Can Marble Be Refinished?

Marble, with its timeless elegance and diverse range of colors, is a popular choice for countertops and floors. What many people might not realize is that marble can be refinished to achieve different finishes, adding a personal touch to its aesthetic appeal. Refinishing marble is a common practice to address issues like etching, wear, scratches, and other damage, ensuring that this exquisite stone retains its beauty for years to come. In this blog, we’ll explore the reasons behind refinishing marble, the popular finishes available and the level of maintenance, as well as the common methods employed in the refinishing process.

Why Refinish and Restore Marble?

Marble floors and countertops will always have a timeless elegance to them, that keeps them from going out of style. However, marble does need regular maintenance such as cleaning, sealing, and refinishing to keep its allure. This is because there are many things that can mar the appearance of marble, such as etching, water marks, scratches, staining and heavily worn areas just to name a few. Marble can etch very easily, especially in the kitchen where your countertops are regularly exposed to many acidic foods and drinks such as limes, wine, soda and even condensation on a glass of water can be acidic. On marble floors areas with high concentration of foot traffic can quickly scratch and wear marble leaving it dull and tired looking. Using a cleaner that has harsh chemicals or abrasives in it can leave your marble dull and damaged. Even the green side of a sponge can be abrasive enough to scratch and dull the shine of marble. If your marble suffered from any of these things, having your marble refinished can start you over on a clean slate. One of the beautiful things about refinishing marble is, you can change the finish of your marble from a high shine “polished” finish to a matte “honed” finish or vice versa to meet your maintenance needs or aesthetic appeal. If you would like to learn how to maintain your marble countertops, check out our marble countertop care guide. Let’s look at the different types of finishes and how they affect the future maintenance of your marble.

polished marble — Polished Marble Countertops

honed marble — Beautiful Honed Marble Countertops

honed marble countertops — Honed Marble Countertop

Common Marble Finishes

Polished Marble Finish

When many people think of marble they think of a high polished mirror like finish. This finish is very common on both countertops and floors. The high shine of a polished finish gives a formal, elegant look to the stone. While a high polished finish can be very attractive, you may want to consider the maintenance of keeping this finish looking nice. The dull areas from etching, scratches and wear really stand out on polished marble finishes, to have this damaged removed you would need to have a stone restoration professional, such as Beyond Clean Tile, come out and provide our marble refinishing service.

Honed (Matte) Marble Finish

A honed finish provides a flat, matte appearance offering a velvety touch and a more natural aesthetic. This finish can be a beautiful finish for marble countertops and floors in the kitchen or bathroom where they tend to get a lot of abuse. Honed marble tends to hide etching, scratches, and heavily worn areas much better than polished marble. However, honed marble is more susceptible to staining in its raw natural form. Having a professional cleaning and sealing of your honed marble yearly will go a long way in keeping your marble looking its best.

Different Refinishing Techniques

The diversity in marble refinishing methods can be confusing for consumers to understand which method is best for their floors or countertops. Understanding the advantages and limitations of the methods are crucial when selecting a professional. Here are the two most common approaches:

1. Resin Diamond Pucks

· Description: These are a combination of hard resin and synthetic diamonds, used to sand (also known as honing) marble floors. The process usually involves 4-5 different grits for a polished finish. The technician starts with a lower grit (usually around 220) to remove the damage then works their way up using higher grits (usually up to 1800-3500) to bring back the shine. A polish powder is then used with a polishing pad to give the floor its final pop of shine.

· Advantages: Resin diamond pucks provide a clean cut due to their rigidness, the shine produced last longer than those performed by Diamond Impregnated Pads, they produce a better crisper shine than Diamond Impregnated pads.

· Limitations: Their ridged nature makes them less suitable for poorly installed floors where the adjacent tiles very greatly in height.

