Dakar Quartzite Care Program

Although natural quartzites such as Dakar are very tough and scratch resistant, there are some practices that are recommended for these natural stone surfaces. Even before they are installed keeping water out of the pores of quartzite such as Dakar is beneficial. In this article we will journey through the topic of how to care for and maintain Dakar quartzite surfaces. As we do, we will mention some additional things to keep in mind during the fabrication process. 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.

Wet Cutting Dakar Quartzite

Dakar quartzite undergoes wet cutting during fabrication. This is important to preserve the performance of the tools used during stone fabrication. Yet, quartzite slabs, including Dakar are porous and even though they are durable and hard, keeping as much liquid from being absorbed by the stone is not only practical, but makes good sense. Reducing the amount of moisture that gets absorbed by a quartzite stone as it gets cut can be done by sealing the stone prior to cutting.

Maintenance & Care Routine for Dakar Quartzite

When thinking of a care and maintenance routine for Dakar 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 Dakar 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 Dakar 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 quartzite stone sealer is an easy way to increase the resistance of the slab against these liquids.

Maintaining and Caring for Dakar is Recommended

You might be wondering if it is even necessary to seal a Dakar countertop and that is a fair question. Whether or not sealing a Dakar quartzite counter is needed would depend on whether you are interested in performance. After all, not all slabs perform the same. And the reality is that applying the proper sealer correctly ensures that the stone reaches its full potential.

A good place to get reliable information about this is the NSI. This source 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 and it is an authoritative source for safety and technical standards and information regarding the use of natural stone.

The NSI says in this document that "sealing makes the stone more stain resistant", which indicates how important using sealer is regarding a stone's resistance to water and oil based liquids. Because of this, many professionals recommend that a care and maintenance routine be used after installation. Implementing a maintenance routine gives the owner of the stone the best performance opportunity.

As we have discussed, Dakar quartzite, as well as other quartzite benefits from having a regular routine that includes sealer application. Keeping water out if the pores of any natural stone improves the appearance of that particular stone. In fact the lighter the material, or the darker the material, the easier a discoloration from water could happen. For this reason and others, it is good to practice the techniques we have discussed in this article when working with or on Dakar quartzite.