Concrete
is a resilient material comparable in performance to
natural stone or wooden materials however there are
a number of things to remember that will help keep your
concrete product looking beautiful and performing well.
Concrete is naturally porous and whilst treated with
penetrating sealers to reduce the risk of liquids penetrating
into the material, a patina can develop over time with
use. We apply wax (bees wax) as sacrificial wear coat
to assist in protecting the surface from liquids.
As part of the cleaning and maintenance regime we recommend
the re-application of wax on a weekly basis or as required
depending on use.
Semi ground and ground concrete surfaces, where the
stones are visible, are less likely to mark and are
more effective at hiding marks than those surfaces that
are just polished.
We do not generally coat or lacquer our products as
we have found that these types of sealers may be easily
scratched or damaged and subsequently delaminate causing
unsightly patching and flaking which can only be repaired
by the total removal and replacement of the surface
coating. They are also considered to be detrimental
to the appearance and feel of the product.
WAX POLISHING Regular wax polishing will keep
your surface looking beautiful and help defend against
staining by creating a barrier. Waxing is the first
defense and is important. Without regular waxing the
surface may dull and be stained more easily. Depending
on the finish applied, a carnauba or bees wax can be
used to polish a surface or product.
There are some cleaning products which also polish.
These products may also help reduce staining. Please
click
here for details
STAINING
Surfaces and products will be treated with sealer to
help prevent staining and for hygiene purposes. However,
liquids and foodstuffs should not be allowed to remain
on the surface. Some strongly colored or oily ingredients
may cause discoloration if left on the surface.
Lighter colours
are naturally more susceptible to staining from strong
colours so extra care is needed in regards to maintenance
and cleaning. Ground, patterned surfaces tend to be more
resilient to staining.
ACIDS Particular care should be taken
when using acidic foods such as lemon / fruit juice etc.
The citric acid in these types of food can etch the surface
leaving a dull mark.
It is sometimes possible to polish these marks away. This
largely depends on the severity of the damage.
CUTTING / CHOPPING Cutting and chopping or any other
abrasive action should be done on a chopping board and
not directly on the surface or product.
CHIPS Edges
/ corners of the surface or product can be chipped if
knocked by heavy items. Care should be taken when using
heavy pots and pans.
It may be possible to mend chipped or damaged items. (Please
contact us for details).
HOT
POTS Our surfaces /
products are inherently heat resistant but the surface
sealants used may be damaged or discoloured by the heat
from hot utensils. We recommend the use of a trivet.
WATER Limescale
and other dissolved salts
may mark the surface if water is allowed to stand and
dry, much as it dose with glass in a shower. We recommend
water is dried with a towel to prevent watermarks. It
may be possible to remove watermarks by polishing and
waxing.
Additional applications of sealer
may also help prevent watermarking.
CLEANING Our
surfaces and products should be cleaned with warm mildly
soapy water using a bleach free cleaning product such
as Ecover or specialist
cleaning products such as Stone Soap. Scrubbing with
abrasive powders or pads is not recommended as this may
dull and damage the surface sheen and sealer coating.
Corrosive / solvent materials and cleaners should be avoided.
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