Technical Tips

Textures Options:

Polished - when subjected to successive processes of abrasion, based on the size

thicker to thinner, with the objective to close any porosity. Then you can polish the
piece or not, according to the desired brightness.
Glazed - the polish is done in a different manner for each stone: in marble, oxalic acid
is used, with lower abrasive power. As for the granite, a mixture of lead with tin oxide,
called putty, is applied.
Pickaxing – an option that makes the rock-slip. The pickaxing is a manual or
mechanical process that uses the pickaxe, tool wear for the stones, in order to have an
aspect with tiny roles.
Levigate - when the stones are worn by abrasive and large grain size, and do not
receive any further treatment, giving a rough surface.
Flames - process that applies only to the granite with the objective to make it rough. It
consists on the burning of the stone to have the detachment of some crystals.
Details – It is also possible to finish the marble and granite already treated by other
means. For the edges we can choose between the stressed (interspersed cuts of 1 to
5mm, made with appropriate saw) and ace (run with a hand chisel, leaving exposed the
irregularities of natural stone).
Waterproofing – in general, polished stones have no porosity, thus providing such
treatment. Those already used in their natural state are permeable and may be sealing
with resin-based polyester or silicone to prevent the impairment of their resistance and
aesthetics.

Placement of Granite:

- Hiring skilled professionals, with experience in the area;

- Designating a person to pre-screen them and conduct a pre-assembly of the floor
before the final placement, thus avoiding the settlement of stones with possible
variations in places of prominence. Materials with seams may be positioned in the
same direction, to obtain a satisfactory result. Verifying the change in thickness
(average of 2 cm), and compensating the difference in mass.
- Remember that the wet areas / cold (bathrooms, kitchens, etc…) should receive the
sealing against the floor;
- Building the marble and granite with clear white argacola and not white plaster (made
of sand sieved, able to contamination);
- Using little water in the mixture with argacola. The minimum thickness should be 1
cm, because the stone is more protected from contamination.
- Dosing the level of mass, because the granite and marble have variations in
thickness;
- Sieving the sand to be used in the mixture of mass, to separate fragments that can
cause oxidation in the material;
- Never use clay in the mass settlement and avoid contamination of the waste mass
with brick, nails, wood, etc.
- Choosing the stapling / attachment of parts placed on walls with specific metal
brackets.
- Never rejoin the material before seven (07) days after placement, because if the
stone has absorbed water, it will evaporate quickly through the expansion joints.

Cleaning Tips

Once a product is installed, the stone can be used in mass aspersion of them. If this
occurs, they can be easily removed using a steel wool, with very careful in order to not
to scratch the stone. Please note that the steel wool should only be used in dry stone,
and after its use, all its remains must be completely removed before further cleaning.
Be careful when using steel wool, their remains should be immediately withdrawn, as in
contact with water may oxidize and stain the stone.
The marbles and granites that usually have a polished face are easy to clean. If the dirt
is fine, such as the dust of the day by day, it can be removed with a soft moistened
cloth. If the particles are greater it is recommended before using a soft broom.
If it is necessary, to wash, use only clean water to dilute shampoo / soap or detergent
of stone / the ph neutral detergent.

IMPORTANT:
01 - Never use abrasive or strong active principle such as sapólio, bleach, ammonia,
sodium hipocloreto, caustic soda, kerosene or acid (as citric acid of lemons, for
example) in cleaning of marble and granite. They can permanently damage the stone.
02-For the porous nature of stone, marble and granite are able to staining. Be careful
with soft drinks, oils in general, wine, rust, products with strong colors, as they may
stain your stone until irreversible manner.
03-of Marble and Granite Floors should be cleaned as soon as possible as the sand
which is on the floor could scratch the material with the traffic of people.

(DE NOVO?) Care in the First Cleaning:

Once a product is installed, the stone can be used in mass aspersion of them. If this
occurs, they can be easily removed using a steel wool, with very careful not to scratch
the stone. Please note that the steel wool should only be used in dry stone, and its use
after all this remains to be completely removed prior to further cleaning. Be careful
when using steel wool, their remains should be immediately withdrawn, as in contact
with water may oxidize and stain the stone.

Maintenance
Due to its natural characteristics, all marble and granite suffer damage with the usage
of and are able to change in their appearance resulting from the usage, contact with
the environment, aggression by external agents and the general maintenance. In
general, the granite rocks are more compact and hard that the marbles, and their
resistance are recommended for intense use of local.

Both the marble and the granite are porous, some to a greater degree, others a lesser
degree, depending on their composition and are suitable for internal flooring. However,
we must be careful to waterproof the floor, for application in ground floor. It is advisable
to use white cement in the most sensitive of light colors to avoid the appearance of
changes in their natural color. In this case, avoid the most porous marbles (higher
absorption of water) at risk of stain with the humidity, despite the sealing.

Some wear and changes in appearance are inevitable, but a proper maintenance helps
to prolong the beauty of natural stone.

The suggestions above do not prevent that the material changes its appearance due to
time and use, but it helps to minimize such effects.

What Material To Use?

The marble and granite are two stones from nature that have high durability, resistance
and easy maintenance.
For being natural, they have variations of color, spots and veins, and therefore hardly
ever a piece will be exactly equal to the other.
This, however, does not characterize in any way, inferior quality parts.

Granite: For coatings, floors and high traffic stairs, such as sinks, counters, sinks for
intensive usage or for residential usage, coatings for walls, borders for baths,
fireplaces, sills, foot, chest, stands in general, coating ovens and trimmers.

Marble: coatings for floors and low traffic stairs (residential), sills and pectoral
(residential and without exposure to time), wash for residential usage, edges of bath,
trimmers, for lining fireplaces, footers, tables and wall cladding systems.

How to differ Marble and Granite

One way to distinguish the practice of Marble to Granite is trying to scratch the stone
with a nail (metal hardness 05). If it gets scratched, it is a marble (hardness 03) and if
you can not scratch the stone, it is a granite (hardness between 6 and 7).

One of the biggest difference is in the visual: the granite is more mixed, while the color
of the marble is more uniform.

Granite is an igneous rock from volcanic eruptions, and consists of four minerals (the
mica, feldspar, dark biotite and transparent quartz).
In general, the granite is heavier and more resistant than the marble.

Marbles are metamorphic rocks derived from metamorphism of calcareous rocks.

Marble has lower hardness than that of granite, are more corrosive to the action of
acids, and are less resistant to time.

The marble should be used preferentially in indoor environments. This is because the
material has the effect of time (have sensitivity to acid rain) and pollution. It should also
be avoided the usage of marble in areas of heavy traffic, it wears away more easily.
Other environment to be avoided is the kitchen because it is porous and absorbs fat.
Moreover, for not having resistance against acid, it can get patches and loss of
brightness with products such as vinegar, lemon or material for heavy cleaning.
The marble is more indicated for cladding internal than the granite , mainly in
apartments, because of the weight per square meter factor being lower.
In general, remember that the marble is less resistant to scratches and it is softer and
more porous than the granite.