With a marble tile floor, your home definitely takes on a bold new appearance. Marble is such a magnificent piece of stone that creates a unique and stylish look unlike any other.
Over time, marble tiles do develop cracks and ugly marks due to wear and tear. There are a number of approaches to hide these to keep your floor as polished and shiny as ever.
Marble Matters
The treatment to be applied on your marble tile floor depends on the qualities and properties of the marble itself. Have someone take a chemical analysis of your stone. Marble has to contain at least 60% calcium carbonate or CaCO3. Dolomitic marble contains magnesium silicate too.
People may be surprised to know that some material they thought was marble actually isn’t after thorough analysis. Real marble is very tough and can withstand pressure for several years before needing re-polish and re-seal. Treating materials that are not really pure marble will not hide the cracks.
Hiding the Cracks
First, assess the length and depth of the cracks. Mix poultice enough to cover all the cracks you found. Set the poultice carefully over the cracks and try your best not to spill over the nearby surface of the marble tile floor. Use a small even block of wood to press down to fully fill in the cracks. Leaving any airspace within will cause the material to bloat and rise over the edge as the material dries.
Give enough time for the poultice to dry which is around one to two hours. Afterwards, take fine sandpaper and even out the excess material coming out of the edge. Take some color powder which has the same hue as your marble floor and rub it onto the poultice using your hand. Make sure you rub the powder deep enough and evenly to match the marble color. Leave everything to set and dry for 24 hours.
After one day, check if the surface is even and if the crack is completely sealed and hidden. Get some wax and polish the floor to bring back the shine and luster. The seal will last anywhere from 6 months to a year. You can regularly treat your marble tile floor cracks every several months to ensure that it remains smooth and beautiful.
Other useful materials that can conceal cracks are wax sealers and cement fillings. Make sure you apply enough material to cover the cracks leaving no airspaces within. Always press down on the material after each application to set it as firmly as possible to last for several months.
If the cracks are too large or there are inaccessible airspaces on the bottom of the marble, you may need to remove the whole tile completely and replace it with a new one. Make sure you clean and remove the hollow area after removing the damaged tile before setting the new one to keep the surface even and smooth.
Vanessa Arellano Doctor
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