When should you seal marble?
Should you seal at all?
Simple questions. With a lot of different answers, and most of the answers are wrong! We’ve seen recommendations online that range from “never”, through “every three years”, right up to “every three months”! So, what’s a concerned homeowner to do?
Fortunately, there is an easy test you can do at home yourself, that will let you know almost immediately if it’s time to seal your marble or natural stone surface. It’s called “The Water Test“.
All you need is a teaspoon and tap water
- Place two teaspoons of tap water on the stone surface
- Allow the water to sit for at least 10 minutes
- Wipe off any excess water after 10 to 20 minutes
- Compare the surface where the water sat with adjacent areas that remained dry
- If the area where water sat is dark or still looks wet even after it’s been wiped down, your surface is too absorbent and needs sealing
Optional Second Test for Oil Absorbency:
Perform this test on surfaces regularly exposed to cooking or salad oils
- Using a cotton swab (Q-Tip), dab a small amount of pure mineral oil on the surface
- Let the mineral oil sit for about 15 minutes
- Wipe off any excess mineral oil with a clean, dry cloth
- If there is dark looking “stain” where the oil sat, the stone needs sealing
- Don’t panic! Pure mineral oil will evaporate like water, and won’t stain.
