The next step is to polish the marble while following the directions on the polishing compound container and the DVD. That means you can't erase really deep damage; you can only improve on its appearance. Baking soda is alkaline so you should only use it with caution. You can restore their gleam while removing light imperfections by polishing them. If you have etched marks on your countertops as a result of using the incorrect cleaners, buffing them with a chamois might not get them as shiny as you would like. For cultured marble, use a compound made specifically for polishing cultured marble or a wax made for cars. Great customer service and fast shipment! CMP stone have been great to deal with, we've been getting our stone masonry supplies and tools from them for years. Safety concerns?! If the damage and etching are extensive, consult a stone restoration professional. Thanks for reading! For sealing, there are DIY options, but you can also get a professional to come do it for you. Happy customer for life. Protecting your marble and maintaining its luster is a simple way to highlight the natural character of the marble, making it both a functional and decorative addition to your home. Once the polishing is complete, use a vacuum or dry cloth to gently remove the polishing compound. Someone left something acidic on a patch of the surface. If it's dirty or stained, use a poultice or sand it. Having all your supplies together at the start saves you time and keeps you focused on the task at hand. Whats the Difference Between Mold Removal and Mold Remediation? Customer Service is always great, same with the turn around time on orders. I hope this Instructable helps you restore the beauty of your home's countertops. And as I said, there's almost no way to screw this up: You just rub the countertop all over. Spread sealer on marble countertop with a clean, dry cloth and let it soak for the time specified on the container (typically less than five minutes). Buff the marble until the sealer is absorbed and it's dry. Spray marble with stone cleaner and wipe with a soft rag. Some of you may be reading this because you just learned that fact the hard way, and if so, my sympathies! Dont place anything on top of it or use it heavily after you applied the sealant. 1 year ago. First, you have all that you need in one place, and the supplies are designed to work together. Any finish on marble (in a home you buy) is likely the original finish. No worries, its not a daunting task to keep that shine and luster on your marble countertops. Remove the plastic wrap and let the poultice dry for 12 to 24 hours. This is a good method for countertop edges too. So even though there's almost no danger involved in this, please do the following to protect you and your family's health: That second-to-last step, taking out the trash while it's still wet, is so that the rags don't dry out in your house, where they might get bumped and release puffs of dust into the air. Marble is a durable alternative to Formica, laminate, and wood. Honed marble floors are less slippery than polished. This prevents the dust from getting into my home's air once the rags dry out. For nearly 30 years CMP Stone has worked with talented Australian stonemasons, sculptors, restoration professionals, and other stone enthusiasts to manufacture world-class stone working tools in Australia. Well, here's the complete list of supplies, including the polishing compound: Fun fact: Aluminum oxide is sapphire. Can I use my floor scrubber/polisher instead of polishing the area by hand? Wipe it up immediately. An etched marble countertop or tile can be easily repaired with a DIY marble polish. It will make honed marble shiny or even shiner, but it is not designed to be used by homeowners to refinish large areas such as floors or entire countertops. The DVD covers the entire process of installing, polishing and sealing marble. Providers are independent and restorationmasterfinder.com does not warrant or guarantee any work performed. Only wet-polish your countertop, i.e. This will prevent the streaking that occurs if sealant is allowed to dry. However, it will make honed marble shiny. Frequent use could dull your marble countertop. Then use a damp cloth and dip it into your powdered chalk mix. Getting a perfect, super-glossy polish with 3-micron grit probably isn't possible, but you should be able to get a really good shine, and you can buy smaller grit and do a second pass if you really want to try for that mirror-bright gloss. It's also what's in your anti-perspirant, which means the reason you don't sweat is because you've clogged your armpits with sapphires! You really don't need very much of the compound. I'm just a young apprentice but looking to grow my business and they've always got the tools I need. Wait until the next day to seal the marble. keep the rag with the polishing compound on it wetted down with water while you work. Pour out the prescribed amount of polishing compound onto the surface. All our stone equipment has been purchased by CMP due to the great customer service and efficiency. Let your countertop have the day off, or more accurately 6-8 hours (possibly 24 hours, depending on the sealant). Thanks. Where you stop using the pads determines the finish. Avoid reactants. For that reason, there is only one "hard" thing you need to do in this Instructable. Top 25 Landscape Designers in Melbourne, Victoria, Bricklaying and Bricklayer