Written in Stone

Many buildings today are not just installing gorgeous stone lobby floors. They are also starting to renovate their outside floors, signs and walls. With the installation of exterior stone, comes the question of how much more maintenance will these surfaces require? Of course we ask how the stone will stand up against the elements such as rain and sun exposure, but we also have to ask if the stone can resist human activities, like skate boarding and vandalism.

If your need is water repellency, look no further than penetrating sealer, Seal & Go® S.

This sealer is not a coating; it goes into the pores of the stone and repels non-acid liquids like water and grease. For exterior surfaces, it is best to re-seal the stone annually.

Seal & Go® S also helps stone resist grease from skateboards and will prevent oils from penetrating deeply into the stone. The sealer won’t stop the grease from slicking on the surface, but it will help with the stain removal process.

If your exterior benches or planters already have skateboard grease stains, International Stoneworks can apply a poultice on the stain.

Per the Marble Institute of America Glossary, “poulticing” is,

“The use of a porous solid mixed with solvents or other liquids such as hydrogen peroxide or bleach used to remove deep stains from porous stones such as marble or granite. (DO NOT MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA.)

Please note that poultices work on surface stains, but deep stains may not be completely removed.

Now, on to the issue of vandalism. If you are concerned that your building’s exterior walls may be susceptible to graffiti, I recommend an anti-graffiti coating, which prevents the paint from the graffiti from bonding to the stone surface. There are three types of coatings:

1. Sacrificial coatings: This clear coat barrier is applied to the surface of the stone. When the stone is vandalized by graffiti, the sacrificial coating can be removed with a high-pressure washer and a graffiti cleaner. A new coating can be re-applied after this cleaning. Sacrificial coatings are typically made of clear polymers that form a weak bond with the substrate and can be removed fairly easily.

2. Semi sacrificial coatings: This safety shield is a coating as well as a penetrating sealer. After a vandalism attack, the coating can be partially removed with a graffiti cleaner and a high-pressure washer.

3. Permanent coatings: This coating typically changes the look of the stone surface, giving it a shinier appearance. It is a protective layer that prevents the graffiti from touching the surface of the stone; however, it can be very difficult to strip off and may not be the best solution.

Ultimately, we need to determine which sealer/coating is right for your stone surface and substrate, and determine if the surface is susceptible to a graffiti attack.

Anti-graffiti coatings do not have to alter the natural look of the stone, but keep in mind, it may darken the color slightly.

1. I’m done cooking. I’ll wait and do the cleaning up tomorrow.

Try wiping up any standing oil and grease from your granite or marble countertops as soon as you are done cooking. If you leave grease sitting on your countertop overnight, it might penetrate into the stone and leave a dark stain. Save yourself the headache and do a quick cleaning of your stone tops with either Akemi Crystal Clean or Lavenet.

2. My stone is really hard; my Christmas tree stand and holiday decorations won’t scratch my stone floor.

Your stone is hard, (think of the Acropolis!) but the finish on your stone is not. Even if your stone is sealed, the sealer does not protect your stone against scratches from your furniture or holiday decorations. Make sure you place a thick towel between your Christmas tree stand and your stone floor.

3. My stone is sealed, so none of my holiday food or drinks will hurt my marble countertops.

Unfortunately, no penetrating sealer, no matter how many applications of that sealer, will stop the AAA’s: acid, ammonia, and alcohol. Many stones such as marble, travertine, terrazzo, limestone and even some “granites” will react (etch) when they come into contact with the three A’s .

Etch marks are chemical burns when one of the three A’s comes into contact with the stone surface. These marks look like the finish or the shine has been removed from the surface of the stone. Etch marks need to be re-honed or re-polished. If it is a small etch mark, you can try re-polishing it with our Etch Removing Kit. If you have multiple etch marks, International Stoneworks can re-hone or re-polish your stone.

4. My travertine floor is looking a little patchy, especially in the kitchen area. I’ll just clean it before my holiday party and it will look as good as new.

If you have travertine, limestone, terrazzo or marble in high traffic areas such as the kitchen or bathroom, you may need to have your stone re-polished or re-honed (sanded) every few years to remove etch marks and fine scratches.  Textured travertine and limestone can also be honed. Honing helps remove embedded dirt by deep cleaning the surface voids and grout. Light cleaning will not remove etch marks, fine scratches, or deeply embedded dirt.

5. I love lighting candles and putting them on my granite kitchen countertops!

As a stone restoration company, we see more oil and grease stains around this time of year, so how can you protect your marble and granite countertops? We recommend sealing your stone tops with Seal & Go® S or Seal & Go® W. These sealers are penetrating sealers, meaning they go into the pores of the stone and repel non-acid liquids like water, coffee, tea, grease, oil, etc. We recommend re-sealing your stone annually especially in kitchens and bathrooms. You may need to apply more than one application of the sealer.

The best way to avoid grease and oil stains is to not let the candles drip directly on the stone and try to wipe up grease as soon as you can. However, if the stains do occur, you can try applying a poultice such as Akemi Oil & Grease Remover Paste to try and draw out the stain.