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Ensuring long-term beauty for marble counters

In an example of protecting white marble kitchen countertops over the long term, this project in Australia received an application of an innovative new product from Dry-TreatTM

Across the world, the popularity of marble countertops is continuing to rise. One concern, of course, is maintenance — as marble is acid sensitive in these applications. It will come in regular contact with acid materials. In just one example of steps being taken to protect marble countertops from etching, a project in Australia relied on a relatively new innovation in the marketplace.

The project was a residential kitchen in Australia’s Gold Coast, and the contract for the project was The Marble Man of Queensland, Australia, one of Australia’s leading stone restorers. The design features Calacatta marble, and the clients were concerned that the surface of the stone would be damaged by acid etching caused by soda, wine, vinegar, lemon juice and many other acidic household liquids.

The client had three specific requirements for the sealer on the project:

Sealer must be totally acid proof.
Sealer must not alter the original look of the surface.
Sealed surface must be easy to maintain with simple cleaning methods.

Ultimately, The Marble Man selected Vitremela™, Dry-Treat’s new micro-coating for acid-sensitive materials. This was the first commercial Vitremela™ project in the world. The product is for professional use only, and can only be applied by specially trained applicators with the correct application, curing and finishing equipment.

The cured coating of Vitremela™ is only approximately 100 microns, with optimal clarity, so the natural look of the marble is maintained.

Vitremela™ is suitable for marble, travertine, limestone, polished concrete, engineered stone and other surfaces made from acid-sensitive material. Sealed surfaces are more heat resistant and 100% resistant to staining and acid etching, even from strong industrial acids.