Etching From Acids
Citrus, wine, vinegar, soft drinks and many household cleaners leave dull, light marks on polished marble. They often look like water spots that will not wipe off.
Tile & stone
Marble Polishing and Restoration in Kitchener, Ontario
A dull, etched or scratched marble floor can almost always be brought back without replacing a single tile. Kitchener Prestige Flooring restores marble floors for homeowners, condo boards, churches and commercial buildings across Kitchener and Waterloo Region.
Our team brings more than 16 years of flooring experience and 1,700+ completed jobs. On marble, that means knowing the difference between an etch and a stain, and choosing the right diamond, powder or poultice for each.
We are licensed, insured and WSIB covered. Every restoration carries a written 1-year labour warranty, and we record gloss readings so you can see the result in numbers.
- Licensed & insured
- WSIB covered
- 1-year labour warranty
- Free in-home estimates
What Goes Wrong With Marble Floors
Marble is soft and reactive, so it wears in predictable ways. These are the four problems we are called about most.
Scratches and Traffic Dulling
Sand and grit tracked in on shoes act like sandpaper. Over time, main walkways lose their shine and look hazy next to the edges of the room.
Staining and Moisture Marks
Oil, coffee, rust and dye can soak into marble and leave a darker or coloured mark. Water rings and dark patches can also appear where moisture sits under or in the stone.
Lippage Between Tiles
Lippage is when one tile edge sits higher than the next. It catches dirt, chips at the edges and breaks up reflections across the floor.
Etching Is Not Staining, and the Fix Is Different
This distinction decides the whole repair. It is where many restorations go wrong.
An etch is damage to the surface. The acid has eaten away the polish, so the mark is usually lighter and duller than the stone around it. It is fixed by honing and polishing.
A stain is something absorbed into the stone. It is usually darker or coloured, and polishing does nothing to it. It is fixed by drawing it out with a poultice.
We test each mark on site before deciding which it is.
The Restoration Process Stage by Stage
Restoration is a sequence, and skipping stages shows in the final finish.
Grinding and Flattening for Lippage
Where tiles are uneven, we grind the whole floor flat with metal-bonded diamonds. This removes lippage and turns a tiled floor into one continuous surface.
Grinding is only done when needed, because it is the most aggressive and slowest stage.
Honing Through Grit Sequences
Honing uses resin-bonded diamond pads, working from coarse to fine, typically through 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500 grit. Each step removes the scratches left by the one before.
A honed finish can be the end point for kitchens and bathrooms, where a matte look hides future wear.
Powder Polishing to Final Gloss
For a high shine, we finish with a marble polishing powder worked in with a natural hair pad under a slow-speed machine. The powder reacts with the surface to produce a deep, glassy polish.
The result is the reflective finish marble is known for, without any coating to wear off.
Gloss Levels and Measuring the Result
We measure gloss with a gloss meter before and after the work. It gives a number in gloss units, so the result is not just a matter of opinion.
A dull, trafficked marble floor often reads in the teens or twenties. A properly polished floor usually reaches 70 or more.
You receive the before and after readings. For commercial clients, those readings set a benchmark for future maintenance.
Poultice Stain Removal
A poultice is a paste of absorbent powder mixed with a chemical matched to the stain. It is spread over the mark, covered and left for 24 to 48 hours.
As it dries, it pulls the stain out of the stone into the powder. Oil stains, organic stains like coffee, and rust each need a different chemical.
Stubborn stains may need two or three applications. We tell you honestly how much improvement to expect.
Sealing After Restoration and Maintenance Intervals
After restoration, we apply a penetrating impregnating sealer to slow down future staining. Sealing does not prevent etching, so gentle cleaning still matters.
We leave you care instructions: pH-neutral stone cleaner, doormats at every entrance and prompt cleanup of acidic spills. Resealing every one to two years is handled by our floor sealing and waterproofing service.
Restoring Marble in Heritage and Commercial Buildings
Older bank halls, churches, hotels and office lobbies across Kitchener, Cambridge and Guelph often have original marble. Decades of wax and wear hide beautiful stone.
We strip old coatings, repair damaged tiles and restore the floor in sections, often overnight so the building stays open. Heritage floors are treated with the gentlest method that works.
Grout lines in these floors often need attention too. See our tile and grout restoration page.
Marble Restoration Pricing
Typical 2026 ranges in Waterloo Region:
| Service | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Hone and polish, no lippage | $4.00 to $10.00 per sq ft |
| Grind flat, hone and polish | $8.00 to $15.00 per sq ft |
| Poultice stain removal | $75 to $200 per stain |
| Penetrating seal after restoration | $1.00 to $2.00 per sq ft |
Small areas carry a minimum charge. All restoration work includes our 1-year labour warranty.
Planning new stone instead? See marble floor installation and natural stone flooring.
Keep exploring
Related Flooring Services
- Marble Floor Installation Polished, honed and tumbled marble laid out dry, vein matched and sealed before and after grouting. Learn more
- Natural Stone Flooring Installation Travertine, limestone, sandstone and quartzite floors set on stiff substrates and sealed for each stone. Learn more
- Floor Sealing & Waterproofing Penetrating and topical sealers for stone, grout and concrete, plus membranes for showers and wet areas. Learn more
- Tile & Grout Restoration Deep cleaning, regrouting, grout colour sealing and silicone replacement for tired tile floors. Learn more
Where this service is in highest demand:
FAQ
Marble Restoration Questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Still unsure? Call and ask.
Ask for a Free Quote Can etch marks be polished out of marble?
Yes. Etch marks are surface damage, so honing and re-polishing removes them. Light etches come out with polishing powder alone, while deeper etching needs a few passes with diamond pads first.
How long does a marble floor restoration take?
A typical foyer or bathroom takes one to two days. Large areas or floors that need grinding flat for lippage take longer. Commercial lobbies are often done overnight in sections.
Will restoration remove deep stains?
Many stains can be drawn out with a poultice, sometimes over two or three applications. Very old stains, rust from metal and dyes that have reacted with the stone may lighten but not disappear completely.
How often should marble be re-polished?
Homes usually need a full re-polish every three to five years, depending on traffic. Busy commercial lobbies do better with regular maintenance polishing every few months and a deeper restoration every year or two.
Free estimate
Book a Free Marble Polishing & Restoration Estimate
Tell us about the floor. We will call to book a time, measure on site, check the subfloor and moisture, and leave you a written quote.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call and speak to a flooring specialist directly.
- Measured on site, with moisture and flatness readings
- Written, itemized quote with no obligation
- Licensed, insured, WSIB covered, 1-year labour warranty
Kitchener Prestige Flooring
137 Glasgow St, Kitchener, ON N2M 5E3
Monday to Saturday: 7:00am to 9:30pm
Sunday: 9:00am to 9:00pm