Marble is a natural stone that is elegant and durable but it comes with a huge downside of also being a highly porous material that is penetrable. Because of this, marble needs to be sealed from time to time. So while marbles are easy to seal, what happens if you do not seal marble?
If marble is not sealed;
- The Marble Will Easily Get Water Stains
- The Marble Will Be More Vulnerable To Harsh Cleaning Products
- Marble Will Easily Get Grease Stains
- Marble Can Develop Mold And Mildew If It Is Not Sealed
- New Cracks Will Appear And Existing One’s Will Worsen
While natural stones like polished marbles do not necessarily need sealing, you would want to make sure your marbles are properly sealed to avoid watermarks, mold or mildew growth, cracks, and harsh cleaning products from causing any harm to your marble. Sealing your marbles will significantly increase the lifespan of your marbles whether a bathroom, kitchen, floor, or wall installation.
To learn the details of the above-mentioned things that will happen if you do not seal your marble surface, keep reading this article.
1. Marble Will Have Water Stains If It Is Not Sealed
When marbles are not sealed and put to use the marble will not be able to repel liquids. Marbles are porous that is the more reason why it needs sealing in the first place.
Not sealing your marble will mean that water, although the safest liquid (in terms of its pH neutrality) could get on your marble and pose a very serious danger that can cause massive damages to it.
So sealing your marbles is very important no matter where the marble installation is – whether on the floor, walls, countertops, or bathroom marble seats you always want to seal your marbles as all of these spots are bound to come into contact with water.
Properly and timely sealing your marble surfaces will also help to repel all sorts of liquids that would have easily given your marble an ugly watermark on its surface.
2. Not Sealing Marbles Will Make It More Vulnerable To Harsh Cleaning Products
There are a lot of household cleaning products that can do more damage to our marbles than good. Most of the cleaning products on the market may contain harsh chemicals that are likely to cause serious damages to marble especially if there are no protective sealants on the marble.
Some of the household cleaning products may contain ingredients like colorants and citrus that can gradually discolor and eat into the marble removing natural stone ingredients like calcium.
So essentially not sealing your marble will cause harsh cleaning products to erode the containing ingredients within your marble – leaving it with tiny patches of holes on the marble.
So it is important to seal your marbles so that the surface of your marble will be protected from harmful cleaning products that can easily penetrate and cause damage to your marble.
3. Marble Will Have Grease Stains If It Is Not Sealed
Not only will you be inviting water stains on your marble if you do not seal them but also grease and oils from foods and drinks will also welcome themselves deep into the marble.
As you can tell this will be common around the kitchen, dining, or those spots around the house where you often hang out with the family as you eat some snacks.
When installed marbles are not sealed and come into contact with foods, fruits, etc the marble will immediately absorb even the slightest grease from food to create a deep-seated stain on your natural stone.
The worse part is such stains can occur within seconds of the spill and can be quite challenging trying to get rid of such greasy stains from an unsealed marble.
Grease stains are a massive issue when it comes to natural stones due to how porous natural stones are in general. This is why you do not want to leave your marbles, granites, or any other natural stone unsealed.
4. Marble Can Develop Mold And Mildew If Not Sealed
Another thing that can happen if do not seal your marbles is the growth of mold and mildew. This will usually happen when water gets behind or underneath the marble.
As mentioned before, marbles are very porous, and when not sealed liquids can easily seep down through spaces between grout spaces.
With time, the underside of the marble begins to accumulate a lot of water which can promote mold and mildew growth behind your marble.
5. New Cracks Will Appear On The Marble While Existing Ones Worsen
Last but not least, another thing that can happen when marbles or natural stones, in general, are not sealed is the marble developing new cracks.
This is usually as a result of the marble weakening due to cleaning chemicals, water, grease, and dirt all having direct contact with the marble’s natural elements such irons, calcium, to mention a few.
Also, existing cracks that weren’t very obvious will begin to expand making the marble worse and a lot more visible than it was. This will also allow the marble to take up a lot more stains, etch marks, and discoloration.
So you always need to seal your marbles so that your marble doesn’t develop new cracks. Also, sealing your marbles or natural stone will prevent small cracks that were already on the marble which wasn’t obvious from gradually becoming worse.
An important thing I must add is if you have used your marble without sealing it for some time, you want to make sure there are no existing blemishes like scratches, cracks, or space between grout areas before applying any kind of seal on it.
How To Seal Marble
Now that we know how important sealing marble from time to time is, let me give you a quick run down on how to seal your marble. First let’s take a look at the things you will need.
Things Needed:
- Natural Stone Sealer
- Foam Brush Or Applicator Cloth
- Natural Stone Cleaner
Procedure:
Step 1:
Start by cleaning any form of dirt, dust, scuffs, and debris from your marble surface.
To clean your marble surfaces such as walls, floors, or countertops, you would want to use a pH-neutral cleaner or a natural stone or marble-specific cleaner to clean your marble.
You would also want to ensure the cleaner is suitable for the type of marble surface you’re cleaning whether floor, wall, or countertops.
Avoid using acidic substances like vinegar to clean your marble surfaces as they can etch it.
Follow all application instructions indicated on the natural stone cleaner you get to help clean your marble properly and effectively.
Making sure your marble is completely clean before sealing it will help prevent dirt or debris from getting trapped underneath the sealant.
Step 2:
After cleaning your marble leave it to thoroughly dry.
Step 3:
Test out the sealer you intend to use on a small inconspicuous part of the marble floor, wall, or countertop like a small corner.
This is to ensure the sealant does its job of effectively sealing your marble and nothing else like discoloring the marble.
If you do not notice any adverse reaction like an odd discoloration then you’re in the clear to apply the sealant all over your marble or natural stone.
Step 4:
Now with the help of a foam brush or a piece of soft cloth, begin to apply the marble sealer. You would want to be as thorough as possible with your application.
One trick that really helps you to apply the sealer thoroughly is by visually dividing your marble surface into sections and then applying the sealer accordingly.
Also, if you’re applying the sealer over marble tiles then you would want to do so by applying the sealer one marble tile at a time.
While this may be a long and tedious route, it’s one of the best ways to make your marble sealant application professional-looking.
Step 5:
Allow your marble surface to dry before using it. Usually, it will take a good 2-3 days before the marble is fully cured. However, this will depend on the type of sealant you purchase.
Conclusion
Marble like most other natural stones is porous and can easily get damaged from things like oil, harsh cleaning products, and even water if not properly sealed from time to time.
The good news is sealing marble is very easy to do and all it takes is a few quick steps and a good natural stone sealer. Don’t forgo this important maintenance routine of cleaning and sealing your marble to help keep your marble looking great and well protected against any form of damages.
