PROTECTING YOUR STONE

Sealing Stone
Contrary to what your perception may be when you hear the word sealer, most sealers for stone are below-surface products and will not alter in any way, shape or form the original finish produced by the factory. They will not offer protection to the surface of the stone either. They will only go inside the stone and by being absorbed by it (assuming that the stone is porous enough to allow this to happen) and will clog its pores, thus reducing its natural absorbency rate. This will help prevent possible accidental spills of staining agents from being absorbed by the stone.

There is no blanket rule when it comes to sealing natural stone. Marble (especially all those mercantile marbles that are actually compact limestone) and travertine are NOT very porous. If you don’t believe this, spill a few drops of water, say, on polished travertine tile and observe how long it will take to be absorbed (the area under the water would become darker). A very long time, if ever!

On the other hand, all granites must be sealed. Granite is indeed more porous than marble and will stain if not protected with a good quality impregnator-type stone sealer.

Some “granites” are so porous, that no sealer will do a satisfactory job at sealing them 100% for a long time.

Sealers for stone, which are below surface, penetrating-type sealers (better referred to as impregnators), are designed to do one thing and one thing only: clog the pores of the stone to inhibit staining agents from being absorbed by it.

In fact, in some instances, “weird” problems that may appears to be etching on “granite” countertops turns out to be that the residue of sealer left on the surfaces of the stone (nothing went inside it) was being etched, certainly not the stone. In these instances, once the sealer is professionally removed, everything is fine.

Note: Sometimes, marks of corrosion (etch marks) that an acidic substance will leave behind when coming in contact with the surface of some stones may look like water stains, or water rings, but they are neither stains, nor were they generated by water. The deriving (surface) damage has not relation whatsoever with the porosity of the stone (which determines its absorbency), but is exclusively related to its chemical makeup. No sealer in the world will do anything to prevent this.

Color Enhancing Sealing
While impregnating sealers will not alter the appearance of your stone, on tumbled marble, low-honed finished limestone and travertine, honed (black) granite, etc a color enhancing (impregnating) sealer will protect the stone while bringing out its color, giving it a wet (i.e. darker, not glossy) look. It will at the same time provide good protection from water based staining.

Sealing Grout - Clear or Color Sealing
Grout is porous and will absorb liquids which can potentially stain. Sealing your grout provides a protective barrier that not only protects it from stains, it makes routine cleaning and maintenance easier. Grout can be sealed with a clear sealer or it can be color sealed. Color sealing has the added advantage that it allows you to completely change the color of your grout whether it is just for a new look or to cover up stained or discolored grout.

DIY or Call A Restoration Pro?
Is sealing your stone a job for you to do yourself or should you hire a qualified professional restoration contractor to do it for you?

Consider the following:

• If you do it yourself, you save on labor costs.
• Consider the magnitude of the job and how comfortable you are with a DIY project. Are you prepared to get on your hands and knees?
• Has the floor been thoroughly and completely cleaned? If not, you take the chance of sealing in dirt and debris.
• Sealer not completely removed from the surface of the stone may cause problems including a haze on the stone that may develop as the sealer dries completely. Once it is dried on the surface, sealer can be very difficult to remove.
• Different sealers perform differently in varying environments and on different stones. We will know which is the best sealer for your job.