2. Diamond Impregnated Pads

· Description: Flexible pads with a diamond coating sprayed on them, designed to ride over uneven tiles during the refinishing process. The process usually involves 3-4 different pads in a numbered sequence. The flexibility of the pads and numbered sequence make it easy for the technician to follow a system and hone poorly installed floors. Some Diamond Impregnated Pads don’t require a polish powder to achieve a high polished finish.

· Advantages: Effective on unevenly laid floors, easy to use, possible time saver by not having to use polishing powder, great to use when keeping the floor at a honed finish, great to use lower grit steps when changing the finish of the floor from polished to honed or vice versa.

· Limitations: Their flexibility allows machine to vibrate slightly texturing the floor, the slight texture can lead to faster wear, the shine usually provides less clarity and crispness compared to resin diamonds pucks.

Choosing the Right Approach to Refinishing Marble

The choice between these methods depends on various factors, including the condition of the marble, installation quality, and desired longevity of the finish. Resin diamond pucks are ideal for well installed floors seeking a long-lasting shine, while Diamond Impregnated Pads are more flexible for uneven surfaces but may sacrifice some shine.

DIY vs. Professional Refinishing: What’s Right for Your Marble Surfaces?

When it comes to restoring the natural beauty of your marble, one of the most important decisions you’ll face is whether to tackle refinishing as a DIY project or to hire a professional. Each option has its own set of considerations, benefits, and drawbacks. Understanding these differences can help you choose the best path for your home and your marble.

DIY Marble Refinishing: Is It Worth It?

DIY marble refinishing kits and tutorials are widely available, and for some homeowners, the idea of saving money and taking on a hands-on project is appealing. DIY kits typically include abrasives or diamond-impregnated pads, polishing powders, and sealers designed for homeowner use. However, there are several factors to consider before choosing this route:

Skill Level Required: Marble refinishing requires a steady hand, attention to detail, and an understanding of the stone’s unique properties. Mistakes—such as uneven sanding or over-polishing—can lead to permanent damage or an inconsistent appearance.
Tools and Materials: Professional-grade equipment is often more powerful and effective than consumer-level kits. DIY solutions may not achieve the same level of shine, smoothness, or durability as professional services.
Scope of Work: DIY is best suited for very minor issues, such as small etch marks or light surface scratches. More significant damage, including deep scratches, chips, or widespread dullness, typically requires the expertise of a professional.
Time and Effort: Refinishing marble is a labor-intensive process that involves multiple steps—cleaning, honing, polishing, and sealing. Even small projects can take several hours or more to complete.

Professional Marble Refinishing: The Advantages

Hiring a professional marble restoration service brings a range of benefits, especially for larger surfaces or more severe damage:

Expertise and Experience: Professionals have extensive training and hands-on experience with a variety of marble types and finishes. They can accurately assess the condition of your marble and recommend the best restoration techniques.
Specialized Equipment: Professional refinishing utilizes commercial-grade machines and abrasives, resulting in a more uniform, long-lasting, and high-quality finish.
Customization: Experts can achieve a wide range of finishes, from high-gloss polish to a soft matte hone, tailored to your aesthetic and lifestyle needs.
Risk Reduction: With professional services, the risk of accidental damage is minimized, and many companies offer guarantees or warranties on their work.
Efficiency: Professionals can typically complete the refinishing process faster and with less disruption to your home.

Why Choose Beyond Clean Tile For Your Professional Marble Refinishing?

Our technicians are very knowledgeable and discuss with our customers the different types of finishes possible for their marble floor or countertop and the maintenance that is involved with each so that each customer can choose the type of finish they will love the look of but also one that fits their lifestyle. At Beyond Clean Tile we can do a honed (egg shell finish), satin (gloss finish) or polished (high gloss finish). Our technicians are trained to use many different types of diamond and abrasives. This allows them to pick and use the best tools that will give you the highest quality of finish. In conclusion, marble refinishing is a transformative process that can breathe new life into your surfaces. By understanding the reasons for refinishing, the impact of different finishes can have you your maintenance, and the nuances of refinishing methods, you can make an informed decision to preserve and enhance the beauty of your marble.