NATURAL MARBLE

With so many different countertop surfaces to choose from, natural marble has become less popular for new installations and remodeling projects. Granite, Solid Surfaces such as Corian®, Engineered Stone such as Silestone® or Zodiaq®, and high-end laminates have taken over the countertop industry. Even Designer Concrete Countertops are making a splash in the marketplace.

What happened to natural marble? It is still as beautiful as ever. Marble always signified class and elegance and it is mainly used for flooring or shower-walls. With the influx of so many other surfaces, sales of natural marble on countertops diluted significantly; however, it is starting to come back.

Marble is geared more for interior use. It is especially popular for flooring and bathroom use. Marble is not recommended for exterior due to its sensitivity to acid rain and abrasive debris. When fabricated, marble can be finished to a honed (matte) or high polished luster and almost every type of edge design can be carved into the stone. Tumbled marble is also a very popular finish for flooring. It provides an antique type appearance that looks wonderful on floors, walls and backsplashes.

Metamorphic stones like marble, originates from a natural change from one type of stone to another type through the mixture of heat, pressure, and minerals. The change may be a development of a crystalline formation, a texture change, or a color change.

Marble is a recrystallized limestone that formed when the limestone softened from heat and pressure and recrystallized into marble where mineral changes occurred. The main consistency is calcium and dolomite. Ranges in many colors and is usually heavily veined. Marble is usually very sensitive to the wrong cleaning products. Marble is a relatively soft stone that can scratch reasonably easily, so it needs protection or installation in settings where this is not an issue.

Marble is classified into three categories: (Stone World)

1. Dolomite: If it has more than 40% magnesium carbonate.
   *Does not provide a high polish; however, it is a very durable marble.
2. Magnesian: If it has between 5% and 40% magnesium carbonate.
   *Usually provides a finish with less polish and reflectivity and is more durable than calcite marbles.
3. Calcite: If it has less than 5% magnesium carbonate.
   *Calcite marbles provide the highest polish; however, they are more sensitive to acids and alkali chemicals.

Don’t forget, marble does not have to be polished to look great. Honed (matte) marble also looks terrific and it is easier to maintain. All marbles can be polished or honed or tumbled.

Care and Maintenance of Marble

To test to see if your stone needs to be sealed, put a drop of water on the stone and leave it there for fifteen minutes. If the water is absorbed into the stone, then it needs to be sealed. If it stays on the surface for that time, then the seal is OK! Either way, wipe off the water, as you never want standing water to lie on the surface. Spills need to be cleaned as quickly as possible as even well sealed surfaces will eventually stain if spills are left on long enough.

Sealing Marble Countertops

If you install a high-calcite marble on a bathroom vanity, much of the dulling can be slowed down by using Tile Guard®’s Premium Sealer or Floor & Counter Top Stone Sealer and Marble & Granite Cleaner & Polish. The polish can only be used on countertops and shower-walls. Do not use on floors! It is also important to pick up spills rather quickly and clean marble countertops with Tile Guard®’s Marble & Granite Counter Top Cleaner.

Marble needs to be cleaned, sealed, and the surface to be polished on polished stone finishes. Always avoid any acids, harsh cleaners, oils and standing water. By doing this you will be able to enjoy using any stone product on your countertop. Sealers protect against dark stains penetrating into the stone's pores, but don't give any protect against hard water deposits and etches. Cleaner & Stone Polish will give some surface protections as well as enhancing the stone colors.

Step #1 - Clean using Tile Guard®'s Marble & Granite Counter Top Spray Cleaner. Wait 6-12 hours to dry before sealing your counter top. No waiting otherwise.

Step #2 - Seal using either Tile Guard®'s Premium Sealer or Floor & Counter Top Sealer once a year. Again wait 24 to 48 hours to dry and cure before using the polish.

Step #3 - Polish using Tile Guard®'s Marble and Granite Cleaner & Polish at least once a week; daily is also OK! May be used right away. Never use on floors!

Sealing Marble Floors

Always avoid any acids, harsh cleaners, oils and standing water.

