b'STONE TRENDS (continued) Many of the tile manufacturers produce porcelain tilesa ceramic ti le, but it can always be restored to look like to replicate the soft beige limestones with subtle vein- newbyprofessionalrestorati oncompanies.Thereis ing. Limestones oft en have fossil inclusions that give it asomething about touching or standing on a natural stone unique look. that is millions of years old and has the natural colors and veining with the random variati ons that give it such Sealing stone intrinsic beauty and value. Aft er all, if you look around the There is a lot of confusion about whether to seal a nat- world, the one thing that is always remains from ancient ural stone, and if so how to seal it and with what. Thereti mes as the legacy of those generati ons is natural stone.are diff erent opinions, but I always recommend sealing with a penetrati ng sealer. I dont recommend sealing all sides of a stone since sealers are general bond-breakers. Some companies recommend sealing all six sides of the stone, but require that you use an ANSI A118.15 high-strengththinsettobondtheti lesinceitneedsadded strength to counteract the eff ect of the sealer. Sealers dont last that long, depending on the environment and what wear and tear the stone is subjected to. The rule of thumb is if water beads up on the surface of the stone and doesnt darken the stone when you wipe it up, the sealer is sti ll there and working. Sealers dont make the stone waterproof or stain proof, but it does make it resis-tant to moisture and staining and easier to maintain.NaturalstonedoesrequiremoremaintenancethanA Carrara quarry mountain in Italy, as natural stone marble is mined.Ceramic High Quality Metal Trims and Tool Pre-Molded Expansion Joints for all of Your Flooring NeedsCarpet/Vinyl Trim Reducers Reverse TrimDesigners and manufacturers of superior quality anodized aluminum ooring transitions & custom stainless steel productsCall or click today!800.236.5230 www.ceramictool.com MADE IN USA682020|TRENDS'