stone coating

Don't do this!

1)  Don'tstand on your countertops. You can cause cracks in the stone, especially at the sink or range areas.

2)  Don't slide sharp or abrasive objects on the stones surface and always have felt pads under abrasive objects when possible. Crock pots and some kiln fired cookware are abrasive enough to scratch the hardest of granites. Using place mats or padding will help prevent scratches.

3)  Don'tuse kitchen granite as a cutting board. Knives will dull quickly and scratches may occur.

4)  Don't allow acidic foods or liquids to come in contact with stones that contain calcium, such as marble, limestone or travertine. These stones may show damage by the etching of the stones surface. Polished stones will show more etch damage than on a honed finish.

5)  Don't forget to have walk-off mats at all stone entries to help keep abrasives from scratching floors.

6)  Don'thave a marble, limestone and travertine floor polished with crystallizers. This method is also called re-crystallization, and is considered to cause long term damage by most natural stone restoration professionals.

7)  Don'tlet your stone become saturated with water because of mineral deposits may migrate to the surface which can cause spalling (expanded mineral damage) may occur.

8) Don't over apply sealers to natural stone and allow the excess sealer to dry on the surface. The excess sealer may require chemical or mechanical methods for removal once it has dried.

9) Don'tapply topical coatings such as waxes, acrylics, urethanes or lacquers to a honed or polished natural stone. This will create a difficult to maintain surface and is very expensive to completely remove when needed. 

10) Don'tbe afraid of your natural stone as it will last many life times with proper care.

Topical Sealers

Topical sealers (stone coatings) generally are water based acrylic or oil based polyurethane. Like wood varnish, they form a coating over the surface and tend to be cheaper than penetrating sealers but have disadvantages. Topical sealers are like a film over a floor. It looks great for a while.

Topical sealers (satin, semi-gloss and high gloss or wet look) are likely to noticeably change the appearance and slip resistance of the surface, lock in moisture and wear relatively quickly as they collect abrasive materials in the soft coating. When they wear through, the entire surface has to be stripped and resealed.

Color Enhancing Sealers

Color enhancing sealers were designed to highlight the natural stone color look as when wet or moist. Color enhancing sealers may add various levels of shine to the surface of the stone.

Penetrating Sealers

Penetrating sealers are generally longer lasting than topical sealers, but vary in performance. Many penetrating sealers use fluorocarbons (e.g. Teflon) or silicone, can work well and are somewhat breathable. Penetrating sealers still have a limited lifespan in comparison with the surfaces they are meant to protect.

Impregnating Sealers

Impregnating sealers are generally the longest lasting, fully breathable and allow water vapor to escape and provide the best protection without substantially altering the natural look or slip resistance of the surface. There is a permanent invisible sealer 'Drytreat Stainproof' with a 15+ yr. warranty if applied by an 'Drytreat' accredited applicator and your stone never has to be sealed again.