Marble tiles can make your bathroom look fancy and modern. If these tiles were in other parts of your home, there is no doubt that your contractor would recommend sealing them to protect them from damage. However, do marble shower tiles need the same TLC? Rock Doctor is here to answer that question for you!
Is Sealing Marble Shower Tiles Necessary?
It seems that this topic has been debated. A lot of the debate surrounding the sealing of marble shower tiles fails to consider all scenarios. But there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to sealing marble shower tiles.
In most cases, it isn’t a great idea to seal marble tiles in the shower, because in wet environments, the sealer may actually trap water in the tiles and cause the stone to degrade. Degradation of the stone would cause a lot of problems and require you to replace the tiles in your shower.
Additionally, you typically need to seal marble to prevent staining, and you are very unlikely to stain the marble tiles in your shower with just regular bath products. Unlike in your kitchen, dining room, or on your floors, you aren’t likely to use anything in your shower that will stain the marble tiles. Plus, the frequently running water in your shower is likely to remove anything that could possibly stain the tiles.
However, just because you generally wouldn’t want to seal marble tiles in moist areas, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t exceptions to this rule.
When Should You Seal Marble Shower Tiles
There are a few different circumstances that will require you to seal marble shower tiles. The first instance is when you have put white marble in your shower. White marble, including Carrara and Calcutta marbles, often contain small deposits of iron. When exposed to water, the iron deposits can oxidize and lead to a rust stain. Rust stains are very difficult to remove from marble.
While iron oxidization typically a problem on floors after a flood or plumbing leak due to continuous water exposure over an extended period of time, it seems like it shouldn’t be a problem for tiles in a shower. However, if water builds up behind the tiles, you could start to notice rust stains.
Fortunately, marble tile isn’t generally submerged in water in a shower, so water rarely saturates the tile and instead dries quickly on the surface. If you have white marble floors, benches, or shelves in your shower, they are going to be at a greater risk for rust stains than the walls of your shower.
Honed marble tile is more likely to absorb water than polished marble. If you have honed marble tile in your shower, which isn’t recommended, you should definitely keep it sealed.
Tips for Sealing Marble Shower Tiles
When it comes to sealing marble shower tiles, Rock Doctor has the solution for you. Rock Doctor Granite & Stone Sealer is made to be used on all kinds of natural stone surfaces, including marble. This sealer will help create a barrier between the surface of the stone and anything that it comes into contact with like water or the shampoo and conditioner that you use.
The water-based formula of Rock Doctor Granite & Stone Sealer doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals that could damage your marble tile.
Just one bottle of Rock Doctor Granite & Stone Sealer can cover up to 100 square feet of stone, and you only need to reseal your shower tiles every 12 months.
If you are looking for Rock Doctor products, they can be found online on Amazon or in Lowe’s, The Home Depot, and Menards stores. Questions can be directed to 913-894-0288.
