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No need to be overly concerned about damaging the sealer. That is easily fixed. The important thing is protecting the stone and that is what the sealer does well.
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Use only Aldon S-B-S Sealer to repair the finish. The concept is "Do not risk incompatibility". We know what additional S-B-S Sealer does with the original S-B-S Sealer, but have no idea what a different sealer might do. A new application of S-B-S Sealer will "melt" the old S-B-S Sealer and they will flow together and tightly bond.
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You can order
Aldon S-B-S Sealer in convenient
aerosol spray cans that are specifically designed for tabletops, back splashes, counter tops, and other small projects. To order, click here
| To see a full video of the sealer stripping / spraying process, click >> |
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR STONE TABLETOP
Congratulations on the purchase of your outdoor furniture set featuring a beautifully handcrafted stone tabletop!
The stone in your table is an all-natural material. Any variations in texture, color and stone finish are inherent characteristics of a natural material and are part of the uniqueness that is the natural beauty of stone.
About Natural Stone
Any natural stone will have some degree of absorption and therefore can absorb something that will stain it. Your stone tabletop has been sealed and protected with
Aldon S-B-S Sealer. Therefore, from now on we are actually going to be discussing the
maintenance of the sealer, not the stone. This is an important distinction because the maintenance of the sealer automatically protects the stone.
Note: If you have a tabletop manufactured prior to January 2006 and you would like to bring its finish and appearance to the level achieved with Aldon S-B-S Sealer, click here. You can tell when your table was manufactured by looking underneath for a lot number like this:
This stenciled lot number is "03-05" (not 11-115), so it was manufactured in March of 2005. 
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Aldon S-B-S Sealer was chosen after Homecrest conducted considerable research and testing. The goals for this testing included:
- Provide an extremely high level of protection from all stains and acidic liquids.
- Does not require frequent re-application by the homeowner.
- Is easily repaired if a disaster occurs.
- Does not require specialized knowledge or skill from the homeowner.
- Will not break down with outdoor use.
- Has a performance history of many years.
Here are a few features that will make a difference to your long term care requirements:
- S-B-S has been used since 1984 - indoor and outdoors, desert heat and mountain cold. It does not have the "indoor only" limitation of many sealers.
- S-B-S does not breakdown from ultra violet light or anything else that requires additional sealing in a few months or years.
- S-B-S was created, and has been used, on flooring - an obviously more abusive condition than that experienced by a tabletop.
- S-B-S protects stones (limestones and marbles) that react with acidic liquids to create a dulling of the finish (surface etching). That includes all the things that can be dropped on a table, like wines, liquors, fruit juices, lemon/lime slices, etc.
- Obviously, it is best to cover your table when not in use. However, the sealer is very easy to repair and, therefore, any damage to the sealer is not a crises.
Therefore, your need to care for this tabletop is only simple cleaning. No spill can get at your stone so long as the sealer is maintained.
Note: "Disaster recovery" is discussed below and is unbelievably simple and easy.
Note: The nature of any stone mass is to retain heat. Care should be exercised when handling stone that has been subjected to lengthy exposure to the sun.
Note: This page is devoted to the Homecrest tabletops. For information about your patio flooring ( or home interior flooring ) - please click Surface Types.
Care and Maintenance: ............ Keeping it Simple!
With S-B-S Sealer, there are no special care or cleaning materials required or to be avoided, other than petroleum solvents (which can break down and weaken the protective qualities of the sealer). Soap and water is all you need. If by mistake a solvent was used, and it has affected the sealer, do not worry. After it is dry, simply add back more of the sealer to restore the finish. See "Disaster Recovery" below.
Cleaning, normal dirt:
The stone on your table has been sealed, but it still requires regular cleaning. Clean the tabletop with a soft, clean, white cloth (one that won't bleed color) or sponge. Use clean warm water and a mild dish soap. Never use scouring creams or abrasive cleansers that might scratch the sealer finish.
Cleaning, accidental spills:
These should be cleaned immediately. Just wipe up with a damp cloth. S-B-S Sealer will minimize possible damage to the tabletop stone by allowing more cleaning time for accidental spills. Keeping the protective sealer maintained is very important!
Rinse after cleaning with plenty of clean water to remove any soap residue. Dry thoroughly after cleaning to prevent residue from minerals that might be present in your water, even with softened water.
Cleaning, heavy duty: (bird droppings, sap or tree droppings, label glue)
To remove these tougher materials you
may need a more aggressive cleaner than soap and water that will dissolve things. That would be Aldon
Insta-Clean . This product breaks down tough oil and other type materials, but will not hurt the S-B-S Sealer. Spray on - let it work - wipe off before dry. With flooring, no rinsing is needed. However, as with any chemical product, a tabletop should be final cleaned with soap and water in case food that will be consumed might be set on the tabletop instead of a plate.
What if you see the finish dulling over time?
This would not be dulling of the sealer, but could be deposits on top of the sealer. For instance, sprinkler water containing minerals, chemicals carried from rain water running off the roof or other cover, cleaning product residues, etc. See
Problem Solving for mineral deposits and other cleaning issues.
If necessary, you can remove the sealer and deposits on top of the sealer will come off also. Use
lacquer thinner and see "Disaster Recovery" below for re-sealing with S-B-S Sealer. Do not leave the tabletop unprotected with sealer for longer than absolutely necessary to prevent accidental staining of the stone.
What if you want to make it more glossy?
Just do a normal cleaning, then when dry - spray more S-B-S Sealer with the spray can. The new sealer liquid will melt the old, then bond with the old and build up more gloss. See page bottom for ordering spray cans.
