Lifetime Stone Restoration

Making Old Surfaces Shine Again

By Janette Calabro

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Two decades ago, Don Mlnarik discovered his calling: to reveal the beauty of natural stone hidden beneath years of wear, tear, and neglect. After discovering a franchise specializing in stone care, Don realized he could build his own business helping homeowners and businesses restore—not replace—the surfaces they already had. Today, Lifetime Stone Restoration has become a trusted name in the industry. In fact, tile companies often hand out Don’s business card when customers have questions about maintenance, repairs, or restoration. “It’s fun,” he says with a laugh. “What kid didn’t know somebody who had a rock polisher when they were little? I get to do that to the extreme.”

 

One of the biggest misconceptions Don encounters is that people often don’t understand the wide variety of materials that fall under the category of natural stone. “Stone is anything from granite, marble, and limestone, to travertine,” says Don. “There’s a huge variation of stones that people just don’t know about. You would think everybody had already invented or mined every type of stone that’s out there. Nope. There’s new stuff that still comes out of the earth.”

 

On the other hand, porcelain and ceramic products are manufactured materials. Quartz can be particularly confusing because while quartz itself is a natural mineral, many quartz countertops are engineered products.

 

Many homeowners automatically assume that damaged countertops, floors, or tile surfaces need to be replaced. According to Don, that’s often far from the truth. “I’ve seen people throw away perfectly good ceramic tile and grout. What a waste. It’s better to refurbish what’s there instead of throwing more stuff into a landfill.” 

 

The reactions he receives after completing a restoration project never get old. “People are surprised at what I consider the easy part—cleaning and repolishing,” Don says. “If it’s dull and dirty and the homeowner can’t get the shine back, it can be done professionally.” People are even more surprised, he says, when he can make a crack disappear. “The homeowners can’t even see where I fill in the cracks,” he says. “I had a travertine table that broke in half that I put back together again.” Sometimes, a transformation is so dramatic that it brings tears to a homeowner’s eyes—a reaction that reminds Don exactly why he started in the first place.

 

While natural stone restoration is Don’s favorite type of work, he also revives tile showers (without the expense and mess of a remodeling job). Anyone who has battled soap scum, hard water deposits, mildew, or deteriorating caulk understands the challenge. Lifetime Stone Restoration cleans, restores, and re-caulks tile showers, using specialized equipment designed to deep clean and polish. “No cleaning service can do that—not the deep clean that we can do,” Don notes. 

 

In fact, large janitorial companies occasionally subcontract specialized restoration work because of Don’s expertise. Successful restoration requires proper brushes, products, and techniques, as well as an understanding of how different materials react.

 

Some of Don’s most memorable projects aren’t found in modern homes but in historic buildings. One restoration project involved a downtown Omaha building constructed in the 1920s. Another took place in a former post office in Norfolk dating back to the late 1800s. In both cases, years of renovations hid beautiful original surfaces beneath carpet and adhesive. “If a property or building is on the historical registry, no one is allowed to tear anything out,” Don explains. “You either have to cover it up or refinish it.” 

 

The results of these restorations were remarkable. Marble staircases, terrazzo floors, and historic architectural details were restored to the appearance they had generations ago. “I love working on those to show the way they were built,” Don says. Revealing the original architecture is a long but rewarding process. 

 

Ask Don what customer service means to him, and his answer is refreshingly straightforward. “It means that I’m always on time,” he says, “and that I do exactly the work that’s spelled out in the bid. I never raise my prices, and I always set expectations.”

 

For homeowners considering new countertops or flooring, Don offers one final piece of advice: “When you’re planning to replace a counter or floor, ask questions about the materials. Ask who’s installing it, how to maintain it, what type of cleaners you can use on it, and who you can call if anything happens.”

 

After nearly two decades in business, Don continues learning new techniques as materials and design trends evolve, but his mission remains the same: helping people rediscover the beauty that’s already there. To learn more about this locally owned and operated business that serves all of Nebraska and western Iowa and eastern South Dakota, call Lifetime Stone Restoration at 402-916-1700 or visit lifetimestone.com. 

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