Hard Surface Flooring-Long Post

[ac7880]

I saved this link a while back about counter top materials. Some of
it may cross over into the flooring discussion. It is a PDF file.
http://images.hgtvpro.com/pac/fine_homeb...ber_featur
e_02.pdf
tiny url: http://tinyurl.com/juz6e
Dan

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "jwasnewski"
wrote:
>
>
> I am a California CPA who decided to get into the hard surface
> flooring business 11 years ago. I think I'll go back to doing tax
> returns. It is less stressful.
>
> General information on hard surface flooring, without being
technical.
>
> Granite: Very hard, tough surface, very good for floors and
counter
> tops. Some granites(some.....very few......) are porous and need
to
> be sealed. Sealing granite that needs to be sealed is a very easy
> process. Granite is very difficult to scratch.(go ahead , cut the
> steaks on it, put the wine and beer on it). Typical granites are
just
> below diamonds in hardness. Natural granites are composed of
> approximately 65-75 percent quartz. The granite bacterial growth
> myth was developed by companies competing with suppliers of natural
> materials. There is not a single documented case of bacterial
growth
> in granite, that I know of. Generally, granite is not affected by
> acid. However, one acid, a component in Tilex, will destroy the
> shine on granite. It is hydrofloric acid. Granite can be
repolished
> by a trained technician but it is expensive. Beware of epoxy filled
> and stained material from Asia. It's cheap, and you get what you
pay
> for..
>
> Marble: A soft natural material, available in numerous colors,
> patterns, and forms and comes from various parts of the World. By
> nature and definition acidic compounds etch marble. I did not say
> stain, I said etch. Foods containing vinegar or other types of
acid
> will take the shine off of marble in seconds. As well, sand is your
> enemy with marble. Marble can be repolished by trained technicians
> and is relatively inexpensive to do. Beware of green marble
because
> it is sensitive to water and tends to turn white(efflorescence or
> spalling) if exposed for any period of time. In addition, if you
use
> normal installation techniques on green marble it will warp, and
> generally do weird thing causing you to do it all over again.
There
> are numerous restuarants in Italy with marble tops. The difference
> is this. They do not give a !@#$ if the marble shines of not.
>
> Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile comes in all shapes and sizes,
typically
> has a glazed surface and a baked mud body. With proper care,
ceramic
> will last for years. Typically, ceramic tile is not affected by
food
> acids. However, sulfamic and muriatic acid can etch ceramic tile.
It
> is possible to drop something on the glazed ceramic tile and chip
> it. If that happens, just purchase a small bottle of appliance
paint
> and touch it up.
>
> Porcelain Tile: A relatively new type of flooring. It is very hard
> and will last for years..Easy to clean and is not affected by food
> acids. There are glazed, rough surfaced and through body products.
> It must be installed correctly or it will break bond. Breaking
bond
> means you get to replace the floor, there is no other cure. It is
> more difficult to install than ceramic tile and depending on the
> manufacturer can be very difficult to cut. (Beware, a broken piece
of
> Porcelain tile can lay you open like a surgeon.)
>
> I could go on but wanted provide some free info to those interested.
>
> I am not cheap when I do inlaid wood into granite, marble, corian
or
> porcelain products. Or any combination thereof. . However, it is
> beautiful when I complete the job.
>
> I will not get into carpet and wood, that is Ernie's deal but I
would
> like to say this. And, please, I do not want to hurt anyone
feelings
> here but if I had 22 year old carpet in my coach, I would off it
for
> new stuff just because................it is long past time to do
so.
>
> Leroy Eckert
> 1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors"
> Niceville, FL
>