Our proven custom Abrasive Process beats the standard travertine honing process provided by other stone-floor-care services: The Power Clean System has been specifically designed for Travertine. We don’t rely on just the standard materials and methods that our competitors use. We’ve tested standard abrasives, powders, and tools that are readily available for Marble. We found that just because it says on the label it works for Marble doesn’t mean it will produce a good result for travertine. Our focus has always been to develop the safest system for travertine specific characteristics.
Travertine Owners Like You Have Made Us #1 in Arizona by Choosing Baker’s More Often Than any of Our Competitors.
Travertine Density — Proper Finishing Reduces Porosity
Travertine is very similar to a sponge in that it is like a stack of bubbles. The density of the stone depends on how much stone versus the number of air pockets. Our custom abrasive process is able to smooth the surface of the stone which reduces surface area.
Our system is able to finish the stone without opening up air pockets underneath the surface. If you look at the surface of the travertine tile under a microscope it would look like a crystalline forest. All of these little trees are like straws that can provide millions of tiny pathways into the stone. We are actually sealing off the stone during the finishing process by reducing the surface area.
Less surface area means fewer pores. Our custom abrasive process starts this sealing process by closing off the pathways liquids have to get into the stone. As finishing progresses, the stone becomes more reflective. As a stone becomes more reflective it is being closed off by the reduction of surface area.
TRAVERTINE TILE CLEANING
Using custom abrasives, we wet sand the stone to loosen up surface dirt and remove loose grime and dirt accumulated in the grout lines, open pits, and fill areas. This creates a slurry that is vacuumed back up with a powerful truck mounted machine.
The use of hot water extraction at 1200psi or more provides the most effective cleaning method for your stone. Mops, buckets, and shop vacs cannot come close to the cleaning power of a truck mounted machine.
Effective and thorough cleaning is crucial for a smooth looking uniform finish and proper sealing.
Check out our videos & photos below to see our travertine cleaning and polishing process at work.
Foamy slurry created during abrasive processes. The slurry is removed with a high-powered truck mounted vacuum system. By far, the most effective clean up method. Shopvacs and mops/buckets cannot compare!
Our cleaning tool pulling out dirt and grime collected in the pits of the Travertine and the grout lines revealing a much cleaner and brighter floor.
Our cleaning tools are another example of how our millions of square feet of experience over many years have become a custom-manufactured advantage for our travertine cleaning and sealing process.
Satin Finish for Travertine
The Satin Finish is the lowest shine recommended. We really don’t recommend duller finishes, since less shine equals more porosity. Satin Finish is practical and what a travertine floor needs so it can be maintained properly. With the custom abrasive processes, the goal is the reduction of porosity. We do this with one of several different gentle but extremely effective microfine sanding processes.
Standard honing processes such as diamond pads, sanding screens and powders will actually open up the stone, making cleaning tougher and reducing the ability of the penetrating sealer to keep water from eroding the stone over the course of time.
Before and After of Satin Finish on Travertine
Before and After of Satin Finish on Travertine in high-traffic area
Light Polish Finish for Travertine
Our newest option, Light Polish Finish, is a happy compromise between the Satin Finish and High Polish.
For those who want a bit more “pop” than our Satin Finish but not the formality of our High Polish. We will introduce chemical abrasives along with the physical abrasives to achieve our Light Polish Finish. Chemical abrasive processes break a small amount of the surface up into solution and then re-crystallizes it. Chemical processes remove air bubbles and acidic salts while increasing density. Fewer pores mean more shine and easier cleaning. The smoother the surface it is the easier it is to clean.
This sounds like crystallization, but it is not. For more information on the difference between crystallization and natural polishing click here.
Before: Travertine dull & dingy with dirty grout
After: Our custom sanding process refined to a clean Light Polish
High Gloss Polish Finish for Travertine
The super High-Polish Finish is as shiny as the stones can get. We take the polishing process to the extreme. Once they’re polished we go over them more just to make sure. The super high polish is extremely elegant. The higher the polish, the deeper you can actually see into it. It’s as if the colors become more vibrant and the true artistic beauty of the stone is revealed. And it becomes easier to clean, but don’t choose the polish based on cleaning ease, choose it because you want it to look fabulous.
Before: Waxy coating on this travertine makes it look hazy and scuffed
After: We safely sanded off the coating and restored to a natural High Polish finish
SEALING TRAVERTINE TILE
We specially formulate our sealers depending on the stone we’re working on. The polymers that actually penetrate the stone are dissolved in the solvent. When applied to the stone, the solution soaks in and fills up pores and binds to the molecules of the stone to make them less susceptible to etching. Travertine is mostly calcite which at one point has been dissolved by water and redeposited through evaporation.
The stone also will often contain acidic salts that were in the water that deposited the travertine. The most important job of a penetrating sealer is to keep water and acidic spills from eating up the stone. If too much water is used and then left on the surface of the stone during cleaning the sealer will slow it down but it will still have a very corrosive effect over time.
It is important to know that while penetrating sealers (whether ours or another brand) are helpful, they are not etch-proof or water-proof. They lessen the severity of etches and slow water absorption, but do not eliminate it.
COMMON PENETRATING SEALER MYTHS
Many homeowners assume that if their travertine, marble or limestone looks dull and dingy, it needs to be sealed and then it will be pretty again. The fact is that penetrating sealers are invisible, as they soak into the stone and have no visual effect on the stone.
It is all the custom abrasives steps used in the Cleaning and Finishing steps that come before sealing that has all the visual impact. By expertly refining the actual surface of your travertine, marble or limestone, it brings out the true beauty in a clean finish.
While sealing is an important part of our service it is not the most important part. In fact, penetrating sealers are not needed with our Polish finishes as our polish process has so refined the surface penetrating sealer can’t even soak in! This proves that proper finishing is more effective than just sealing. With our Satin finish, the surface is less shiny therefore less refined so we will follow up with our high grade penetrating sealer for added protection.
Etching will still happen from acidic spills on travertine or marble. A polished surface will lessen the severity and depth of an etch. Use of penetrating sealers will also slow acidic spill absorption, but cannot prevent it.
Sonoran Living Feature
Watch Sonoran Living‘s recent spring cleaning special where Tom Baker explains importance of sealing your natural stone flooring.
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Sonoran Living Sweepstakes Winner shows off her newly cleaned and sealed patio by Baker’s travertine Power Clean. Watch now to learn about our proven process for cleaning and sealing your natural stone flooring and patios.
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ABOUT THE BAKERS
Our focus has always been to provide the best service, using the best tools, at a fair price, and always with honor and honesty.
Baker’s Travertine Power Clean has proudly been in business since 1988. Starting out in carpet cleaning, we evolved into tile cleaning/repair and then transitioned into Travertine and natural stone finishing. Not satisfied with the standard and available products and tools to finish marble and almost nothing available specifically for Travertine, we researched and developed our own unique abrasive system. Our system and powerful quality equipment provides great results in sometimes less than half the time than our top competitors.
WHY CHOOSE US
When It Comes To Natural Stone Care, We Are The Best in Arizona.
INDUSTRY LEADERS
In Business Since 1988 With
Millions of Square Feet of Happy Customers
WE STAND BEHIND OUR WORK
Bakers have always and will always make sure you’re 100% satisfied in their work. Guaranteed.
OUR TEAM SETS THE STANDARD
Mentioned by Name in Over 400 Positive Reviews, Our Employees are the Best Equipped & Experienced in the World.
