INFOMENTENANTA

Sealing natural stone-clad surfaces

Sealing natural stone-clad surfaces is needed to protect them from dust, water, oils, and stains. Sealing follows surface cleaning, done with specialized detergents.

Types of sealing

There are two types of sealing:

• impregnation – deep sealing, done by applying solutions that penetrate the stone’s pores, closing them off. Applied to all stone types, especially porous surfaces.

• coating – surface sealing, done by applying solutions that most often create a film on the stone surface, without penetrating deeply. Applied to all stone types.

What you should know about sealing

Sealing is a complex process that preserves the stone’s properties as well as the cladding’s look. It depends on a few factors:

• the finish of the natural stone tiles: polished cladding needs a single coat of sealant, matte cladding needs 1-2, and high-porosity cladding (split-face, bush-hammered, brushed, etc.) may need several coats.

• where it’s installed: for outdoor cladding, at least one more coat of sealant is applied than for indoor cladding.

• environmental conditions: cladding in wet areas is sealed with 1-2 more coats than in dry areas.

• surface traffic: for high-traffic areas, applying more coats of sealant is recommended.

How to apply sealants

Sealing solutions are applied by spreading them over the surface, then evening out the coat. Spreading can be done by spraying or by pouring directly from the container onto the surface. Evening out is done with a microfiber mop (cloth), roller, brush, or mechanically, using a single-disc machine. The second coat of solution is applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Sealants should not be mixed together.

Before applying sealant, check that the surface has already been cleaned and has fully dried after washing.