Limestone sealer streaking - HELP PLEASE

[melbourne]

I have about 2,500 sq ft of limestone flooring. We have stripped and neutralized it. We have applied a sealer but the application looks streaked - as you can see the strokes from the mop head swirling back and forth. We have had to remove it all and start again.
Can someone suggest the best sealer for this.
Used Lawton Bros Foundation first time but now ooking at Liquimax, Impregnator 511 etc etc
The streaking may have been caused by poor application in high Forida hunidity or the fact that the sealer was put on without allowing the floor to dry out overnight. Anyway, it does not look good as it was and now have clean and dry limestone ready to apply the corrcet sealer. Original application did not look like it flowed ata ll or self levelled at all
Did not want to diamind cut as the floor has multiple granite and wood inserts and cost is very high.
Response awaited
Thanks

	sealer Impregnation: This is commonly known as sealers. This is the first stage in preserving and maintaining your investment. This stage should occur ever six to eight months. There are three types of impregnation (solvent, water, silicone based), regardless to brand. This will stop most water base stains from occurring. It also will stop the stone from been damage beyond repair.

	limestone LIMESTONE A sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate.

[hoboal]

Melbourne can you up - load some pictures of the floor? what product did you use to stripped the floor and what type of Neutralizer did you use ? Plus, What type of limestone do you have ?

	limestone LIMESTONE A sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate.

[melbourne]

One foot square limestone tiles. About 14 years old. Not sure what type. Surface is good but honed shine worn in common areas. Last product application was Lawton Brothers Foundation. Application of the Foundation took place immediately after complete strip down and in full humidity (before air conditioning kicked in) which appears to be the prime cause of the streaking. Not sure how to post an image as the site is asking for the URL of the image - which I do not know how to insert. Can send a few images to your email address if you can supply it. Mine is anthonytiarks@gmail.com
Present status is the floor has now been restripped and will sit overnight waiting for next step.
I will specify the stripper and neutralizer shortly when the contractor gets back to me

	limestone LIMESTONE A sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate.

[melbourne]

HOBOAL
I think I called you today and you were on your way out. Do not have your cell phone. My number is 321 427 4637. Thanks for your help and as you can see I did sign up to the NSRA.

The Stripper was Wolfstrip - which is a no rinse stripper
The neutralizer was Toli

[Huligar]

This should show the streaking in application.
The mop was new and clean but as I have said the application was probably onto a wet and not dry surface
What would you recommend as the actual sealer product to do the final finish

[Huligar]

First things first. I can not find that sealer anywhere on the net.
Looking at the pictures it looks like it is a topical sealer aka wax.

I can not help but look in the joint lines. This floor needs to strip and seal with an impregnator which will allow the stone to keep the hone look. stone tech, tenax, and bonstone have a few great sealers that you can use. I only have two questions for you before I recommend one. Are you going to seal it yourself? Do you want the stone as dark as it is in the image or light like they were when you install them?

The mop was new and clean

this is what cause your strikes, new mops need to soak for six or more hours before they will work correctly. The mop did not absorb or dispense the wax evenly.

Look at your grout lines, see all of that white stuff, this is because the floor was still wet and they trap the moisture below the surface. If they had use an impregnator this would not have happen seen that the impregnator would have allowed the moisture to escape.

If I was you, I would get that sealer off the floor ASAP and before it does some real damage to the floor.

	sealer Impregnation: This is commonly known as sealers. This is the first stage in preserving and maintaining your investment. This stage should occur ever six to eight months. There are three types of impregnation (solvent, water, silicone based), regardless to brand. This will stop most water base stains from occurring. It also will stop the stone from been damage beyond repair.

	grout GROUT The material used to fill in the joints between stone tile. Grout can be cement or plastic resins.

[melbourne]

Thank you for the post
The sealer that was first used as shown in the pictures is called Foundation and is made by Lawton Brothers. believe that it is a typical water based polymer sealer with about 20% solids.
We have re-stripped the floor.
Re the mop, I think you are correct here and the dragging could be because the mop head was not uniformly loaded with sealer although the streaking is everywhere and that would mean that in the later stages of application it would have soaked into the mop head fully - so maybe the streakingis not just the mop being 'dry'
The pictures make the stone look dark but it is actually quite light and I am not intending to apply the impregnator/sealer myself by choice.
Look forward to your recommendation and where to purchase it
When you refer to wax do you mean a traditional wax product or the polymer sealers

	sealer Impregnation: This is commonly known as sealers. This is the first stage in preserving and maintaining your investment. This stage should occur ever six to eight months. There are three types of impregnation (solvent, water, silicone based), regardless to brand. This will stop most water base stains from occurring. It also will stop the stone from been damage beyond repair.

