I bet this is a new question...Crisco in travertine to enhance the color!?!

Dear Maurizio, First, Thank you for your fantastic site. We are in the process of installing Travertine(honed)throughout the house...including the kitchen and bathrooms. We'd like the stone to be a shade darker but would prefer that no additional gloss be added to the stone. Our installer made a sample with a sealer that adds no gloss but adds no tint. He also has made a sample with a sealer that added a slight gloss (bad) but does add a slight tint to the stone (good). We are not happy with either sample. While discussing the situation, he mentioned that he treated a newly installed floor with Crisco (Yes the animal fat cooking oil) We applied some Crisco to some samples and it yields the slight tint that we desired but does not add any shine. What are your thoughts on using this treatment? or Do you know of a sealer that will provide a slight tint, but not add any sheen? Thank you very much. David P.S. I am ordering you cleaning literature today. Seems like a great investment. DC

 

Dear David:

You win the bet! LOL

 

Now I have a question for you: did you price-shop while choosing your installer?... The only boss I ever had (I started on my own at 21) used to say, “If you're good and cheap you're an idiot. And you're an idiot, how good could you possibly be?!...”

Going by your report, that guy does not strike me like the sharpest tool in the shed, I can tell you that! He doesn't know the difference between a regular impregnator and a color enhancer and then… that Crisco bit... Oh my goodness!... Is there a limit?!... First off, Crisco will never cure. Second, and consequently, what are you're going to do when it will begin to go rancid?

 

So, let me tell you what I'd like to suggest that you do:

1.     You get rid of that setter and get a true professional.

2.     You consider a good-quality stone color-enhancer/impregnator instead of a regular impregnator, like MB-6 for instance, that will give you the “wet-look” you're after without any sheen (it's a below-the-surface of the stone type of product).

 

All that said, remember, it's never too early to think about the proper maintenance of your stone. The issue of what you'll be doing day in and day out to your stone is – as it should be intuitive – vastly more important than its sealing (if and when possible and/or advisable) and it's all too often neglected. As you can tell by reading many of this site's postings, you're not likely to get good information about routine care from your dealer or installer. Don't become another statistic! By logging into the Helpful Hints section of our website at:   http://www.mbstone.com/HH_promo/helpful_hints.htm , you will be able to get the short version of our maintenance guidelines at no charge. The full version of it – a 7-page document considered by many as an industry benchmark – is 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.

While you are in the “Helpful Hints” section, do spend some time reading all of the interesting FREE articles you'll find in there!

Finally, keep in mind that we need your support to help us helping you!

Will you please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?    

By spreading the word about this valuable site among your friend & family and the stone trades' people you've been dealing with, you will be rendering everybody a valuable service!

Thank you  

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri zio Bertoli

 

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