TOPICAL
SEALERS
Topical sealers for natural
stone and granite sealing protect the surface of
the stone from water and oil based contaminants. These sealers come
in a liquid form and are applied directly to the face of the stone
with a soft cloth. It does not require a stone specialist to apply
the sealer but it may to take it off! The topical sealer must then
be reapplied. If you plan to use a topical sealer for sealing
granite, make sure the product specifies it is for granite.
What this type of sealer does is, it creates a barrier on
the surface of the stone to protect it from foot traffic,
soil, dirt, oil, and stains. This barrier does not allow the stone
to breathe but instead, "sits on top" of the natural stone
and forms a protective film. Wax products were used in the past.
Today there are more durable products available for natural stone,
marble, and granite sealing.
There are two types of topical sealers:
Strippable coatings are
usually water based and easily removed from the surface of the
stone. Most of them are NOT designed for granite.
Permanent coatings are solvent based sealers and very difficult to
remove. These are NOT recommended for granite sealing.
How often you need to reapply the natural stone sealer depends on
your usage. The more foot traffic and occurrences of soiling, the
more often your topical sealer needs to be reapplied. AND, before
reapplying a topical sealer, the old sealer must first be
removed.
Advantages
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Some topical sealers contain additives that
produce non slip characteristics. This is great for natural stone
flooring.
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The sealer creates a protective barrier between
water and oil contaminants, foot traffic, and the
stone.
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Topical sealers protect the stone from surface
scratching and etching caused by acidic materials such as orange
juice and coke.
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If you like the shiny, glossy look, a topical
sealer can produce a gloss that can be buffed. This allows for the
maintenance of a high gloss surface.
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Disadvantages
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Topical sealers alter the appearance of the stone
by adding a gloss sheen. They may also deepen the color of your
stone. This usually isn't the desired effect wanted on an honed
natural stone surface.
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Moisture is trapped within the stone. The
protective barrier doesn't allow the stone to
breathe.
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Because topical sealers create a film on the
surface of the stone, it tends to show scuffs, marks, and paths in
heavy traffic areas. These marks are removed during the
reapplication process.
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Requires continual reapplication as it wears in
heavy traffic areas.
-
The old topical sealer needs to be removed before
applying a new coat of sealer. The process of stripping the old
topical sealer can be detrimental to the surface of some stones.
This also adds higher costs to maintaining your
stone.
Marble & Granite Supply of
Illinois, INC
1225 Hartrey Ave Evanston, IL 60202
Telephone: 847-866-8682
Fax: 847-866-8206
Email Address: sales@marble-granites.com
Website: www.Marble-Granites.com