What does Natural Stone maintenance and care require?

Average remodeling job (fabrication and installation of natural stone countertops, and vanities), cost about $5500. Keep in mind that is an average. So, after Natural Stone Countertops are installed, it is good to know a couple things, on how to take care and maintain your natural stone.

Granite, Marble, Onyx..., these durable Natural Stones were created millions of years ago. And even they are durable, they still require a reasonable amount of care and maintenance to protect them from any etching, staining, scratching, and chipping. Here at EonStone you will find useful information and tips, on how to take care and maintain your natural stone.

When it comes to Natural Stone care, one of the most important things you can do, to minimize and simplify your stone care and maintenance, is to make sure that you select the right natural stone and finish for your intended project. If an improperly selected Natural Stone is installed, you may be unhappy in the future with the extra care, repair, and maintenance involved. For example: If you were to select an Onyx for your kitchen or bathroom countertops or vanities, your Countertop care and maintenance, could be a big nightmare! Why? Onyx stone is delicate, vulnerable to etching and a softer natural stone which stains and scratches. Your worktops, especially kitchen countertops are generally considered a high traffic area. Learn more about Onyx Marble applications.

Natural Stone care and maintenance is not a difficult task. It involves a little knowledge and a common sense.

First, sealing your natural stone. There are two types of sealers: Penetrating Sealers and Topical Sealers. As the name suggests, penetrating sealer penetrate into the natural stone, but topical sealer sit on top of the stone. Sealing natural stone is a way to protect your stone from staining and to make your daily cleaning easier.

The question, should you or shouldn't you seal your natural stone, is on every stone owners mind. The question to ask your self is, how porous is my stone? Here is how you check your natural stone for porosity:

Place several drops of water on the surface of the stone and see how long it takes for the water to completely disappear (absorb into stone).

If the water absorbs into the stone under one minute, it is very porous; up to 3-4 minutes is still consider it porous.

If the water beads on the surface or if it is slowly absorbed into the stone, it can be considered as having a lower porosity.

A polished surface finish will be less absorbent than a honed finish. Another thing you need to think about is: where is your stone located and what will it be used for? A kitchen countertop that is used daily will need a sealer that is oil resistant sealer. On the other hand, seldom used places like bathroom will be just fine with a water resistant sealer.

Another thing to think about is, how you want your natural stone surfaces to look after sealer is played? Do you want a low gloss surface or high gloss stone surface? Penetrating sealers will not change color of your stone, while a topical sealer may.

Big question: witch type of sealer do I use and how often do I apply it? Let’s find out for which type of natural stones, penetrating sealers works the best?

Penetrating Sealer: Sealing Granite (Natural Stone) with penetrating sealer.

Topical Sealer: Sealing Natural Stone with topical sealer.

Natural Stones like granite, marble, and soapstone are becoming popular countertops surfaces for kitchen and bathrooms, because of their elegance and durability. However, these natural stones do not come cheap and without the proper care, to replacing them can cost much more.