Q.  Hi. I have what appears to be an oily stain (which I think is from candle wax) on sandstone hearth. It's been there several years. Is there any hope of getting it out? I tried acetone and it did nothing. Any help for advice you can... Read More

Q. How would I remove a WD40 stain from an unsealed limestone hearth? A.  To remove WD-40 from unsealed limestone, we recommend the poultice method of stain removal. Mix a good degreaser, which can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowe’s,... Read More

Ivy growing on the side of a home or building creates a feeling of warmth, reassurance, and interest. However, the tendrils or aerial roots can grow into the brick or stonework, causing it to flake and fall apart. If you decide to remove ivy or other... Read More

Q. The shine on our travertine marble has not looked even since it was installed. The installer told us that this was characteristic of the stone. Is this true? A. Your installer is correct. Most travertine contains many holes that are filled with a... Read More

Q. I'm totally confused and need help. I'm looking to redo my bathroom and getting different answers on the use of stone tiles for the bathroom and shower. I have been told everything from it is very easy to seal and should only to be... Read More

Q. After we applied a color enhancer to our Eromosa stone (from Owen Sound, Ontario), we noticed some efflorescence. Not sure if it was there before the enhancer was applied. Is there any way to get rid of it? A. What you’re seeing is very... Read More

Q. How do I remove a wine stain from my limestone floors. Also, how do I clean and seal my floors? I’ve had them for 10 years and they need cleaning in high traffic areas. A. Limestone is a beautiful but delicate calcium-based stone, and its... Read More

Q. I very recently purchased a bluestone dining room table. There is now a white circle. I'm thinking that it came from a beer bottle that was placed on the table without a coaster. I tried a poultice of baking soda and water paste, but it did... Read More

Q: We are building a new house in South Louisiana. We have a concrete slab with concrete piers on top. My tile installer used a polyethylene membrane with thinset directly over the plywood subfloor. We installed a honed limestone tile. Now that... Read More

Q. I just bought a house with coquina tile that has not been cleaned in decades. We contracted a limestone expert (after interviewing 4 companies, 2 of which were not familiar with what coquina tile was) to clean them. They ground the floor and then... Read More