Kitchen/Bath counters and Shower Tile Sealing and Care

Hi Maurizio, I would like a recommendation on how or if to seal the following: 1. Travertine (honed - some filled, some not - and some tumbled)used in showers. Do I need to seal this tile and grout? It seems that you don't think it's necessary. If I do seal, can I seal the grout and tile with the same product? 2. "Granite" kitchen counters. The stone in not genuine granite. I'm not sure what its correct geological classification is but I guess it is in the gneiss family. It has definitely been "resined" in the factory. I want to confirm that this would make it unnecessary to seal, is that correct? 3. I would like to obtain your literature for the care and maintenance of the stone. Is your "Guidelines for maintenance of Residential Stone installations" all that I should purchase? 4. Please recommend the name of the daily cleaner and, if necessary, the sealers I should purchase for these installations from your website. Thank you for all your guidance, Phyllis Cece

 

Dear Phyllis:

 

“ 1. Travertine (honed - some filled, some not - and some tumbled)used in showers. Do I need to seal this tile and grout? It seems that you don't think it's necessary. ”

 

Yes, I do think it is not necessary, especially inside the shower stall. What it is necessary, however, is that you make sure that every last hole in your tiles is properly filled. Unfilled travertine is only suitable on walls (outside of a shower enclosure) and outdoors.

 

“ "Granite" kitchen counters. The stone in not genuine granite. I'm not sure what its correct geological classification is but I guess it is in the gneiss family. It has definitely been "resined" in the factory. I want to confirm that this would make it unnecessary to seal, is that correct? ”

 

It is usually so. But usually doesn't mean all the times, does it?... Do this: spill some water in a couple of spots of your stone, let it dwell for 5 minutes or so, wipe it dry and observe if the areas under which the water has been sitting have become (temporarily) any darker than the rest. If so, then you will apply a good-quality impregnating sealer. If not, you won't.

 

“ . Is your "Guidelines for maintenance of Residential Stone installations" all that I should purchase? ”

 

Yes, it is. It's available in pay-per-download format in our Educational Literature section at:   http://www.mbstone.com/literature/literature.htm .  

And remember, every single penny of the cost of the literature will be used to support this site and its cause: your cause.

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Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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