Marble polishing and etching are commonly misunderstood. Those dull "water spots" and "glass-rings" (etch marks) are baffling. And often people hold false assumptions and have incorrect ideas about how to polish marble or how marble polishing is actually performed to create a shiny surface finish.
Many think that the shine or polish on marble comes from applying a potion, lotion or chemical during marble cleaning.
Also, some believe that all marble is supposed to be shiny and that the dull etch marks are some type of "stain".
Well, none of the above is true, but some of it is not entirely false either, which requires some explanation... here we go!
It's not surprising there's confusion surrounding the topic of marble polishing since the term "polish" has a number of subtly different meanings in the stone industry.
Most often what is meant by "polish", "polished" or "polishing" is in reference to the type of "finish" on marble, travertine, limestone, granite or any natural stone.
Natural stone can be finished with a number of different surface types, styles or looks depending on what is wanted by the buyer.
A "polished" finish is the shiny, high-gloss type of finish with the deepest color saturation commonly seen on marble and granite countertops.
Because a polished/shiny finish is so common, many people believe that all marble is supposed to be polished or shiny.
However, as noted above, marble (or nearly any stone) can have a number of different finish types.
A "honed" finish is satin-smooth, but is not reflective or shiny and the colors are more muted. It's often referred to as a "matte" finish.
Other surface finishes include: tumbled, flamed, antiqued, brushed, hammered and more.
Each of these has a different look, however all of them are non-reflective. Only a "polished" finish has the high-gloss, shiny surface.
It is very common for marble floors to have a honed finish since it's easier to maintain. And even though colors are more muted with a hone finish, many stone colors and patterns are more appealing with a honed finish.
A shiny polished finish will wear down with foot traffic creating dull trails around the floor. Also, dust and dirt are seen much more easily on a polished floor.
Sometimes people buy a house with a honed floor and mistakenly think that something is wrong with it because it seems dull compared to the shiny marble seen in hotels, etc. They reason that it should be shiny, or it just needs "polishing" with a marble "polish". Let's clarify....
Marble Polishing Process
It's a common myth that the shine on marble countertops and floor tile is achieved by applying some type of chemical or "polish" to the surface. Not exactly.
The "shine" on marble is not something that sits on top of the marble... it is part of the marble itself.
While there is one situation (etching - see below) where a chemical compound can be used to polish marble, it utilizes as physical process (like sanding wood) to bring back the shine. The chemical itself does not supply the shine.
Also, this specialized product is engineered to work on marble (travertine or limestone too) that was originally polished to a shine. So, it restores a damaged shiny finish, but is insufficient to create that shine from raw marble to begin with.
The shiny polish seen on marble slabs, countertops, tile, and other stones is achieved by high friction on huge stone polishing machines at the factory long before it gets to a stone warehouse, showroom, or to your kitchen or bathroom countertop.
Original Source:
https://www.countertopspecialty.com/marble-polishing.html
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