Tools & Equipment. Dry with chamois or microfiber. Then, I threw out the cloths, and bagged that garbage up and took it out of my home while it was still wet. Using a putty knife or a spatula, spread the paste all over the stain that was on the marble top. You cannot cheap out with a Home Depot maybe-it's-equivalent product, and you can't swap in some household goo; you have to get the right stuff. The reason why is that when you polish something, you want all the abrasive particles in your polishing slurry to be the same size. Instead, use compound and a cloth. always there for me with good advice and the right tool for the job. Work the compound with the felt wheel at low to medium speed. Cleaning marble tops properly will help them last a lifetime or longer. The somewhere-between-1-and-3-micron polishing compound I've recommended is fine enough that, if there are still some shiny areas on your countertop, the polishing grit won't damage that shine at all. Heres what youll need for polishing marble countertops. Sitemap, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEoOrWaMH9M, Add a header to begin generating the table of contents. Bonus Tip: Only polish small sections, rather than the entirety of the countertop, at once. The Marble Used to Remove Etches Polishing powder is an extremely efficient tool for restoring localized areas of light to moderate surface damage in smaller areas. You may have read about people trying that, but it is a baaaaaad idea, and when you read farther into their tales, you invariably see them say, "Yeah, it made my counter look even worse.". Before polishing, clean the marble with a mild, non-abrasive detergent and a sponge or soft cloth. In addition to cleaning regularly (or whenever your marble gets spilled on), polishing every couple weeks or at least monthly will do wonders for the long term durability and quality of your marble countertops. Dust marble with a dry mop or cloth between polishings and clean up spills immediately. Looking for stone cutting supplies? While polishing is more involved than cleaning, its not complicated, difficult, or particularly time consuming short of letting the polishing solution sit. powered by Disqus. After the polish, you can see it's got a subtle shine. Finally, when I was done, I cleaned up the area with multiple passes of wet, clean cloths. To maintain a wet surface on the marble top, spray it with water both before beginning the sanding process and while you are doing it. Accurate sourcing and objective Share it with us! The abrasives in toothpaste and anti-perspirant are not sorted by size, so you will never get a good polish on your countertop with them, and you will probably make your counter look worse than it currently does. We value your time, and our goal is to create the best work possible and have you enjoying it as possible. Copyright 1996 - 2022 Marble.com. Always use plenty of warm water to make sure you have rinsed the countertop really well and make sure that no residue has remained; Do not just let wet marble air dry because water spots will remain all over the surface. Changing a polished marble counter to an honed surface requires skill, experience, and special equipment; it's best to hire a professional with a stone polishing machine. It's completely dull, with no shine at all, and in fact, I could feel the surface roughness caused by the use of abrasive powdered cleanser on the marble. Finish the job with a damp cloth, so that no compound remains. After all, out of all the stone options available, marble is one whose natural veining is a big reason for its popularity. Can I use an oscillating tool to cut tile? Its also wise to do reseal your marble counters soon after you polish them. Or I could set the floor scrubber onto a cloth instead of the wooden sanding block you use? They sometimes don't know the exact grit-size of what they're selling, but if it's called "polish" and is used in the final stage of rock-tumbling, then it will work fine for you. Copyright 2022 Water Damage, Fire Damage Restoration, Mold Remediation, Carpet Cleaning - RestorationMaster. Let the compound and your tool do the work dont press too hard! The Cleaning Marble Secrets e-book contains the same information as the above e-book plus more about cleaning marble, protection, maintenance, and effective solutions for all types of problems and marble cleaning issues. Theres no disputing the fact that natural stone countertops such as marble or granite have always been popular when it comes to home design. Never clean polished marble with vinegar, bleach, scrubs, or other harsh chemicals. This finish is less porous than honed marble and won't stain as easily. Question Plain water (unless acidic like some well and city supplies) doesn't cause it. Using the wrong cleaning products for marble (too acidic or too alkaline) can dull the entire countertop or floor. Apply in a similar fashion to the baking soda/water solution and then using a microfiber or other fine cloth, thoroughly rinse off the powdered chalk residue. From Michelangelo's David and Moses sculptures to The Taj Mahal, artisans and builders have favored marble. Polishing paste for marble can help fill in etch marks and scratches. Both DIY products are designed for inexperienced homeowners. You can buy commercial products to polish marble, but you can also use household items. But again, the actual danger here is incredibly small, so try not to panic about it.