Category: Natural Stone Restoration & Polishing

There are conflicting opinions about natural stone sealer. If you are a “do-it-yourselfer” or a homeowner going for a repair or renovation, you may well be confused about whether or not you should seal your natural stone structures.

Natural stone structures are indeed popular, because they lend a luxurious touch to the house.

From entire stone houses, to stone flooring, to bathtubs and counter tops, natural stone is a much preferred option in construction materials. They are expensive and require a lot of care, the reason why they are usually treated with a natural stone sealer.

Some people swear by natural stone sealing, while others are of the opinion that not all stones need to be sealed. While doing your homework, you will find that most experts recommend sealing all-natural stone, but many others will contradict by saying that sealing should be done according to stone types.

So how do you find out if your natural stone needs sealing?

Stone absorbency test

Performing an absorbency test on natural stone will give you a general idea if the stone is porous. To perform this test, simply put several drops of water on the surface of the stone and let it sit there. Keep track of how long it takes for the water to get completely absorbed.

If the water gets completely absorbed in under one minute, the stone is very porous. If it takes around three to four minutes for the water to disappear completely, the stone is porous.

If it takes more than five minutes, the stone is only slightly porous. This simple test will also give a good idea about how much stone sealer needs to be used for the entire area.

Things to know before sealing

To be on the safe side, all-natural stone surfaces should be sealed for extra protection. Even when a stone is not very porous, you will need little sealer, but you should never skip sealing altogether. Non porous stones will absorb very little sealer to get the maximum protection. The natural stone sealer isn’t an added expense.

It extends the life and durability of stone surfaces. If your stone is not very porous, you should buy only a small bottle of sealer.

Stone sealing is also dependent on the type of stone surface. If you have granite countertops, check if they are already pre-sealed. You can ask your fabricator about this or simply perform the absorbency test to find out. Presealed stone doesn’t need to be sealed again. The same applies for resined stones.

These days, all stones are resined in the factory. You may still want to use a natural stone sealer, but always perform the absorbency test to make sure how much sealer you need.

There is a huge demand for natural stone these days. Although expensive, natural stone look beautiful, are eco-friendly, and lend elegance and style to any structure they are used in.

But there is one big downside of natural stone, and that is it’s porous and prone to staining. This is why using a natural stone sealer is absolutely indispensable.

What is a natural stone sealer?

When natural stone is called porous, it means they have interconnected capillaries inside, which suck in all kinds of liquids. This is true for all porous substances, which are actually like a hard sponge, absorbing liquids, dissolved salts, minerals, and contaminants.

Some stones are more porous than others, such as sandstone. Denser stones like basalt are much less porous and slower to absorb liquids.

Since natural stone gets eroded by all these contaminants over time, they must be protected with a natural stone sealer. Sealers are of two kinds-penetrating and topical.

Penetrating sealers get absorbed into the stone, without altering the look or finish of the natural stone. The sealer bonds inside with the stone, creating an oil- and water-repelling barrier to prevent staining.

Topical sealers, on the other hand, are applied on the surface of the stone, and can alter the texture and finish. Topical natural stone sealers are less durable than penetrating sealers. Both topical and penetrating sealers are considered breathable, because they allow vapor transmission.

Importance of stone sealing

Natural stone is high maintenance, especially if they are highly porous. If the stone isn’t sealed, contaminants will not only alter the look and color of the stone but also cause damage. If your house is made of natural stone, you must take exceptional care of it, to avoid staining and erosion.

A natural stone sealer is usually applied by default when the stones are laid. If you have natural stone flooring, you must sweep or vacuum the floor as often as possible, to remove dust and dirt, and prevent the debris from settling in the joints.

When using a wet mop, always use a natural stone cleaner to preserve the pH balance of the stones. Make sure to pick a cleaner that doesn’t damage the natural stone sealer or make the stone more vulnerable to stains.

Solistone & Concrete Care is a leading natural stone and concrete restoration company based in California. Contact us for affordable and quality service for all your stone and concrete needs.

Although natural stone is a luxury people choose to decorate their homes with, it comes with several problems as well as maintenance efforts.

Natural stone might be durable with a long lifespan, but only when proper care is taken. This is why natural stone sealer is so important in preserving the look and durability of stone surfaces.

There are several problems that sealing natural stones can solve. Some of the problems are caused by climatic conditions like humidity or by staining and regular wear and tear.

If the stones surfaces are in the outdoor areas, they must always be treated with a natural stone sealer (even if they are already resined). By forming this extra layer of protection, the natural stone surfaces can be kept looking like new for years.

Some of the common problems natural stone sealing helps combat are:

Problems caused by the climate: If stone surfaces are outdoors, they can be affected by all kinds of climatic conditions, from rain and snow to UV rays and weathering.

Although these problems will be caused even if the stone is sealed, the natural stone sealer will provide some amount of protection from the elements.

Besides the sealer, you also have to make sure you keep the stone surfaces protected as much as possible. There is no way to bring back the gloss once it’s lost, but you can take steps to protect the stones from the elements to keep their shine intact.

