Chipping Problem With Marble Floors

Loose Grout

• Tile grout becomes loose for numerous reasons, most of which involve problems that occurred during the installation process, such as the use of excess polymer. Loose grout creates a weak foundation, and excess looseness causes the marble tiles to physically chip or crack. If the chipping results from poorly installed grout, you will usually find cracks in the grout as well, and not just in the tiles.

Heavy Objects

• Marble does not require a great deal of force in order to chip. If you have heavy objects, like furniture, directly on the surface of your floor, this can cause the marble to chip, especially if the furniture gets dragged or dropped. When placing heavy objects on a marble floor, always protect the surface with a rug to keep the stone from becoming permanently damaged.

Harsh Cleaning Solutions

• Marble cleaning is a delicate process that requires pH-neutral solvents. Marble is extremely sensitive to harsh chemicals, and especially acids. If you clean your floors with any solutions containing vinegar, citric acid, phosphoric acid or bleach, the actual marble can weaken, resulting in sections becoming etched or chipped. Only clean your marble floors with water and solvents specifically formulated for natural stone, such as a stone soap.

Shoes

• Believe it or not, even your shoes can damage a marble floor. Sand is an abrasive substance, and sand sticks to the bottoms of your shoes. When you track sand into your home, the force of your shoes hitting the marble can drive the sand into the stone and cause scratching. With enough force or frequency, chipping can occur. Never walk on a marble floor in dirty shoes.