Types of Stone Sealant and how they work:
There is a range of different sealers available with most falling into three main groups:
Penetrating/impregnators sealers:
They penetrate deep into the stone. Their purpose is to block contaminants from entering the substrate of the stone while at the same time allowing it to expel interior moisture. They are, therefore “breathable” or vapour permeable.
Topical Sealers:
They can be either strippable or permanent. Many are designed for resilient floors but will state that they are suitable for natural stone. Most of these are water-based products which are made from polymers so that they can easily be removed with a compatible stripper.
Traditional sealing methods:
Linseed oil and wax. This method needs to be carried out by an experienced technician as it can lead to undesired results if done wrong and it can be hard to correct.
LIMITATION OF THE FINISHES:
- Topical sealant: will scratch while mopping will be easier
- Impregnator: will penetrate the stone but it won’t be as easy to mop the floor compared to the topical sealant
- Oil and wax: after a prolonged period of time, wax build up become hard and can discolour. That is the reason why we will have to strip the floor again after 2-4 years (depending on the use of the floor) and then reapply the wax. Your grout line might discolour as well. To reduce the chance of this happening - Avoid over-applying wax and ensure you apply wax only when the floor is thoroughly cleaned
