Natural stone splashbacks like marble add a ton of character and elegance to your room. Coming in numerous sizes, shapes, colours and materials, they allow you to be as creative as you prefer. If you have been considering installing marble splashback, you may have also heard about the importance of marble sealing. A significant part of taking care of your marble is sealing it routinely.
However, since a backsplash or a splashback is vertical, many questions if they require the same care as a countertop. Well, if you want to protect the longevity of your marble, then regular cleaning and sealing are critical. How frequently you apply the sealing may differ, but it is a must to protect your stones.
If you want to know why sealing is so significant for marble backsplashes and when you should apply them, continue reading!
The Importance Of Sealing For Your Marble Splashback
Experts generally use two types of sealers for natural stones, surface sealers and impregnating sealers. Surface sealers are preferable for countertops. However, for backsplashes, you can go with either one. Below is what you need to know about the importance of sealers for your marble backsplash.
Why Are Marble Sealers Essential?
Sealers play a crucial role in protecting the marble’s value, beauty and integrity. As marble is a porous material, they are prone to staining. While sealers do not prevent the pigments from occurring, they make it hard for the stains to settle into the soft surface of the stone in the first place.
Many high-quality sealers protect the marble backsplash from etching. Etching happens when an acid reacts to the calcium carbonate and causes dullness and scratches in the stone. Moreover, sealing is essential for bathroom and kitchen marble splashback as they frequently come in contact with substances like coffee, fruit juice and oils.
These things can penetrate deeper into the pores of your marble stones quickly. While the absorption rate of your marble depends on many factors, like its finish, sealing helps slow it down.
How Do Sealers Work On Marble?
Regardless of the finish, your marble backsplash will take in every bit of sealer. Thus, to get the maximum protection, you will need to apply it multiple times. The success of your sealer application process relies heavily on the dry time. Therefore, giving every coat sufficient time to dry down is essential.
To facilitate the drying process, you may open all the windows and turn on the fan for plenty of ventilation. Before applying the sealer, ensure you have thoroughly cleaned the surface of the stones. You may use overlapping strokes to cover the entire marble backsplash. Between the sealing coats, be sure to buff away the excess amount of sealer from the brush.
After sealing and drying the marble, notice if the backsplash shows water beads when you wet it. If it does, then consider your marble sealing job a great success. Remember to keep harsh cleaners away from your marble backsplash because they can affect the stone’s quality.
When Should You Seal Your Marble Backsplash?
Pay attention to your marble kitchen backsplash, and you will discover many signs that say it’s time for re-sealing. If you don’t notice water beads after wetting the stones, that’s a warning you need to apply the sealer again. When you install the marbles for the first time, you may consider sealing them.
Marbles contain a small deposit of iron which can oxidise when they come in contact with water. This incident leads to rust, another indication of the need for sealing. Generally, experts recommend applying a marble sealer every six months to a year. However, based on the place, finish and usage of your marbles, these timings can vary. Hence, if you are contemplating applying your marble sealer, consult with a professional first.
Concluding Thoughts
For any marble splashback or backsplash, routine sealing is critical. The layer of protection safeguards the natural stones from several issues, such as rust, water damage, etching and more. Applying sealers once or twice a year will help you protect the marble’s shine, durability and value for years to come.
Author Bio – Author works with natural stones to create the most beautiful backsplashes, countertops and floor designs for every home. And in his spare time, he writes about the fascinating characteristics of natural stones and how to take care of them.
