Caring for the Surfaces We Specify
Every material in a studio specification is chosen partly for how it ages, which only works if it is cleaned the way it expects. Most of the damage we are called back for was done with a product bought to be helpful.
Honed stone
Honed basalt and limestone are porous and mildly alkaline, so anything acidic etches them on contact — lemon, wine, descaler, most bathroom sprays. The etch is not a stain and does not clean off; it is a change in the surface that has to be re-honed. Warm water and a pH-neutral soap is the whole routine.
- pH-neutral soap only, never an acidic or bleach-based cleaner
- Blot spills rather than wiping them across the surface
- Re-seal every two to three years in wet areas
Oiled oak
Hard-wax oil sits in the timber rather than on it, which is why an oiled surface can be repaired in place where a lacquered one cannot. It also means water left standing will darken the grain within hours. Wipe spills as they happen and re-oil the high-traffic areas annually.
- Damp cloth, never a soaked one, and dry behind it
- No silicone polish — it prevents the next coat keying
- Re-oil worktops annually, floors every three to five years
Acoustic plaster
The finish works because it is porous, so anything that fills the pores destroys the acoustic performance while leaving the surface looking fine. It cannot be washed, painted or wiped. Dust it with a soft brush attachment and call us for anything worse — a patch is a five-step repair and is on this site.
- Vacuum with a soft brush head, never a cloth
- Never paint it; a single coat halves the absorption
- Damage is patched, not cleaned — see the repair tutorial
When to call the studio
We hold the as-built finish schedule for every project, which names the exact product, batch and supplier for each surface. A repair matched from that schedule is invisible; one matched by eye from a photograph usually is not, and by then the original area has aged away from anything on a shelf.
- Any damage to acoustic plaster or specialist paint
- Etching or staining on stone, before trying to remove it
- Anything under warranty, before a third party touches it