Problems caused by humidity: High humidity is often a problem for natural stone surfaces. When humidity is high, rust tends to occur very easily. Once rust stains the natural stone, it can be hard to remove completely.

Although the stone sealer provides a barrier, rust can still cause tough stains. Humidity also makes the stones absorb minerals or salts, leading to dark spots, which can change the mineral structure of the stones forever.

That is why stones in high humidity areas must be treated well before installation to prevent these problems as much as possible.

Problems caused by various substances: Stains can be caused every substance, from water to paint to oils. Coffee stains, oil and grease, wax from candles, cosmetics like nail polishes, food products, spices all cause stains on stone surfaces.

Many of these stains can be tough to remove. Even after a stone sealer has been applied, porous stones can absorb several substances, leading to stains. It is important to keep natural stone surfaces free from staining substances to the greatest extent, but often it isn’t possible. Besides regular cleaning, chemical stain removers can be tried.

Natural stone is used both for residential and commercial buildings because it is durable, visually attractive, and has a long lifespan.

Natural stone can be used for chimneys, countertops, roofs, bathtubs, basins, and flooring. Entire stone houses are luxurious and elegant. But just because its stone doesn’t mean it is everlasting.

Like every other material, natural stone also requires proper maintenance to preserve its shine and durability. When choosing a stone to decorate a building, most people wonder how to clean natural stone. This is a far more important question than the cost of the stone.

Natural stone is delicate and needs to be protected against stains and scratches. Keeping stone surfaces clean is absolutely necessary in order to prevent damage. Although cleaning stone can seem like a tough task, it needn’t be so. The following five steps should make it easier to care for your natural stone surfaces.

Know your natural stone

All cleaning processes don’t work with every kind of natural stone. Natural stones are divided into two groups: siliceous stone or calcareous stone. The former is made of silica, and the latter is made of calcium carbonate.

To be able to properly clean and maintain your natural stone surfaces, the first step is to be familiar with the type of stone. Calcareous stone is more delicate and should be protected from all kinds of harsh liquids and acids.

Know the current condition of the stone

There are a few questions you can ask to verify the current condition of the stone. Are the tiles flat? Are there dents and cracks? Is the stone sealed, enhanced, or coated with any substance? Are there stains? Depending upon each of these factors, a proper cleaning regimen should be chosen.

Natural stone sealer

Experts recommend that natural stones must always be sealed because it makes them easier to be cleaned and maintained. Porous stones require more sealer than less porous ones. Some stones come pre-sealed, but if yours aren’t, sealing them provides an additional layer of protection.

Proper cleaning

Almost all-natural stones can be cleaned with a stone soap mixed with water. When using a wet mop, make sure to completely dry the surface to prevent stains and moisture. Certain stones are more slippery than others and can get scratched easily. Placing carpets, rugs, or doormats is essential in such cases.

Preventing stains

When thinking how to clean natural stone, always keep in mind that the wrong stain remover can damage the stone. Buying a stone cleaner must always be done after consulting a natural stone professional.

Solistone & Concrete Care is a leading natural stone and concrete restoration company based in California. Contact us for affordable and quality service for all your stone and concrete needs.

A lot of people prefer natural stone for certain parts of their house if they can afford it. Natural stones occur freely in nature, like limestone, sandstone, and marble.

Stone houses, stone flooring, stone bathtubs, and stone kitchen counters are very common. Natural stone is durable and last for ages if maintained well.

Key factors

But there are various maintenance processes involved in preserving the look and durability of natural stones. Because they are in limited supply and require a lot of care, natural stone is more expensive than wood or any other construction material.

Nevertheless, they are in high demand all over the world. Natural stone is often considered a luxury.

Natural stone sealer is a substance applied to the stone in order to preserve its natural shine and look, and also to protect against erosion and contamination. Because natural stones are porous like a hard sponge, they absorb all kinds of liquids, from water to oils to chemicals like floor cleaners.

These liquids not only alter the color and look of the stones in the long run, but also cause cracks and damages. Natural stone sealers are used to prevent these changes from occurring and keep the stones looking like new.

Sealers vs. enhancers

There are two primary types of natural stone sealer. One is the topical sealer, and the other is an enhancer. Although both of them are sealers, they serve different purposes. Customers are often confused between regular sealers and enhancing sealers.

Not all customers want the same thing. Some want to protect the natural look while others want to enhance the look.

There are two different kinds of looks that a sealer helps to achieve. If you want to make the color of the stone deeper, then you need an enhancing sealer. This kind of sealer penetrates the stone, bonds with minerals, and both enhances and protects the stone from staining substances.

Topical sealers only protect the stone from external elements without changing the look or texture of the stone. Sealers can be either water based, or solvent based. Water based sealers don’t penetrate as much as solvent based sealers. The latter is more powerful.

A vital step

Enhancing sealers are more expensive and also more durable. If your stone surfaces already come pre-sealed, then you can choose a water-based sealer. In either case, a natural stone sealer must always be applied on stone surfaces for extra protection.