You’ve gone through the entire process from researching on the internet, browsing in the showroom, choosing the natural stone you wanted and now it’s finally been installed and it looks incredible.
However, the important thing now is to maintain the beautiful rich, shiny texture for years to come!
Despite its durability, natural stone is not impervious to damage from heat, chemicals, spills and general wear and tear. Depending on the type of natural stone, different measures need to be taken to ensure the beauty of the stone is preserved over time, the most important of which is sealing the stone.
Sealing Natural Stone
While some natural stone like granite slabs are more durable and less porous than other stone such as marble, all natural stone should be properly sealed upon installation.
Sealing prevents liquids and materials, which may be accidentally spilt on the stone, soaking in and being absorbed causing stains.
A great test of whether a stone needs sealing is to pour a small puddle of water on the stone about 10 centimetres wide and leave it for a few minutes to see if it soaks in and leaves a dark mark, which indicates it needs to be sealed as the water has been absorbed.
Sealing can be done using DIY-sealants sold in hardware stores such as Bunnings however professional sealing is strongly recommended.
How often the stone needs to be sealed depends on many factors including the type of natural stone, where it’s located (kitchen or bathroom, floor or benchtop etc) and how much wear and tear it suffers.
At Euro Marble, we are happy to offer advice based on your individual situation to keep your stone pristine, however as a guide most natural stone will need to be sealed anywhere between every 6 months and every 5 years.
Other Tips for Maintaining Natural Stone:
- Wipe up any spills immediately even if your natural stone has been sealed. Sealants typically slow down the rate of absorption of spilled liquids but don’t necessarily prevent the absorption altogether. After wiping a spill with a damp cloth, dry with a separate cloth straight away.
- Do not place anything excessively hot on your natural stone surfaces such as roasting trays or saucepans on kitchen countertops or hot pokers on fireplaces as they can cause cracking in the stone.
- Don’t use scouring pads to scrub the stone as they can scratch and dull its finish.
- Many household detergent sprays are bad for natural stone surfaces and can have a detrimental effect on their aesthetic. At Euro Marble, we can offer advice on the best cleaning products for your natural stone surfaces
- Don’t sit or stand on natural stone surfaces especially where there is any overhang such as countertops or kitchen islands as the stone slabs can crack or break
- Don’t drag any heavy objects across natural stone surfaces as they could leave permanent marks
These are just some tips for keeping your natural stone as beautiful as the day it was installed! To discuss your project and the best natural stone for you give us a call or drop into our Sydney showroom today to speak to one of our friendly and expert team-members.
