestones can hold a soft sheen, and we can show you a test area first.

Limestone is absorbent, so it usually needs resealing more often than granite or dense marble. Many floors benefit from resealing every one to two years, and kitchens or entries sometimes sooner. The water drop test is the clearest signal for your floor.

Yes. Most saltillo and terracotta floors can be stripped, deep cleaned and resealed to an even, fresh color without replacing any tile. Cracked or loose individual tiles can be addressed separately as part of the project.

It depends on the size of the floor, the coatings being removed and drying conditions. The clay must be dry before sealing, and we do not skip that step. We'll give you a clear timeline with your estimate.

Usually one of two things: efflorescence, where salts migrate up through the clay, or sealer applied over moisture, which can cloud. Both are corrected by removing the affected sealer, cleaning, drying the tile properly and resealing.

Matte or low sheen looks the most natural and authentic on handmade clay. Satin deepens the color and is a little easier to maintain. We show you samples on your own tile before we seal.

With normal care, a quality color seal lasts for years on interior floors. Longevity depends on traffic, how the floor is cleaned and whether harsh chemicals are used. pH-neutral cleaners help it last longest.

Yes. Color sealing can take grout lighter or darker or match it to a new design, as long as the grout is sound. We help you choose with samples held against your actual tile.

No. Regrouting removes and replaces the grout. Color sealing colors and protects existing grout that is still sound, which is faster and much less disruptive. When a few areas are damaged, we can regrout those spots and color seal everything so it matches.

It can be applied to sound shower grout to restore its color. It is not a waterproofing system, though, and it cannot fix a leaking shower pan or a failed waterproofing membrane. If grout is cracked or caulk has failed, those are repaired first.

If the leak comes from a failed shower pan, waterproofing membrane, drain or valve, no. That requires a plumber or a tile installer who can rebuild the system. Our work is restoring grout, caulk and surfaces. If we see signs of a leak during the estimate, we will tell you and recommend having it checked before any cosmetic work.

If the grout is intact and firm but stained, a deep clean and possibly color sealing may be enough. If it is cracked, crumbling, missing or sandy to the touch, those joints need to be removed and regrouted.

Corners and transitions are movement joints. Walls and floors expand and contract with hot water and changing temperatures, and rigid grout in those spots tends to crack. Tile industry guidelines call for a flexible sealant at every change of plane.

Cost depends on the size of the shower, the material, how much grout needs removal and replacement, how much caulk is involved, whether stone needs honing and polishing, and access. We provide a free on-site or photo estimate so you get a clear number.

Yes. Etching is surface damage, so it is removed by polishing, or by honing and then polishing, the affected area back to match the rest of the counter. Light etches often polish out; deeper ones need fine honing first.

No. Sealer reduces staining by slowing absorption, but etching is a chemical reaction between acid and the stone's surface. A honed finish makes future etches less noticeable, and wiping up acidic spills quickly helps most.

Yes. A dull granite counter often improves dramatically with deep cleaning to remove residue. When the polish itself is worn, we restore it with diamond abrasives suited to hard stone, with extra care on resin-treated slabs.

Many stains respond to a poultice that draws the stain out of the stone, including oil and organic stains. Some take more than one application, and some very old stains can be lightened but not fully removed.