How to Care for & Maintain Cheshire

Caring for natural stone countertops involves more than simply cleaning the surface after use. Most natural stone surfaces benefit from having sealer treatments periodically and Cheshire quartzite countertops are no different. In fact, since they are quartzite it makes sense to treat them using the best practices. What are those? in this article, we will take a brief look at not only why sealing Cheshire quartzite surfaces is a good idea, but we will cover the best way to care for and maintain not only Cheshire, but all quartzite countertop surfaces. For a discussion of why sealing quartzite can be challenging checkout out article entitled: Meeting the Challenge of Sealing Quartzite. Now, on to the topic at hand.

Cheshire Quartzite Wet Cutting

Natural quartzite slabs are cut in many cases using wet saws to make the cuts in the material. Like other quartzite surfaces, Cheshire gets cut using saws and other tools in a wet environment. However, keeping liquids out of the pores of natural stone is beneficial and even when the slab is being cut, it makes sense to reduce the amount of water that the stone absorbs.

Maintenance & Care Routine for Cheshire Quartzite

When thinking of a care and maintenance routine for Cheshire quartzite surfaces, one might immediately associate the task with caring for the slab as a countertop in the home after installation. Yet, in the home after installation, or in the shop prior to installation, it makes perfect sense to use an effective sealer on Cheshire quartzite countertops. Even though sealing stone does not make it stain-proof, it does increase the stone's ability to resist the dirts and liquids that can discolor and mar natural Cheshire quartzite surfaces. Many water and oil based liquids in a shop or in a household can make their way into the pores and stain a stone. So, applying a high quality sealer for quartzite is an easy way to increase the resistance of the slab against these liquids.

Maintaining and Caring for Cheshire is Recommended

A question that is sometimes found to be on the minds of professionals and consumers alike is, "Is sealing Cheshire quartzite required?" The answer to that question would depend on how much importance the one asking the question puts on getting the very best results. Why? Because not every single quartzite slab that is made into a countertop will be sealed either correctly or often enough. By the same token though, those countertops will not have the highest level of stain resistance either.

The NSI is a trade association representing every aspect of the natural stone industry. Its current membership at the time of this writing exceeds 2,000 members in over 50 countries. It serves as the authoritative source for safety and technical standards and information regarding the use of natural stone. What does it say regarding sealers?

The NSI says in this document that "sealing makes the stone more stain resistant", which implies the importance of using sealer to improve stone's resistance to water and oil based liquids. Additionally, we recommend that a care and maintenance routine be used by consumers after installation. Doing so gives the owner of the stone the best performance opportunity.

So in closing, there are a number of reasons for fabricators and homeowners alike to use a stone sealing and care program to maintain a Cheshire quartzite countertop, or other surface. First, it keeps potential stain-causing liquids out of the pores and it ensures the slab will look its best longer. Whether you are working on a Cheshire quartzite or if your client has one and want to know how to treat it, following the recommended care an maintenance program wil yield great results.