Be wary of "miracle sealers" there really is no such thing. A high quality sealer/impregnator will help with staining but will do nothing for etching.
You will not want to leave tomato sauce, wine or most food products on the stone. Clean it up immediately to minimize staining and etching.

Marble can be a very pleasing countertop material if you understand it's shortcomings.

If you can call coating stone with expensive plastic that dulls it's depth a ''huge improvement'' then marble really wasn't for you from the beginning.

I've had Carrera for 5 months now (No, I don't think that makes me an expert, heck I'm not even sure I'm spelling Carrera right anymore..... and I start not to care). The first decision was honed vs polished. I think both are beautiful. However, polished shows too much for me (and when it shows, it's dull on polished, not talking about stains), whereas honed is rough to begin with and etches aren't that noticeable to me (I'm not positive I've really had any, but any I've thought I've had were buffed out with the back of a sponge). Every once in awhile when I'm cooking oil will splotch, but it goes away rather quickly. I'm a person who wipes things up right away and I've never had a problem with stains. Honestly, I couldn't tell you what sealer I have on my honed marble (sorry!..... maybe in a couple of months I'll put a new one on after researching garden web b/c they have tons of posts about it). I wouldn't go crazy though b/c like hollysprings pointed out, I don't want to cover my marble with plastic. Spaghetti sauce and wine haven't been a problem yet (I've found sauce splotches hours later, not wine.... right away is never a problem)

That said.... you mentioned a marble island which makes me think that the perimeter would be something else. I have a old double drainboard cast iron sink, which I'm sure mitigates a lot of the damage since I do a lot of the messy stuff there. I would think that your perimeter countertop would act the same way.

As far as kids go, they have accidents....... but I think that it's important to teach them to be careful of certain things..... and what better way than to have marble that they can appreciate and understand that they need to be careful around it. I can't tell you how many adults I've met that clearly did not grow up with marble countertops (or any rules.... or possibly by wolves).

I hope that after reading this you can tell that I am an active wine drinker (split two bottles tonight!!!! Very rare, I promise).... and I have honed marble counters. :)

HEY!!!! You're NJ ADDITION!! NJ!!! I'm MagsNJ. NJ!!!! (can you tell I've had wine now?). I'd like to say, I did like my fabricators at Oceana (Lakewood NJ). I actually found my slab there after going to 4 or 5 different stoneyards to look for it. They were very nice, they had a beautiful slab of marble that they had picked out. It was reasonably priced and they did a lovely job. When I initially called them, they were extremely patient and answered every silly question I could think of (It was the husband who owned it....I can't remember his name... possibly b/c I drank wine tonight)

LOL, mags. You should bring out the wine more often! Wolves ... too funny!

Holy Moly!!! I refreshed the page and I saw roomy718 and jellytoast talking about wolves and wondered "what the heck did I write???". Yesterday was a stressful day. LOL. I take full blame and offer the below link as a peace offering. It's an old gardenweb thread (there are many, many others) that I really liked when I was researching.

PS....I vaguely remember having a lovely conversation with my mother last night. I can only imagine what I said to her. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Gardenweb Thread on marble

Thank you for all the good....and entertaining advice. I know my questions must seem simple but that's why I am asking. Just trying to sort thru all the advice I am getting out there. It sounds like the sealers change the appearance of the marble. I am interested in honed as that is the look i like. My perimeter counters will be soapstone which I am very comfortable and love.
I do feel marble is right for me but researching it to the best of my ability. Thank you.

I am putting honed Calacatta Manhattan countertops in my kitchen despite all the warnings against staining and etching. my grandfather used it for countertops in his cafe in the 50's and I want to eventually experience that worn/used look in my new kitchen.

my supplier advised that if the stone is honed and sealed properly, mishaps will not be far less of an issue. (I am told that if not honed, the sealant won't work as well).

the product he was speaking about is called Stain-Proof. the same company now has a new product that I am inquiring about that is stated on their site to provide 100% protection against acid (i.e. lemon and vinegar and therefore etching?): http://www.drytreat.com/Products/Protection/Vitremela
the product goes on transparently so as not to change the look of the stone it is protecting.

who knows how well it will work? like I said, I am prepared to have a less than perfect surface in exchange for the beauty of marble and not settling for something i don't want or like.

good luck

I am editing this post because I gave misinformation. Stain Proof by Dry-Treat is a penetrating sealer that does not prevent etching. Vitremela is the Dry-Treat coating that prevents etching & staining.
Plasticguy, have the Vitremela applied to a good sized sample of your stone with the edge you are planning to use. I used a similar product on the marble in my laundry room as a test befor proceeding with the kitchen. It made the veining blurry & changed the look of my marble enough that I did not have it applied to the counters in my kitchen. if the etching really bothers you, you could have your marble rehoned. Think of it in the frame of mind as maintenance, like having your carpets cleaned.
I use Range Kleen Silver Wave counter mats whenever I am cooking with "etching" products & have very few etches.

