Natural Stone
Certainly no other building material has stood the test of time like natural stone. There are countless buildings around the world that have withstood weather and heavy wear for hundreds of years that still amaze people with their beauty.
Natural stone, however, does require some maintenance to keep it looking new and not all stones are suitable for all applications. Marble, limestone and travertine are sensitive to acids and not recommended for kitchen counters. Very rough stones are difficult to clean when used for interior floors, polished stones can be slippery and may dull in traffic areas and some stones are too soft for heavy floor traffic. Nearly all installations will perform better with the application of a good sealer and sealing is mandatory for lasting satisfaction in many applications. All of these factors should be considered when choosing natural stone.
There are several types of sealer that can be used with natural stone. Most inexpensive silicone sealers will repel intermittent water, but will not keep out oil-based stains and need frequent applications to provide the little protection they offer. There are several premium penetrating sealers on the market that are long lasting and help block oil-based stains as well. Typically, these sealers do not change the color of the stone or its gloss level, but some of them will slightly alter the color of certain stones. With all sealers, it is good to test some leftover scraps sealer to your installation.
Enhancing sealers bring out more color in stones and are often used with darker stones to make the coloring more dramatic. Most enhancers are also excellent sealers, in fact, TEC's Ensealant SB was the most effective sealer we tested for resistance to oil-based stains. Finally, there are acrylic surface coats that usually enhance the color of the stone and add varying degrees of gloss level. These can make very porous stones easier to maintain but will need re-application in traffic areas and eventually stripping and re-application to maintain their appearance.
Always make sure the installation is completely clean before applying sealer!
Aqui Esta Tile & Stone carries sealers and cleaning products from both TEC and Custom Building Products. Once stone is sealed, maintenance is usually easy but varies with different applications and different stones.