Recommended adhesive, sealer and stain remover to use with natural stone.
When using natural stone in your project you are using a high quality and expensive decorative finish. So it is important to use the correct consumables and not cut corners.
Adhesive –
When fixing traditional stone or marble tiles and slabs to floor it is important to use a high quality adhesive, I always recommend Mapei and Kerakoll as the best brands to go for.
When fixing stone tiles or slabs to walls I prefer to use a mechanical fixing system such as metal brackets to hold the pieces instead of using an adhesive.
When working with natural stone veneers, whether you are adhering to walls or floors you must a polymer based adhesive and not use a cement based adhesive as these do not take to the resin backing of the sheets. I always recommend a hybrid polymer adhesive such as Soudal Fix All Wall and Floor.
Stain Remover –
Removing stains from natural stone can be extremely difficult and often impossible to do without grinding away the top surface of the stone and the re finishing which can be a costly and time consuming process. This is why maintenance and protection are very important as its much easier to prevent staining then it is to cure it.
If you require a stain remover for removing an oil or grease based stain I recommend trying this product by Akemi.
Sealers –
There are many options for natural stone sealers and it is important to source the correct one depending the type of stone you are working with and the application for the material. It is always a good idea to test the sealer you are planning to use on a sample or scrap piece before applying the sealer to your project. The test is to ensure the product provides a good level and protection and to also check if the sealer changes the appearance of the stone and that you are happy with that change.
Sealers are either water based or solvent based and it is important you consider which of these will most suitable for your project.
There are 3 brands I always look to for sealers – Lithofin, Fila and Universeal. My company Lite Stone sells Universeal 2 -1 sealer and impregnator to use with our range of stone veneer and slate veneer materials.
Its a good idea to seek advice directly from the sealer manufacturer to ensure you select the correct product from their range.