[Huligar]

This what I found

LAWTON’S FOUNDATION is a seal and finish all in one product with exceptional durability and gloss. For use on Brick, Slate, Terrazzo, Quarry
Tile, Unglazed Ceramic, Mexican Tile, Concrete and Resilient Floors. FOUNDATION’S durability extends wear in high traffic areas and reduces
marking and scuffing and is easily repaired with burnishing or a re-coat. LAWTON’S FOUNDATION dries to a clear brilliant gloss with excellent
leveling and bonding that eliminates problems.

this is a topical seal and should not be use on any stone not even terrazzo. if this topical seal does not make your stone pit and have a slight yellowing effect in the next few years, the strippers that is need to remove and reapply will. Lets not get started with the fact that topical seal can will cost more to keep up in the long run, the topical seal will not last as long as the stone and it will show scuff marks, and it will give the stone an unnatural look.

I would go with TouchstoneTM Sealer 10, It will penetrate deep into the stone given you lasting protection and make any staining easy to remove. I would also recommend a pressure sprayer for the applicator or lambs wool.

TouchstoneTM Sealer 10 is a no-sheen, natural look, solvent based penetrating sealer formulated to provide maximum stain protection.

* Recommended for use on all natural stone
* Equally effective for interior or exterior applications
* May be used as a pre-grout sealer
* Allows moisture vapor transmission
* Last up to 10 years

	sealer Impregnation: This is commonly known as sealers. This is the first stage in preserving and maintaining your investment. This stage should occur ever six to eight months. There are three types of impregnation (solvent, water, silicone based), regardless to brand. This will stop most water base stains from occurring. It also will stop the stone from been damage beyond repair.

	grout GROUT The material used to fill in the joints between stone tile. Grout can be cement or plastic resins.

[deted1]

Did you put the wax on the floor because you did not want to diamond polish it? The only way to truly make this floor look right with a shine is to diamond polish it.

We coat Mexican pavers and saltillos often. The streaks happened on this floor because the coating dried too quickly and had too much of a cross breeze. You must close all of the doors and windows before application and apply the thinnest coats possible. Multiple coats are necessary. Your mop must be rayon blended or microfiber. But this method is not recommended for natural stone.

From the pictures you supplied, it looks like a pretty easy refinishing job. Don't expect a marble like shine but you can achieve a pretty decent shine on most limestones.

	Marble MARBLE: CHARACTERISTICS This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of marble and identifies typical problems associated with the material. INTRODUCTION Marble is an extremely hard, metamorphic stone composed of calcite (CaCO3). It is formed as a result of the recrystallization of limestone under the intense pressure and heat of geologic processes. The effect of this process is the creation of a stone with a very tight crystalline structure and small but definite porosity. Because of its structure, marble can take a very high polish and is a very popular decorative stone for architectural and sculptural uses. The limited porosity of marble, especially polished marble, makes it less vulnerable to the leaching effects of water. Calcium carbonate, however, of which marble is composed, is highly susceptible to attack by acidic agents. Marble is readily dissolved by acids, even very dilute acids, however the actual results of acidic exposure will vary with the nature of the acid. Chlorides, nitrates, sulfates and other chemical compounds react differently with marble and produce various by-products, which have a wide range of solubility and impact on the durability of marble. For this reason, it is always important to determine the exact type of pollutants causing marble deterioration. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. TYPICAL USES Marble has many decorative and structural uses. It is used for outdoor sculpture as well as for sculpture bases; in architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, flooring, decorative features, stairways and walkways. The way in which the stone is used may be a factor in limiting or controlling the severity of exposure. The use or function of the marble may also affect the feasibility of applying certain treatments, but type of use is not the primary factor in the major types of deterioration and damage to which marble is susceptible.

[G K Vincent]

That looks evil. Too bad... *sick*