enhancing the surface of honed, filled travertine

Great information here! I understand that travertine can be etched by acids etc. I also understand that sealing does nothing to protect the surface. I've tested many things on the new stone we just purchased and have not yet installed. Because it has a flat finish I cannot see any damage. I even put some minWax oil stain on a tile and it did not stain it. My question is about the surface enhancing products that bring out the vivid colors in the stone that I like. If used on the stone will etching from acids cause the same problems as it does on polished travertine? If so can the damaged surface be retreated with the enhancer to repair. I do not wish to have a shiny surface, just deeper colors. Thanks

 

Dear Joy ce:

I love educated consumers!!

First off, you have to determine if your travertine can be enhanced at all. (Some can't). To find out do this: rub a spare tile with some baby oil until none of it is left on the surface. Whatever result you see is what a good-quality stone color enhancer will give you on a permanent basis. (The baby oil will evaporate.)

To answer the second part of your query, it depends on the make of the colo0r enhancer. Some are acid sensitive and will react to acidic spills. Some others, like MB-6, are not and will give many years of performance.

Now 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 very important 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 it from your dealer or installer. Don't become another statistic! By logging into the Helpful Hints section of our website at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/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.marblecleaning.org/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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Thank you  

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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