The cost of cleaning and restoring stone floors ranges from £300 for basic cleaning to £1000 for deep grinding and polishing. This article describes the range of options available to our clients.
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How much does it cost to clean and restore a marble floor?
That depends. Do you want a seamless floor with no imperfections, are you looking for a quick budget stone floor cleaning service, or do you want something in between?
Over time, natural stone floors like limestone and marble lose their shine due to wear, spills, and foot traffic. Whether your goal is to bring back their original beauty or protect them for years to come, professional stone floor restoration is the key. The cost of restoration varies depending on the level of service and the type of sealing required. Here, we break down the different options available and their benefits.
Stone Floor Cleaning and Restoration Options
1. Clean Only – Budget-Friendly Maintenance
- Description: This is a basic cleaning service that removes surface dirt but does not eliminate deep stains, scuff marks, or spillage marks.
- Sealer Used: Stone soap, a temporary sealer used by many restoration companies.
- Final Appearance: Clean, but matte surface with visible imperfections.
- Best For: Routine maintenance rather than full restoration.
- Costs under £300 per room
An example of a floor that desperately requires cleaning. This rough tumbled floor will look beautiful with a satin wax coating, which is described next.
2. Clean and Wax – Affordable Shine
- Description: A thorough clean followed by the application of a wax-based sealer.
- Sealer Used: Wax (requires regular application and can scratch if not maintained properly).
- Final Appearance: A smooth, honed surface that enhances the stone’s natural beauty.
- Best For: Cost-conscious customers looking for a quick shine but willing to maintain it regularly.
- Limitations: topical sealers wear off quickly.
- Costs under £400 per room
An example of a floor that's been sealed with a wax topical coating. The surface appears to have the same effect as a honed restoration service (next) however it's the topical sealer that provides the shine, not the stone itself.
3. Strip, Clean, Hone and Seal – Standard Restoration with Diamond Pads
- Description: A deeper cleaning process involving rotary machines and hand scrubbing. Diamond sanding discs are used to remove scuff marks and light etching, followed by polishing to achieve a honed finish.
- Sealer Used: Dry Treat premium impregnating sealer (recommended) or stone soap.
- Final Appearance: Smooth, honed surface with minimal imperfections.
- Best For: Customers looking for a longer-lasting restoration without deep scratch removal.
- Limitations: Impregnating sealers do not prevent acidic spillages from damaging the stone. A standard restoration service does not remove deep scratches.
- Costs around £700 per room
4. Deep Grinding – Full Scratch Removal
We offer deep grinding to remove scratches, but there are limitations, especially near room edges or close to furnishings. In these areas, we must use hand tools, which significantly increases the cost.
For tumbled floors, complete scratch removal isn’t always possible. Grinding scratches out requires lowering the surrounding tile to match the depth of the scratch, which alters the tile’s surface. To maintain consistency, this process must be applied to the entire floor. If your floor is fully furnished or has built-in cupboards, we do not recommend this unless you’re renovating, such as fitting a new kitchen.
Our machines can grind up to an inch from delicate skirting boards—provided the floor is level (no lippage). If there is excessive lippage, we avoid grinding near these areas to prevent damage to our equipment. For customers who insist on scratch removal along edges, we can use hand tools, or as an alternative, we can remove all lippage from uneven floors to create a seamless finish—this also eliminates deep scratches.
- Description: A more intensive service designed to remove deep scratches caused by furniture or embedded dirt. This process grinds the tile surface to level out scratches and imperfections.
- Sealer Used: Dry Treat premium impregnating sealer.
- Final Appearance: Smooth surface, free from deep scratches.
- Best For: Customers willing to invest in full restoration. Not suitable for tumbled or textured stone as it will remove the effect, although this effect can be restored by re-creating an orange-peel leathery textured effect.
- Limitations: Creates a very smooth surface of the entire floor. If applied to travertine it will expose more holes that require filling.
- Costs around £1,000 per room.
An example of a scratch that can be completely removed through gentle grinding and re-polished to a honed surface that will match the surrounding stone.
5.1 Crack and Hole Filling with Epoxy Resin
- Description: Filling holes and cracks with epoxy resin. Large cracks and holes are straight forward to fill and take a few hours. Some grinding may be necessary to level the surface before we restore the rest of the room.
- Final Appearance: Epoxy resin can be polished to almost the same shine as the surrounding stone. The floor can be sealed with impregnating sealer.
- Limitations: Travertine: We can’t fill tiny holes because if we grind it down, the holes will become exposed again. For this reason we prefer to use a powder-based filler and then seal it with topical sealer.
- Charged per day
An example of a crack that can easily be repaired with epoxy filler.
5.2. Crack and Hole Filling with Powder-based filler
- Description: To fill and entire floor, we prefer to use a finer powdery filler. Instead of grinding the residue off we can use a hand-held blade.
- Limitations: This filler is porous and does not create a smooth surface that’s easy to maintain. We therefore use a topical sealer to create a beautiful shine that’s smooth and easier to maintain. A topical sealer wears off quickly and requires more frequent application.
- Charged per day
An example of a travertine tile that's been filled with powder based filler. The filler comes in a range of colours, offering a variety of effects that compliment the surrounding decor.
Types of Sealers and Their Costs
A description of different sealers can be found here: Types of Tile Sealants
The typical sealers that we use can be summarised into three:
- Dry Treat Premium Impregnating Sealer – Best Protection
- Alcohol-based sealer that penetrates deep into the stone.
- Does not alter the stone’s colour or finish.
- Quick drying – walkable within 2 hours.
- Cost: Higher-end option but offers the best protection and longevity.
- Does not prevent acids from damaging the stone
- Stone Soap – Budget-Friendly Maintenance Sealer
- Temporary solution commonly used by restoration companies.
- Wears off quickly and requires frequent reapplication.
- Cost: Affordable but less durable.
- Topical Sealers – Surface Protection and Satin Shine
- Forms a protective layer over the stone.
- Best for rough, porous or tumbled textured stone tiles.
- Leaves a satin finish.
- Cost: Mid-range, requires periodic reapplication.
- All furniture should be removed before the service begins. If complete removal isn’t possible, we can work in sections, but this may increase the service time and risk imperfections during application of the sealer.
Finding the Right Restoration Option for You
The best restoration option depends on your expectations, budget, and the condition of your stone floors. If you’re looking for a cost-effective refresh, cleaning and waxing may be the right choice. For long-term durability and premium shine, deep grinding and Dry Treat sealing offer superior results.
Get in touch with us today for a consultation and a tailored quote for your stone restoration needs!