This post was edited by romy718 on Mon, Mar 31, 14 at 17:23

thanks for the advice romy. I will definitely get it tested on a sample that includes some of the more pronounced veining. I chose my particular slabs precisely because of the particular veining they had (and it was a time consuming process, believe me).

I am not familiar with the honing process. are you suggesting that it can be done (re-done) to my stone after it has been installed? if so, and if re-honing would remove stains and/or etching, are you also suggesting that I use it with no sealing at all at least at first?

thanks again

"Be wary of "miracle sealers" there really is no such thing. A high qualitysealer/impregnator will help with staining but will do nothing for etching."

As with the plastic resin that makes most granites useable as countertops, plastic saves the day with marble:

Here is a link that might be useful: Tuffskin

Trebruchet I don't know why you quoted me about sealers in your reply then make a statement about plastic resins. One has nothing to do with the other, two totally different products.

I have looked at different coatings for stone protection at Coverings and Stone Expo, none of them left a desirable look for residential in my opinion. It cheapened the look of the stone. I can see using it in commercial applications though.

kevdp4:

I disagree that they have nothing to do with each other. There are liquid polyester products like Clearstone that prevent etching and plastic sheet products like Tuffskin that do the same. You can make marble not etch, the tradeoff is some sort of plastic coating. That is not subjective; whether it makes a desirable look certainly is.

I've only had mine about 1 1/2 months and I just had my first real party, 12 children ages 5-13, and 10 adults. Survived with flying colors. It's weird, I'm starting to see my kitchen as just a kitchen again, rather than the obsession ithas been for the past 6 months. Once I get pulls, BS, and my new range it will actually be done. I find that hard to believe.

Trebruchet, if you would re-read my original post you would see that it is about impregnating sealers. How are you connecting that with the plastic/resin coatings?

kevdp4:

You have told readers to "Be wary of "miracle sealers" as there really is no such thing. A high quality sealer/impregnator will help with staining but will do nothing for etching."

The folks at Dry Treat disagree with you, claiming 100% acid resistance:

Here is a link that might be useful: Vitremela

Plasticguy-if you decide not to go with the Vitremela, you need an impregnating sealer (the Stain-Proof your fabricator recommended) to protect against staining. Do a google search "marble sealers gardenweb kitchen forum" and you will find many threads about sealers. One of them offers a 10 or 15 year warranty against staining for $200?, they will get the stain out or replace your stone. Your stone will still be at risk for etching with impregnating sealers. A "coating", Vitremela or Clearstone will protect against etching but may change the look of your marble, so proceed with caution. I would ask if the Vitremela could be removed & the cost for removal, in the event you didn't like it.
Yes, you can have your marble rehoned & resealed in your home. Ask your fabricator if they do this & the cost. You could also check with other marble fabricators in your area to compare pricing.
Kev & Tre are talking about 2 different products, impregnating sealers vs. coatings.
I am not a stone specialist, just a homeowner with marble. There is lots of information, some excellent knowledge from stone specialists, on this forum.

This post was edited by romy718 on Mon, Mar 31, 14 at 17:18

Just to clarify, the name "Stain-Proof" is not the name of the product for the acid proofed marble 'coating' you mentioned. That one is called "Vitremela" (see that name in the link you provided above). The "Stain-Proof" is another product from the same manufacturer (Dry-Treat) that is a solvent base penetrating sealer that does not leave a coating. I recently discovered it so I have used it personally. With great results.

So I just wanted to clear up the product name confusion. The sealer is stronger and more lasting than what I had been using and I've been really impressed with it.

I did try to get the Vitremela too but it was still new and the company needed fabricators or restorers to sign up to do training so they could be 'approved applicators'. It was not a DIY product. I waited and talked to the manufacturer rep for someone in my area and there were problems from the vendor point of view of time and expense in training so no one could ever do it to even try a sample for me.