Maintenance of the S-B-S Sealer:
There really is not any special maintenance needed under normal conditions. (For "disaster recovery" - see below.) Sealer touch up should not be necessary, but is very easy if ever needed. After cleaning and drying, you can spray any area, or the whole tabletop, with the S-B-S Sealer. The new sealer "melts" the old sealer and all bonds together to a new finish.
Additional Recommendations - Making the beauty last!
There is no great concern about using coasters and place mats when dining. However, coasters will help absorb sweating by beverage glasses or cups and also prevent hot mugs or cups from leaving a ring. Place mats will catch spills and prevent rough bottom dishes from scratching the sealer if dragged across the surface.
Any large piece of stone can "draw" the heat from a hot serving dish that is placed on it. This rapid transfer of heat can cool the food and could crack the dish. Use caution when placing very hot objects on the tabletop and always use trivets, mats or hot pads.
Cover your dining set with outdoor furniture covers when not in use to protect it from the elements. Furniture covers can be purchased at most patio shops and home improvement centers.
Special Precautions For Tables Using Umbrellas
When using an umbrella with a table, always make sure the protective ring is in the umbrella hole and the umbrella is secured using a sturdy umbrella base. Never use an umbrella without the protective ring or an umbrella base.
Always remove an umbrella from the table and store when not in use.
Never use an umbrella in a table during windy conditions.
Disaster Recovery:
To see a full video of the sealer stripping / spraying process, click >> |
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(You may need Aldon
Premium Stripper to remove certain types of non-Aldon sealers.)
The knife slipped and you cut into the sealer?
Simply apply enough S-B-S Sealer on the cut area to cover it. The new sealer will "melt" the old and all will self-level to a new finish.
A red hot utensil was set on the tabletop and the sealer has a "scorched" or "melted" area?
- Use
lacquer thinner or Aldon Premium Stripper to remove the damaged area. "Premium Stripper" is a semi-gel product that you can control and keep from touching a larger area than desired.
If using
lacquer thinner, pour a small puddle - wipe off before it dries with a clean white cloth. Repeat as necessary.
- Let dry.
- Apply S-B-S Sealer to the area and allow a little to flow into the surrounding undamaged sealer area. The new sealer will "melt" the old and all will self-level to a new finish.
Something has cut or scraped past the sealer and managed to scratch the stone? (or grout?) (This is also a way to "polish away" stone stains that may have occurred during the time the stone was not protected by sealer.)
- Use
lacquer thinner or Aldon Premium Stripper to remove sealer from the damaged area. "Premium Stripper" is a semi-gel product that you can control and keep from touching a larger area than desired.
If using lacquer thinner, pour a small puddle - wipe off before it dries with a clean white cloth. Repeat as necessary.
- Let dry.
- See Aldon "Fine Stone Restoration" for the process of polishing out the scratches in limestone and marble. See below for the grout.
- Let dry.
- Apply Aldon S-B-S Sealer to the area and allow a little to flow into the surrounding undamaged sealer area. The new sealer will "melt" the old and all will self-level to a new finish.
Scratches in the grout.
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The steel wool part of the process of stone restoration will also refinish the grout because this grout is a resin and not cement. If you only have scratches in the grout and not in the stone, you do not need the "Fine Stone Restoration". Just polish out the scratches with
#0000 steel wool and then add back the Aldon S-B-S Sealer.
Some extremely aggressive chemical has attacked the sealer and left a permanent mark?
This is extremely unlikely to actually happen in anything considered normal use.
The true goal is to protect the stone surface, even if a little sealer is sacrificed. Simply use
lacquer thinner to remove the damaged area of sealer, then repair with more sealer.
Repairing pits or holes?
These tabletops are made of natural stone. It almost never happens, but is possible that the expansion/contraction from many repetitions of heating and cooling that impacts any outdoor surface could cause a "pop out" of a tiny piece of stone from an invisible, internal weak spot. If it happens, it is relatively easy to repair. You can review the patching/filling process
here.
Small white spots under the sealer?
These tabletops are a large mass of stone and metal that will absorb a good deal of heat during a sunny day. When a mass like this heats up, it expands. When it cools down at night, it contracts. Natural stone will vary considerable in density across its face. Sometimes, the expansion/contraction movement day after day can cause the sealer to lose bond at some points of denser stone. This might show up as a white spot (bubble or "blister"). If large enough, it can sometimes be scraped off with your fingernail. This is a quick and easy fix, but should be preventable by keeping the table top covered when not in use. Here are some repair options:
- Easiest - simply spray with sealer. New sealer will melt old and create a new finish. Usually, this is all that is needed. If the condition happens again, you can spray again or do this following more thorough surface preparation.
- More thorough surface preparation: Remove old sealer with
lacquer thinner. Then aggressively polish the entire stone top surface with
#0000 steel wool. This is a very fine steel wool used for polishing smooth surfaces. When done, clean dust off with soap and water, rinse with plain water and thoroughly dry. Then spray with sealer.
Note: Use only 
S-B-S Sealer to repair the finish. The concept is "Do not risk incompatibility". We know what additional S-B-S Sealer does with the original S-B-S Sealer, but have no idea what a different sealer might do. A new application of S-B-S Sealer will "melt" the old S-B-S Sealer and they will flow together and tightly bond.
| To see a full video of the sealer stripping / spraying process, click >> |
|
You can order Aldon S-B-S Sealer in convenient aerosol spray cans that are specifically designed for tabletops, back splashes, counter tops, and other small projects. To order this, and any other Aldon products - click
