Natural Stone Flooring Needs a Sealant—Here’s Why

Natural stone is one of the earliest building materials in human history, dating back to the Neolithic period over 9000 years ago.

Much of our civilization has been built using natural stones, including:

• Roads
• Pathways
• Buildings
• Monuments
• Garden patios and more.

Natural stone has been a valuable ally, and we continue to employ it in modern architecture and gardening for its dependability, strength, and aesthetic appeal.

Modern use of natural stone

The genuine stone is still often employed in our modern homes for its solidity and beauty.

• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Floors
• Paths
• Gardens and more

Our concrete floors and foundations, driveways, and other compressed or concrete constructions are also made of crushed natural stone.

Although natural stone is extremely durable and long-lasting, it is not impervious to deterioration and wears and tear over time.

A protective coating, for example, is one method of safeguarding our homes’ natural stone structures and utilities. To discover more about natural stone and the benefits of stone sealant, please continue reading this article.

Different types of stone

Natural stone may be utilized in various ways, each with its own set of benefits. Some stones are better suitable for flooring and paths, while others are more suited for benchtops and retaining walls.

A wide variety of natural stone compounds are used in construction; however, the following are among the most utilized in residential and commercial structures:

• Marble
• Sandstone
• Travertine
• Limestone
• Granite
• Terracotta
• Bluestone
• Basalt
• Slate and more

All these different stone types feature varying characteristics, such as:

• Color
• Pattern
• Hardness
• Softness
• Sandiness
• Texture
• Malleability and more

The porosity of stone varies from one kind to another. Pores are minute openings in most natural stones, even though they seem and feel solid.

If any following natural events impacted the stone’s formation, its porosity would be high.

• The slow or fast compaction of the sediments and elements above and below the stone
• The heat and pressure applied
• The natural conditions to which the stone was subjected to overtime

Many different impurities and toxins might enter the stone’s structure through these pores, which is why they are considered the stone’s hidden weak point.

Why do stone tiles need sealing?

All of us know the legend of the Trojan horse. During the Trojan War, the Greeks built a massive wooden horse as a peace offering to the Trojans.

While the gift was being taken into the city, the Greek troops concealed in the horse and opened the gates. The Greeks broke into Troy’s fortification and brought the city and its inhabitants to their knees.

Natural stone floors, buildings, and utilities can all suffer from early deterioration due to impurities and pollutants.

Some natural pollutants and toxins have been around forever. Here is a list of natural components that can infiltrate your tile if it is not sealed.

• Water
• Salts
• Fungus and molds
• Biological materials
• Botanical oils and saps
• Dirt and grime
• UV radiation and more

When moisture and biological growths are trapped inside natural stone formations like fungus, molds, and mildews, they may do a lot of damage, including the growth of mycotoxins.

In addition, contemporary life and industry contribute to a wide range of other pollutants and toxins, including:

• Motor and machine oils
• Food oils
• Food and beverage spillages
• Fuels
• Cleaning chemicals
• Industrial salts
• City water chemicals and more

A buildup of all-natural, artificial, and chemical substances can worsen the condition over time and cause severe damage to natural stone structures.

While everything eventually succumbs to natural wear and tear, sealing your natural stone surfaces and structures is a simple and low-cost solution.

What is a sealant?

You may protect your stone surfaces from early deterioration by using a sealer.

Natural stone sealants may be purchased in numerous forms, including DIY kits. Professional natural stone sealing services, on the other hand, are preferred by many property owners who want the assurance of a job well done. A particular sealant may be better suited to a given stone because of the unique features of the stone and the diverse applications for each kind. When it comes to applying a sealant, choosing the appropriate one is critical since the wrong one may not provide adequate protection or permanently harm the stone’s aesthetics. When you hire a natural stone sealing professional, you can be certain that the right sealant will be put to your stone surfaces and that the sealant will be applied correctly, which will maximize your stone’s protection. What are the many sealant subtypes, and what distinguishes them from one other? Learn more about natural stone sealants in the following paragraphs.

Different sealant types

Natural stone sealants come in a wide range of chemical compositions, viscosity, and performance and are designed for different types of stone. For example, if you’re using sandstone, you may need a sealer with different viscosity and coverage than if you’re using bluestone.

A sealant’s base ingredient is frequently used to classify it. The following are examples of sealant bases that are often used:

• Water
• Acrylic
• Butyl
• Silicone
• Polyurethane
• Natural rubber and more

Choosing the right sealant foundation for a particular type of stone can be difficult for the uneducated and inexperienced, so hiring a professional stone sealing service is a common choice.

Most sealants come into two categories: topical and penetrative.

Topical sealants

Applying a sealer to the surface of natural stone products, such as stone flooring, is called applying a topical sealant (also known as a surface sealant). Using a topical sealer, the stone’s top layer is protected from water and impurities, enabling water to wash over it.

Even though topical sealants are generally less expensive than penetrative solutions, their life expectancy and performance are usually worse. Topical sealants typically last six to twelve months, while a high-quality surface sealant can last many years depending on the quality of the substance and how well it is applied.

Several sealants, even topical ones, tend to bubble, which detracts from the aesthetics of your stonework and may even make it slippery. Non-slip solutions are available. However, they might detract from the natural beauty of your stone.

A tropical sealant can provide a breeding habitat for hazardous mycotoxins like fungus and mold if there is any extra moisture trapped inside the stone structure at the time of application. A penetrating sealer is more expensive, but it provides superior protection, has less potential to alter the natural look of your stoneware, and is expected to last much longer.

Penetrating sealants

Sealants that penetrate the surface of your tiles and penetrate deep into the pores give an internal and exterior layer of protection while still enabling your stone to breathe. Penetrating sealants are also known as impregnating sealants.

Using a penetrative sealer instead of a topical sealer ensures that the stone’s inherent beauty is preserved.

Over the long term, an impregnating sealant can save you money by not needing to be cleaned and reapplied as frequently as a topical sealer that may need to be cleaned and reapplied annually.

How is a sealant applied?

To apply a sealant to stone, you may brush or roll it on if using one of the several DIY topical sealants. It’s a well-known technique, but it’s also renowned for uneven coverage, variable finishing, and bubbling.

In the case of sealing natural stone, professional sealer spraying is the method of choice because it has been tried and proven.

Spraying sealant has several advantages, such as:

• Even coverage
• Deep penetration
• Faster drying
• Less product wasted and more