Step #1 – Clean your floors with Tile Guard®'s . Let the floor dry at least 12 hours before sealing. Concentrated Stone & Tile Floor cleaner should be used as your general cleaner for any stone floors.

Step # 2 – Sealer using either Tile Guard®'s Premium Sealer, Penetrating Sealer or Floor & Counter Top Sealer which is an aerosol. Again wait 24 to 48 hours to achieve a full cure, but light use can be don in 2 hours. The marble will need to be sealed regularly and the timing will vary depending on care and surface usage.

Full directions for our complete line of products are available on www.tile-guard.com and on the products. As with any new product always do a small test area first!

CERAMIC TILE

Everything we hear about today is always about natural stone surfaces; however, ceramic tile is still one of the most popular surfaces purchased today. It always has and always will be. Regardless of your budget, ceramic tile can always fit right into place to meet your needs.

Years ago, tile was very basic with a select group of colors to choose. Now, you can purchase tile that looks identical to natural stone and other surfaces, even leather and metal. Some tiles are so well manufactured; you have to look close to make sure that it is not really stone. Many installations have stone and tile mixed together and they can look great together.

The beauty of ceramic tile is not just the color, but all of the textures and designs that are available. Best of all, tile is durable for all applications from commercial flooring to your kitchen countertop. To further enhance the look of tile, now you have choices of colored grout that will highlight the installation. Grout colors in the past were white, gray or beige. Now you can get almost any color imaginable. Just think of the possibilities.

For flooring, large tiles are now available in sizes up to 24” x 24”. You can border your floor with artistic designed tiles as little as 1” x 1”. They look magnificent on foyer and kitchen floors, bathtub surrounds, kitchen walls and backsplashes, exterior porches and even on countertops. Ceramic tile even looks terrific on kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities. From shiny to textured, you cannot go wrong with the selections that are available today.

Ceramic tile is offered in hundreds of colors and patterns and has become one of the popular surfaces used in new home and remodeling projects. One of the most important features of glazed ceramic and porcelain tile is its durability and natural stain repellency. You only need to seal your grout.

Maintenance & Care of Ceramic Tile

Removing Grout Haze

The number one complaint that we hear in the field is that the installation left grout haze on the tile when they finished the job. This is a white/gray haze or film that remains on the surface because the installer did not clean up well enough after they grouted the surface. This can easily be removed by using Tile Guard®’s Grout Haze Remover following directions. Then rinse immediately with Tile Guard®’s Floor Cleaner for Stone & Tile. Better yet is to prevent the haze by mixing Grout Haze Remover in with the wash water when installing the grout. This reduces the number of washes needed, reducing time and better yet reducing the amount of water used on the unset grout protecting the consistency of the color.

Sealing Grout

Grout needs regular sealing as it is very porous and tends to absorb moisture that causes stains. Sealing also makes cleaning easier in the future and keeps the surfaces looking newer longer. Tile Guard® offers a variety of grout sealers to make the job easier.

Tile Guard®'s One Step Floor Grout Sealer is a very easy sealer to use. It is a solvent-based aerosol can and has no clean up. Tile Guard® also makes this in a One Step Wall/Countertop Grout Sealer.

There is also the Penetrating Liquid Grout Sealer that is a wipe on water-based sealer. A Silicone Tile Grout Sealer that is in a handy applicator and a Water–Based Floor Grout Sealer that is in an aerosol.

General Cleaning

Caring for ceramic tile and grout is simple. I always recommend Concentrated Natural Stone & Tile Floor Cleaner by Tile Guard® for your general cleaner. For extreme ground in dirt in walkways or heavy traffic areas like bathrooms and kitchens, I would recommend using Tile Guard®’s Extra Strength Tile & Grout Cleaner.

Removing Stains from Glazed Ceramic and Porcelain Tile Grout

I would first use Tile Guard®’s Extra Strength Tile & Grout Cleaner. This should get rid of most ground in dirt and even mildew stains on most glazed or sealed tiles and grout.