In the meantime, I read others experiences like romy718 and I realized I did not want a 'coating' either. I have no affiliation with the company or anything, I just didn't want this great and new (to me) sealer Stain-Proof to get a bad name.

Instead of marble, I used it on a combination of polished and honed honey onyx and leathered butter cream limestone and of the five penetrating sealers I tested, it had the best results with the least sheen.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dry-Treat penetrating sealer Stain-Proof

Cindallas-thanks for the clarification. I just assumed "Stain-Proof" was another coating material & should have looked it up. I have read good things about Dry-Treat's penetrating sealer. It's on my list of sealers to research when it is time to reseal. I'm going to go back & edit my posts so I don't confuse others. I certainly don't want to give "Stain Proof " a bad rap.
I hope Plasticguy stops back by & reads this. The Stain-Proof link does state that it does not prevent etching.

Dry-Treat's Stain-Proof is a pretty good Austrailian made penetrating sealer. Prosoco SLX 100 is the very same product made in the USA at a fraction of the cost. Neither will prevent etching.

Just to clarify this-I know dry treat and most of their products pretty well.
Dry treat stain proof is an impregnating solvent based sealer that has a high content of resin in its formulation.
Resin being the material that solidifies beneath the surface of your porous stone.
That and the fact that the formulation makes it a good penetrating product makes it a quality sealer.
Also it is easy to work with, breathable and when applied correctly works as good as a sealer can.
The performance of any impregnating sealer is defined as this.
"To temporarily inhibit the intrusion of staining agents from the surface of the stone"
End of list of performances.
Impregnating sealers do not have any effect to the surface of the stone.
They wont make them shiny or not as they live below the surface.
Trying to seal a dense stone that the sealer cant penetrate or barely penetrates may cause streaking issues and or etching issues. Sealer residue not properly removed from a dense stones surface can etch.
The process that polishes marbles and other calcareous stones uses potassium oxalate which has a chemical reaction with the calcium forming a layer on the surface of calcium oxalate. This chemical reaction makes the stone somewhat harder and less porous than in its honed state.
That's the reason sealers aren't as effective on polished stones-they simply don't penetrate.
Honed stones are more porous and take sealers better.
However there are exceptions such as honed black absolute, uba tuba and others that are dense even when honed.
I see granites and marble in folks homes everyday. For the amount of homes I see staining is far less than what you would think.
I do see some rust stains however .
But it isn't because it was or wasn't sealed . It is mainly on white marbles and the rusting is internal.
White marbles have high contents of ferrous minerals, put them in a wet area and they have the potential to rust.
I think we just put to much credence into sealing stone.
Yes I believe that porous stones need to be sealed with quality products and maintained with ph neutral products.
Quality sealers should last between 5 years and longer.
This thing about sealing every six months or a year is insane. Dry treat offers a 15 year warranty on stain proof but read the fine print before you sign on.
Vitremela is a topical product which I also know well.
Dry treat is working on it to get it ready for the market.
Its applied using infrared light.
Clearstone can be honed or polished. It is warranteed against staining and etching and it wont.
It will scratch which isnt covered.
I have applied lots of clearstone.
It isn't for everyone-it runs the full gamut of pros and cons.
It is pricey as well. Can take 2-3 days in an average kitchen to apply.
. I think it is important that if your in the market for stone you learn about its nature and character.
Find a great bone fide fabricator who knows stone-you wont be sorry.(very important)
Find out the best way to maintain it.
Before purchasing take some home and treat it like the busiest area in your kitchen. Then place it by a window, see if there are issues that bother you.
Try to purchase a stone that wont drive you crazy and you will be fine.

That's a good post srosen!

Thanks srosen. I'm saving this post.

All you need to know is polished marble, limestones, travertines, etc... Need to be sealed with a good sealer ( Prosoco has a good one - marble and limestone protector ) apply two good coats, then apply a good wax to the surface. Just like your car, the wax will keep the acids from contacting the stone and poof-wah-la, you have most of your problems solved! Now on honed stone I recommend a couple of coats of a good color enhancing sealer to bring out the color and to coat the surface, which will keep the surface looking good for a long time. Just remember you paid a premium for the surface you have in your kitchen! Treat it like You do your other fine furnishings and it will last! Remember soft stones will need to be maintained from time to time! Now go enjoy what you paid for!

Do not use wax on your polished stones, wax causes smudging and fingerprinting which you will constantly have to be buffing out...you will be sorry.

