Could you evaluate the usage and preservation of natural stones regarding the projects in Turkey?
Natural stone use is highly popular in both indoor and outdoor projects. They are paying great attention to natural stones for the prominence and uniqueness of the projects. Meticulously selected natural stones are generally applied with dexterity, but unfortunately the preservation and maintenance are not on the agenda. Mostly they are unaware of chemicals ensuring natural stone preservation or they are not willing to budget for these technologies. They tend to use a different natural stone or a different color or even a different material in order to avoid dealing with maintenance. However, it is important to note that there is an important difference between a preserved surface and an unprocessed surface appearance at the end of a few years. Project architects have a great responsibility on this issue.
Could you inform us about Elkay and your productions in Turkey regarding natural stone chemicals?
As Elkay, we are leading the field of natural stone chemicals in Turkey. We manufactured the first marble and stone adhesives of Turkey. At this stage, we produce adhesives, sealants, protectors, varnishes, maintenance and cleaning products. We closely follow and listen to the problems of architects, studios that per form implementations and project executors and every year, we endeavor for developing new products for meeting these requirements.
Could you share with us the problems of architects regarding natural stones? Which preservation chemicals are needed the most in projects?
While designing the project, architects pursue an imagination, deal with all the details from material selection to the color and texture of stones and indicate them in technical specifications. As Elkay, we make suggestions aiming at the right product in accordance with the impact and the usage needs of the project and give site suppor t. MAXISEAL VH72 prevents sur faces from getting dir ty and enables easy cleaning by protecting them against external factors and climatic conditions, without changing their colors and textures both in indoor and outdoor implementations. In order to prevent fading colors caused by direct sunlight, accentuate and revive sur face colors, we highly recommend the product named MAXIBLACK VH2010.
Are there any other innovative solutions? Could you talk about the problems of project implementers?
Yes, there are two important factors in projects: time and budget. For the timing factor, different teams can work simultaneously in the same field. The biggest problem concerning stone implementers, is the insufficiency of the protection measures which they apply through glassine papers, cardboards, adhesive foils, plywoods or gypsoplasts in the projects where they meticulously pave stones and exhibit top quality craftsmanship by selecting the most expensive stones. Electricians or painters who later involve in the project sometimes accidentally damage the implementation. Weldings overflow, water gets poured, nails get stuck, dyes get splashed, plasters fall off… When the project delivery date arrives and you remove the protective coating, you face with stratched, dirty natural stone surfaces with rust stains caused by iron shavings. Unhappily, stone implementers decide to start over and this is where the monetary aspect steps in. Then, there happen to be lots of debates over removal, labor and loads of unforeseen expenses and the coverage issue regarding these expenses. We developed a new product named EASYPEEL which will resolve this issue and got its patent. We take all the natural stone surfaces under protection against external factors within the construction and restoration processes of any kind. The liquid-tempered and fully water-based product which can be used in every glossy and nonporous surfaces, is implemented with a roll. When implented with the felt we present, it provides protection for around a year and even the forklifts can shuttle back and forth on top of it. It prevents the surface from getting damaged and dirty. In the last day, you peel and remove the layer and throw it away. Therefore you don’t need to clean the surface and you don’t face with damaged surfaces.
Lately, we began to see furnitures with natural stones. Especially marbles are quite popular but they become stained eventually. Do you have any studies for this issue?
Indeed, marble is a highly appreciated material by architects in terms of naturality and aesthetics. In this sense, the usage of marble increased in the interiors of hotels, restaurants and housing projects. However, architects tend to select different materials or deflect clients away because marble gets dirty and it is really difficult to keep it clean or because they don’t know how to preserve this material. Along with long R&D practices, we developed a new product with a bold statement “A first in Turkey and in the World”. We started our journey with the motto “WE HIGHLY CARE ABOUT YOUR NATURAL STONE SURFACES AND CAN’T STAND TO SEE THEM GET STAINED”. Along with ELIOGARD, we protect your surfaces against stainings caused by any kind of food and drink, water lime, cleaning materials, loss of gloss and abrasions. Marble is a special pavement that proofs similar and fragile surfaces against stains. We eliminated artificiality and therefore it does not turn pale and get peeled off the surface. Marble is an essential material to be used on tables, stands, buffets, furnitures like consoles and countertops of kitchens and bathrooms.