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All natural stone require routine sealing to prevent the stone from staining and patina and to make your day to day maintenance easier

What kind of sealer should you use?

PENETRATING SEALERS

Sealing granite and natural stone with penetrating sealers,(also called ipregnators), protects the structure of a natural stone. They protect the stone from within. When sealing natural stone or granite with this type of sealer, it is applied directly to the face of the stone with a soft cloth. It’s simple to do and does not require a stone specialist. This type of sealer is recommended for sealing granite.

The sealer will penetrate below the stone’s surface without leaving a coating or film on top. Thestone below the surfacewill be protected, however, there is no surface protection. This means calcareous natural stones such as marble, onyx, limestone, and travertine can still etch or dull if acidic products such as orange juice or coke are left on your stone.

To help provide surface protection, a natural vegetable soap cleanser or a cleanser made specifically for natural stone should be used. These cleansers build up a thin film layer between periodic deep cleanings. Natural vegetable soaps and stone cleaners remove dirt and debris from the stone’s surface the same as a detergent soap does. They are just milder.

Penetrating sealers are either solvent based or water based.

Solvent based penetrating sealers have a higher durability because they are able to penetrate deeper within the stone. Water based, on the other hand, cannot penetrate any deeper into the stone than it will absorb.

In the denser stones, a water based sealer will not penetrate as deeply and leave the protection just below the surface. This means there is less protection of the stone over longer periods of time.

Stones with a high rate of absorption will take the protective sealers deeper into the stone. A water based penetrating sealer works well with very porous natural stones.

The most common protection materials used in penetrating sealers are silicone, siloxane, and fluoropolymers. These materials are unaffected by outside elements and only damaged by temperature ranges of 900F to 1200F or exposure to strong caustic solutions.

Sealers with silicone, silane, and siloxane work well to repel water born stains. This type of impregnator will repel water based liquids such as coffee and tea.

Fluoropolymers are generally water based sealers and have oil repellent characteristics. They will repel oil based liquids such as grease and cooking oil.

If you are sealing granite or natural stone kitchen counters, look for an oil repellant impregnator. An oil resistant impregnator will only slow the absorption of oil while an oil repellant impregnator will keep the oil from entering the stone.

Advantages

  • The sealer penetrates into the stone and attaches it’s protection to the stone walls within the pore structure. This allows the stone to breathe.
  • Does not alter the color or sheen of the stone.
  • Does not need to be reapplied after each cleaning.
  • The sealer is not on the surface so the coating won’t scratch or scuff.
  • A penetrating sealer does not need to be reapplied as often as a topical sealer because there is no surface coating to wear off.

Disadvantages

  • Penetrating sealers do not protect the surface of the stone from scratching or etching.

Penetrating natural stone and granite sealers are durable. These sealers require periodic reapplication based on the frequency of your deep cleanings and also, the brand of sealer used. Some manufacturers recommend sealing granite and natural stone yearly, while others recommend every five to ten years. Read the recommendations on your product before applying it.

TOPICAL SEALERS

Topical sealers for natural stone and granite sealing protect the surfaceof 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 barrieron the surfaceof 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
  • Permanent

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

  • Some topical sealers contain additives that produce non slip characteristics. This is great for natural stone flooring.
  • The sealer creates a protective barrier between water and oil contaminants, foot traffic, and the stone.
  • Topical sealers protect the stone from surface scratching and etching caused by acidic materials such as orange juice and coke.
  • 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.

Disadvantages

  • 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.
  • Moisture is trapped within the stone. The protective barrier doesn’t allow the stone to breathe.
  • 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.
  • 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.

SEALER COMPARISON

If you are using a natural stone sealer for sealing granite, marble, limestone, or travertine, do you know which type of sealer to use? Compare the advantages and disadvantages of a penetrating sealer to a topical sealer for use on natural stone.

PENETRATING SEALERS

Advantages

  • The sealer penetrates into the stone and attaches it’s protection to the stone walls within the pore structure. This allows the stone to breathe.
  • It does not alter the color or sheen of the stone.
  • It doesn’t need to be reapplied after each cleaning.
  • The sealer is not on the surface so the coating won’t scratch or scuff.
  • A penetrating sealer does not need to be reapplied as often as a topical sealer because there is no surface coating to wear off.

Disadvantages

  • Penetrating sealers do not protect the surface of the stone from scratching or etching.

TOPICAL SEALERS

Advantages

  • Some topical sealers contain additives that produce non slip characteristics. This is great for natural stone flooring.
  • The sealer creates a protective barrier between water and oil contaminants, foot traffic, and the stone.
  • Topical sealers protect the stone from surface scratching and etching caused by acidic materials such as orange juice and coke.
  • If you like the shiny, glossy look, a topical natural stone sealer can produce a gloss that can be buffed. This allows for the maintenance of a high gloss surface.

Disadvantages

  • Topical sealers alter the appearance of the stone by adding a gloss sheen. They may also deepen the color of your stone. This is not so great for an honed natural stone surface.
  • Moisture is trapped within the stone. The protective barrier doesn’t allow the stone to breathe.
  • Because topical sealers create a film on the surface of the stone, it tends to show scuffs, marks, and paths in heavy traffic areas. But, these marks are removed during the reapplication process.
  • This type of sealer requires continual reapplication as it wears in heavy traffic areas.

The old sealer needs to be removed before applying a new coat of sealer. The process of stripping the old topical sealer can harm the surface of some stones. This also adds higher costs of maintaining your natural stone.


Disclaimer:

Please note that the information on this page is a general summary of industry-accepted standards and tips regarding natural stone considerations, applications and care. We have compiled this information to help you in your stone selection and care. MGSI is not involved in geological testing and has no formal proof of the information presented in the article and relies on industry wide information and standards. MGSI will not be responsible for any direct or indirect claims and damages, resulting from the improper application and/or interpretation of this information. Please note that natural stone varies substantially. Ask your stone specialist what works best for your project

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