A honed finish is a satin surface with relatively little light reflection. It is specified for floors, thresholds and other locations where the presence of water might make a polished finish slippery, or where heavy traffic would wear off the polished finish.

As a rule, honed finishes are more susceptible to soiling than polished finishes, because a honed surface is slightly more porous and absorptive than polished finish. However, the honed finish is easier to restore because it will sustain harsher cleaning efforts.

Normal maintenance of honed finishes involves as-needed washing with clean water and mildly abrasive cleaners, which retain a pumice-type finish, while the cleaners remove soils. There are thick liquid cleaners and chlorine-bleach type scouring powders commercially available.

The marble should be wet with clean, hot water. Then using a mildly abrasive alkaline cleaner and stiff bristle brush, wash in overlapping, swirling strokes. Suds can be left to stand for several minutes to permit the bleaching agents to work on the stains and dirts. Rinse thoroughly and dry with cotton, cotton flannel, burlap or chamois skin. Wipe well to avoid streaking.

If further cleaning is required, use a special treatment or make a paste to the consistency of syrup using a mildly abrasive alkaline cleaning powder if necessary. Rinse thoroughly and dry.

The products for the maintenance of Honed Marble and all other stone is available from http://www.marblemasteruk.com/shop

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Edward Green owns and operates the highly successful Marble Master Ltd company. Marble Master specializes in Restoration and Refinishing of all types of natural stone and consultancy services to Architects, Restoration Companies and Interior Designers. http://www.marblemasteruk.com

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For most people their wedding is an exciting event. Even though you are excited about your wedding there are many things you need to think about. Try not to stress out too much though, everything will work out just fine as long as you plan ahead.

One of the first things you will need to do is have a budget. Even if you have a little lee way in your budget, it is ok as long as your range is not too big. It is very common now that couples pay for their own weddings instead of the parents paying for everything. You may want to talk to each set of parents to see if they would be willing to help you pay for the wedding. Maybe your parents will pay for the meal, and your fiance’s parents can pay for the flowers, or the photographer, etc. Any help will be a big help.

When you start looking for your photographer, or florist, or caterer, you will want to make sure you talk to more than one person. Shop around and make sure you are getting the best for your money. Bridal fairs are a good place to taste the food and cakes from different places. You can also see flowers and decorations, and disc jockeys.

When you are talking to different vendors make sure you don’t tell them how much you can spend on their service. If someone knows how much you are willing to spend they will make sure their service costs just that amount. If you ask for prices first you are more likely to get a honest price.

If you find someone’s services that you are really impressed with, but can’t afford to hire them you may consider talking to them. If you talk to the person you may be able to come up with a way to fit their service into your budget. Maybe you can compromise on the price of the service. If the person can not compromise on their price, maybe you can come up with a way to use less flowers in each bouquet for example so that the service can stay within budget.

When you set your budget you need to make sure you stick with it. It may be hard, but it can be done. Shopping around is the first way you make sure you stay within budget. Next you may think about going to the craft or hobby store and getting things to make some of your decorations yourself. This takes less of a money investment, but more of a time investment.

Just remember that your wedding day is supposed to be a special day, but it should not take you the rest of your life to pay for it. You can have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank. With a little bit of planning you can have a wonderful wedding.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as wedding programs at http://www.wedding-planning-plus.com

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The fireplace is a natural focal point in any room and is an ideal place to decoratively enhance in order to really liven up the room’s atmosphere. In any room where there is a fireplace, people automatically tend to arrange furniture to focus on the fireplace. The natural beauty and deep seeded connection between humans and fire make the fireplace mantel a place to display a home’s most treasured, symbolic items. If you’re on a time or monetary budget, the fireplace mantle is a great way to make an incredible impact in a room quickly and inexpensively.

Keep items proportionate to the scale of the fireplace mantel

Choose items that compliment the proportions of the mantel. If your fireplace is small, add decorative tiles, stone, or bricks to increase the overall size and install a fireplace mantel to fit the new dimensions. Most stately and decorative fireplaces are between 8 and 10 feet in width and about 5 feet high. Installing the mantel, bricks, and tile is a simple project that most people can do themselves after just a small amount of research.

Choose items the define the unique qualities of your family

Because of the significance of a fireplace mantel in a room, choose treasured items in your home that represent your family history, goals, and ideals. This may mean an antique item passed down through the family, artifacts gathered from family travels, or something symbolic like a decorative compass to signify your family’s unwavering pursuit toward an ultimate goal.

Showcase your pictures

Pictures are a natural choice for decorating fireplace mantels for both their visual appeal and significance. Don’t worry about size or dimensions when choosing pictures; instead choose those that represent your most cherished memories. You can bring importance and stature to the pictures on your fireplace mantle by matting your photos in large frames that compliment the room. Adding matting to your framed photos creates more of an artistic look and feel, suited for a fireplace mantel.

Vary sizes and heights

One of the most important overall concepts to consider when decorating a fireplace mantel is to choose items of varying heights, shapes and sizes. Try to keep somewhat of a balance in terms of height. Candles and candlesticks that accent the color of the room are a great way to add height to your fireplace mantel design. Plants can also be an excellent way to add depth, dimension, and natural lines. An oversized vase with a full arrangement of real or silk flowers and foliage can quickly add color, natural beauty, and height to your mantel.

Decorating a fireplace mantel or adding fullness around a bare fireplace with a mantel is a cost effective way to make an incredible impact in a room’s appearance. The natural stately significance of a fireplace mantle makes it an idea place to showcase your most important memories, traditions, beliefs, and the goals of your family.

Author is a small business internet marketing consultant and the cofounder of nGenuity Solutions.

For additional information on fireplace mantlels, please visit http://www.mantelsinc.com

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