Stone Polishing Instructions for Monkey and Cheetah Pads
Monkey Pads and Cheetah Pads are professional diamond polishing and restoration systems designed for marble, travertine, limestone, terrazzo, polished concrete, and other natural stone surfaces. Using only water, these environmentally friendly pads help restore shine, remove wear patterns, eliminate etching, and improve the appearance of stone floors, walls, countertops, and other surfaces.
Monkey Pads are typically used for routine maintenance, polishing, and finish refinement, while Cheetah Pads are designed for more aggressive restoration work including scratch removal, etch removal, and surface correction. Together they provide a complete stone restoration and polishing system for residential and commercial applications.
Compatible Surfaces
- Marble
- Travertine
- Limestone
- Terrazzo
- Polished concrete
- Natural stone floors
- Stone countertops
- Stone walls and shower surrounds
Using Monkey and Cheetah Pads with Floor Machines
17” – 20” Floor Machines (175-350 RPM)
Monkey Pads and Cheetah Pads can be used with standard 17-inch and 20-inch floor machines to restore and polish natural stone surfaces. Depending on the selected grit and polishing sequence, the pads can produce finishes ranging from a dull honed appearance to a high-gloss polish. For best results, use on surfaces with little to no lippage (uneven tile edges).
Floor Machine Instructions
- Sweep or vacuum the surface thoroughly to remove abrasive dirt and debris.
- Clean and rinse the stone surface before polishing.
- Center the selected Monkey Pad or Cheetah Pad on the drive plate of the floor machine.
- Apply enough water to lightly wet a 2-foot by 5-foot work area. Excessive water is not necessary.
- Move the machine in an overlapping oval pattern while maintaining a consistent pace.
- Inspect the surface after 15 to 30 seconds of polishing.
- If the desired finish has been achieved, continue to the next section of flooring.
- If additional polishing is required, continue working the area until the desired result is obtained.
- If the finish still does not meet expectations, switch to a different grit level and repeat the process.
Using Monkey and Cheetah Pads with Hand Polishers
5” – 8” Variable Speed Hand Polishers (600-3000 RPM)
Monkey Pads and Cheetah Pads can also be used with variable speed hand polishers for countertops, walls, edges, stairs, showers, and other detailed stone restoration projects. Hand polishers provide excellent control when working in smaller areas where floor machines cannot be used.
Hand Polisher Instructions
- Dust, sweep, or vacuum the surface to remove abrasive debris.
- Clean and rinse the surface thoroughly before polishing.
- Center the selected pad on the backing plate.
- Apply enough water to lightly wet a 2-foot by 3-foot work area.
- Operate the tool at its lowest practical speed setting.
- Move the tool in overlapping oval patterns while keeping the work area wet.
- Inspect the surface after 15 to 30 seconds.
- Continue polishing until the desired finish is achieved.
- If necessary, move to a different grit level and repeat the process.
Professional Tips for Better Results
- For best results with 175 RPM floor machines, use a 60 lb drive plate. Additional weight is generally not necessary on 300-350 RPM machines.
- Use more water when working with lower grit pads.
- Use more pressure and less water when polishing with higher grit levels.
- Overlap work areas by 4 to 6 inches to maintain a consistent finish.
- Rinse the surface thoroughly before changing grit levels.
- Clean and dry pads after every use.
- Store pads in a clean, dry location.
Pads are color coded by grit level.
Additional Tips and Best Practices
- Always use Monkey Pads and Cheetah Pads on a clean surface free of abrasive dirt and debris.
- Pad contamination is one of the most common causes of poor performance and premature wear.
- Thoroughly clean and rinse the surface before polishing.
- Store pads in a clean, dry box or container.
- Never store pads diamond face to diamond face.
- Stack pads with the colored side facing upward.
- It is better to underuse a pad than to overuse it.
- Excessive use of lower grit pads may create a textured appearance that requires additional restoration.
- You only need enough water to keep the surface wet. Large puddles are unnecessary.
- Edge work, stairs, countertops, and detailed areas can be polished using 5-inch or 7-inch pads with a hand polisher.
Use the chart below to help select the appropriate Monkey Pad grit for polishing, restoring, and maintaining marble, travertine, limestone, terrazzo, and other natural stone surfaces.
Complete Stone Restoration System
Many restoration professionals use both Monkey Pads and Cheetah Pads as part of a complete stone restoration system. Cheetah Pads are used to remove scratches, etching, and surface damage, while Monkey Pads are used to refine the finish and restore the desired level of shine. Using both systems together allows contractors to handle everything from routine maintenance to full stone restoration projects.
When to Use Monkey Pads vs. Cheetah Pads
- Monkey Pads: Best for routine maintenance, polishing, finish refinement, and restoring shine to lightly worn stone surfaces.
- Cheetah Pads: Best for scratch removal, etch removal, correcting wear patterns, and restoring heavily damaged stone surfaces.
- Combined System: Use Cheetah Pads for restoration and correction, then finish with Monkey Pads to achieve the desired honed or polished appearance.
Helpful Resources
- Monkey Pads Instructions for Stone Polishing and Surface Restoration
- How to Get the Best Results with Cheetah Pads
- Cheetah Pad FAQs
- Stone Polishing Product Videos
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