WO2006026791A1

WO2006026791A1 - Method of treating a marble surface

Info

Publication number: WO2006026791A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2005/000130
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nicolaas Albertus Heyns
Original assignee: Nicolaas Albertus Heyns
Priority date: 2004-08-30
Filing date: 2005-08-30
Publication date: 2006-03-09

Abstract

A method is provided for treating a marble surface by applying a pigment and a surface coating to the surface, to provide a marble surface with a predetermined colour and other surface properties such as surface hardness.

Description

METHOD OF TREATING A MARBLE SURFACE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the provision of even coloured marble tiles and slabs and in particular, it relates to a method of treating a marble surface and a marble product such as a marble tile with a surface that has been treated according to the method,

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Most producers of marble tiles attach a disclaimer to the bottom of their products that usually states^' that the tiles are made from marble, which is a product of nature and for that reason, its colour and grain consistency cannot be guaranteed. This lack in colour and grain consistency presents problems - internationally in the stone industry, particularly for consumers.

Marble quarries can experience colour inconsistency in the quarried material to such a degree that several subsidiary quarries, producing different coloured material, can originate from within one operating quarry. Suppliers of marble tiles are therefore unable to guarantee colour and consistency and architects find it difficult to recommend marble for large-scale projects.

One of the difficulties encountered by consumers is that it is often difficult to find natural marble tiles with a colour that corresponds with or matches the interior design of the home. The problem is one of unavailability of natural marble in certain colours.

Once a tile covering of marble tiles has been installed, some individual tiles might break or be damaged. In many instances, marble tiles with the specific colour of the broken or damaged marble tile might no longer be available or a replacement tile might come from a batch with a colour tone that is different from those that had been installed initially.

A tiler might spend days to sort through marble tiles of varied colour, in order to match them during installation, with resulting labour costs. Marble tiles of unacceptable colour variance may be returned to a vendor who supplied the tiles and the tiles could be damaged in the handling process. The result is that vendors often end up with stocks of returned marble tiles that have been damaged or have such colour variance, that they do not have an application anywhere other than be written off as a loss to the vendor. Occupants and owners of property change from time to time and in order to maintain the resale ability of property or its suitability for different occupants, it is preferable to provide fixtures on the property that meet the requirements of most occupants. This is often achieved by providing fixtures of neutral colours like beige or grey. However, supplies of marble tiles with a consistent beige or grey colour might be limited, with the result that carpet or wood laminate floors are often preferred over marble, despite the superior qualities of strength, durability and aesthetic appeal of natural marble.

Most ceramic producers offer several tile lines with a finish imitating marble. For instance, rubber tile producers produce imitation marble tiles and words like "marbleized" have become common in the flooring industry. Vast sums of money are spent in the flooring industry on research and development to imitate marble and produce imitated marble tiles. This supports the argument that the appearance of marble tiles is popular.

To date, the emphasis in finding a solution to colour consistency and availability in the marble tile and slab industry has been the creation of imitation marble products that offer these qualities. Production of these products can be costly, e.g. where- marble designs, are burnt into the surfaces of ceramic tiles by means of very sophisticated and costly, processes and the imitations seldom match the quality of natural marbje. SUMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a method of treating a marble surface, said method including applying a pigment and a surface coating to the marble surface.

The pigment and surface coating may be applied in succession or may be combined in a composition and applied together. The surface coating may include a surface hardener and/or a sealer.

The method may include the prior step of honing the marble surface before the pigment and the surface coating are applied.

The marble surface should preferably be veined and light coloured.

The invention extends to a marble product such as a marble tile, with at lease one marble surface that has been treated with a method as described hereinabove.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example. A surface of a marble product is treated to alter its surface appearance. The marble product could be a marble tile or slab and the surface that is treated should preferable be a surface that will be visible, such as a working surface that will be exposed. The product is selected so that the marble is of good quality with a veined, light coloured appearance, preferably white or grey.

The product is calibrated for thickness and the surface is honed to

remove saw marks, imperfections, or the like, but is not polished to a high sheen. Polishing the surface would result in unnecessary costs and could be detrimental to the bonding of the surface coating (see below).

The surface is treated by applying a pigment and a surface coating to the marble surface. The pigment can be applied separately, followed by the surface coating, or the pigment and surface coating can be applied together, e.g. the pigment can be added to the surface coating to provide a surface coating composition with a predetermined colour.

The pigment can be a concentrated liquid pigment, similar to pigments used to stain wood and can be selected to match a predetermined colour. The surface coating can be a surface hardener and or a sealer as used in the stone industry, preferably with impregnation quality. These hardeners are typically used to improve resistance to wear of commercial floors, such as floors of airports or large shopping centres.

The pigment, surface coating, and/or combined composition can by applied to the marble surface in any suitable manner, preferably by spraying, but also by brush or roller application, or the like, and can be allowed to dry or cure, according to the recommendations of the manufacturer of the pigment, surface coating or combined composition.

The invention described by way of example, holds the advantages of providing a method for alteration of the surface appearance of marble, ^■ and providing a product that has colour consistency, colour adaptability to match interiors or preferences, availability of any colour, availability of unlimited quantities, the strength and durability of natural marble, the veined appearance of natural marble, the ability to be replaced an any time when a tile is broken or damaged, e.g. after installation, etc.

Claims

1. A method of treating a marble surface, said method being characterised by applying a pigment and a surface coating to the marble surface.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 , characterised in that the pigment and surface coating are combined in a composition and are applied together.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 , characterised in that the surface coating includes a surface hardener.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 1 , characterised in that the surface coating includes a sealer.

5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised by the prior step of honing the marble surface.

6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the marble surface is veined and light coloured.

7. A marble product, characterised in that at least one marble surface of the marble product has been treated with according to a method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims;

8. A marble product as claimed in Claim 7, characterised in that the marble product is a marble tile.