One of the ways you can use to improve the appearance of your home is by using natural stone for the floors. Over the past few years, natural stone floors have continued to increase their popularity and are currently preferred by most homeowners.
It is quite evident that they are the most preferred compared to traditional materials like wood, ceramic or concrete. Anyway, when dealing with ceramic floors, you should have in mind that they are a bit fragile. This makes them delicate materials and therefore needs to be handled with much care.
Also, these types of floors always needs sealing to maintain their natural look and the glow of the material. Sealing is also a good solution for the protection of the floor against any damages that might come as a result of stains.
With that said, let us look at a few things you are required to do when sealing natural stone floor. Click here to see some tips that can help you choose the correct sealant for your floor.
Prepare the materials for use
Before you do anything, you should always make sure that you have everything you might need for the job in place. This will save you some time and keep you from taking a break from time to time when you have to find a tool you want to use.
When it comes to sealing your natural stone floor, here are some materials and tools you might want to use;
- Paint roller
- Piece of cloth
- Gloves
- Vacuum cleaner
- Stone sealant
- Microfiber piece
- A soft-bristle brush
- Residue remover
Cleaning
After gathering your tools together, the next thing you should do is to start cleaning. This is usually an important part if you are looking to seal your natural stone floor. You can use the floor brush from your vacuum cleaner to ensure the floor is thoroughly cleaned including the corners as well.
Do this for a while then have the piece of cloth dipped in warm water mixed with any floor cleaner of your choice as long as it’s mild and non-acidic. Use it to wipe the whole area you are going to work on.
Also, you should check to see whether the pores on the stones are still filled with dirt or dust and take them off before you proceed to wipe. It is important not to use a tough material to scrub the floor as this will ruin the appearance of natural stones.
Remove stains
After cleaning, you will have to wait until the floor completely dries up. However, if you are still able to see some stains on your floor, go ahead and use the residue remover.
This should be applied using a soft bristle brush. Remember, any harsh material can damage the floor. Make sure you apply your cleaner properly on the stained areas and leave it for about 10 – 15 minutes. Rinse it off afterward using a wet cloth or rag.
Drying
After your floor has dried up, take the microfiber piece then use it to wipe the surface again. This will help in removing all the moisture that might still be on the floor. This is an important step before applying the sealant.
Choosing the sealant
The sealant you want to use for the floor is going to be your choice to make. Depending on your taste, you can always go for the finish you like. Whether a polished finish or the unpolished finish.
However, you will still have to choose the correct sealant for your floor. You should check to ensure that the natural stone sealer and enhancer you are looking to use has fluoropolymer technology.
You also need to know that each type of these natural stones has a specially made sealant that you can use on them. This is why you should always consider checking the type of natural stone you have on your floor.
The sealing method
Another important thing to note is the method you are going to use when applying the sealant. You need to know that different stones can be sealed differently.
In case your floor is made of granite, travertine, and marble, you will need to seal them at the top and the edges after lying them out and grouted them.
However, if you have stones like sandstone, limestone, or terracotta, you will need to seal them before lay and grout them. Make sure you have your gloves on as you are doing the sealing.
Applying the sealant
When applying the sealant, make sure that the place is well ventilated. Also, remember to read instructions that come with the sealer so that you don’t make any mistakes. Use a roller brush or a soft paintbrush to apply your sealant after preparing it.
Make sure that it is evenly applied throughout the floor then leave it for about an hour or two to cure. You can then wipe off the excess sealant with a clean rag to avoid having some streaks on your floor.
Just like that, your job will have been done and you can now sit down and enjoy your floor. This will last for a long time before you reseal again.