I appreciate all of your advice.

srosen, I am encouraged by the fact that you have applied lots of Clearstone and know the product. I have inquired and Vitremela is not available where I live, yet.

This is what i have been told in my discussions with suppliers: if I have my marble honed, and use a good sealer like Stain Proof for stains, I don't need a product for etching since acid etching does not show much on honed marble and it can be buffed out with high grade sand paper and water. I want to take that advice because I am advised that the approximate cost to apply Clearstone to the counters I am installing is $3000 (yikes). I am told Clearstone goes on completely transparent and wont change the look of my raw stone at all. If I decide to splurge, I will check a sample first. I was also advised, as you have said, that Clearstone will scratch more than marble with only a stain sealer. I can live with that.

I would appreciate your further advice: can I go with something like Stain Proof alone as described above and reasonably deal with etching on my honed marble? and if not, does Clearstone really go on transparent and does it really prevent etching?

thanks again

Plasticguy-clearstone is pricey and has its place in the commercial/high end market.
The product doesn't actually go on clear-its poured onto the surface and left for 24 hours as it hardens cloudy and opaque.
Then with abrasives the coating is honed or polished.
It is a lot of work as we will move thru grits ranging from 80 thru 4000 dry. Then with the use of polishing automotive compounds we can establish a great finish.
Lots of pros and cons-I am a traditional stone refinisher.
Coatings on marble is still strange for me but there is a place for this. However if you are going to hone (matte) finish and seal your stone properly I just don't see the reason for it.
Vitremela is a very thin coating and may be available in the future. It offers no guarantees and is easily removed.
I enclosed a pic of a clearstone polished job we did.
If you look closely on the right side middle of table the installers left a seam open. We filled it with clearstone and it picked up the colors of the stone. Along with some whitish/grey we placed inside the seam it looked pretty natural. Besides that it was no longer a crumb trap it looked a lot better.

again, your advice is very much appreciated.
thank you, srosen

srosen, you are the man. Thanks.

This is a limestone bartop we did with clearstone.
We honed the coating. The bartop was in poor condition and a good candidate for the clearstone.The bartop was etched .scratched and chipped along the bartender side(over 50 chips) and the seams were uneven and poorly filled.Take a good look-the chips were all repaired-see if you can find the seams. This was three pieces.
Not a good idea to spec Jerusalem gold limestone for a bartop.

Clearstone is a fail product in my opinon, as it scratches to easily. Vitramele has a much harder finish and is very hard to remove once applied. I find it to be far superior to clearstone. If you use Clearstone you will be sorry. Im not big on coatings but vitramela is the best thing out there so far and getting better all the time.

Plasticguy, Clearstone is what I put on my laundry counter. If you do a google search, you'll see my other posts. I really wanted to use it in my kitchen. It changed the color of my stone -a slight gray cast that makes it look a little dingy. Imperial Danby doesn't have the distinct veining like Calacatta so I'm not sure how it would change that aspect of your stone. It's a product that is applied after your stone is installed so you have the option to live with your stone & have it applied in the future.
I'm still swearing by these Range Kleen counter mats. It's so easy to grab one out of my verticle storage area (cookie sheets, cutting boards). They are padded on the bottom & don't scratch your counters & are heat resistant. I order online from HD & they arrive in perfect condition. Amazon customer complain they arrive damaged.

Now if that guy isn't advertising those mats then what do you call it?

DowB - I'm not a guy & I have no stock or financial interest in these mats. There have been many GW conversations about using cutting boards etc. to minimize etching. I'm a homeowner with a new kitchen with marble countertops. I'm sharing info about a product that is working in my kitchen.

That sounds funny coming from you DowB!

This post was edited by kevdp4 on Wed, Apr 2, 14 at 13:35

I really like those mats and think they are a great idea.
I am sure there is a company out there that will custom fit similar product to your counters.
Respectfully any topical coating on a natural stone could be questionable. However if an individual or a business decides that a topical coating saves them money and maintenance headaches over a period of time that is their choice. From some of the locations and places where marble was specified , the only other alternative was to change the material out.
Clearstone is the first of its kind that has been able to not look like a plastic coating. It has its pros and cons but the folks who make it are dynamic and will continue to try to improve it.
New products are emerging all the time and soon there will be more products that will be similar to clearstone.
Clearstone has been available for sale in the states for about 18 months.
Vitremela is not available on the market yet.
How could anyone find it superior to another product when it hasn't been used yet.
Products are always evolving but they don't evolve until they have been used in the field.